Replacement fork stanchions

[es2GT550]

Evening all,

Now that the engine is rebuilt (top end anyway) I've stripped the front end for a bit of chrome work, and taking off the horrible green paint somebody painted the fork legs in (what on earth pocessed somoeone to do that !!) . Anyway there are a few little marks on the stanchions - very small amount of oil weeping past the seals. What do pepole think of these - any experience ??

Cheers

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Suzuki-G ... SwpLNX-7iM

[BAZ]

We picked up a problem with the forks on eBay knocking on the rebound, anybody else had this..

[Kettletimes3]

Evening all,

Now that the engine is rebuilt (top end anyway) I've stripped the front end for a bit of chrome work, and taking off the horrible green paint somebody painted the fork legs in (what on earth pocessed somoeone to do that !!) . Anyway there are a few little marks on the stanchions - very small amount of oil weeping past the seals. What do pepole think of these - any experience ??

Cheers

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Suzuki-G ... SwpLNX-7iM

Rechrome your old one’s,Better job.

[barney01]

Like these
http://www.pittedforks.co.uk

[Alan H]

We picked up a problem with the forks on eBay knocking on the rebound, anybody else had this..

Not heard of that nowadays Baz, but many years ago Frank Whiteway at Eddie Crooks' shop advised me to use 20w50 oil (same as we were using in the gearbox) in the forks as it gave better damping. That should help slow the rebound and therefore knocking on rebound as the forks top out. If not, the damping holes are too big, allowing the rebound damping to be ineffective.
If the problem is on a 750 and the rider is light and rides mainly solo, that can cause it too as the springs will be too strong. Most of us won't have that issue! (Wonder what springs Martin has in his Kettle?)
When I got Hippo off John, he'd fitted heavy duty springs front & back, so I just changed the fork oil and it stopped the occasional 'top'. Back was manageable and still is!

[teazer]

What year is your 550? Those look like legs for a 72/73 and won't work in later forks.

Alan is correct that often the clunking is just the forks topping out. Thicker oil helps. On damper rod forks, you can fill the old rebound holes and drill smaller ones to increase damping force, but that takes a bit of trial and error to get them right.

[es2GT550]

Thanks for all the advice. My bike is a 1974 model according to the frame. Its a USA model .and the Haynes manual does n't seem to show the same forks. The Haynes manual shows nuts threaded into the top of the stanchion - mine has a simple rubber bung on the top. I've not fully stripped them yet so its hard to compare to the ebay ones.
Rechroming is an option but I've not checked the old ones for straightness yet and they will still be 44 years old as opposed to new ones !!

[canaletto5]

Hi

The rubber bung is a cap covering up a metal plug held in by a circlip. These were fitted to 75 on bikes (M,A & B) so it may be that someone has fitted later stanchions.

https://www.robinsonsfoundry.co.uk/shop ... t550forks2

Kev

[es2GT550]

Thanks Kev - yep thats the exact type I have - just fully stripped them. My bike is Dec 74 so it may be original - either way I'm going to stick with these ones. These look the right ones and I'm going to buy them. The original ones look a slightly bent. Have started cleaning the legs so a few more hours and they will be ready for rebuild.

Cheers Eamonn

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Suzuki-G ... Sw5cRZNoGu

[canaletto5]

I bought the same set for my 550, they are spot on