Suzsmokeyallan wrote:As for the number 2, down south near Peigan trail by Freds theres a concrete section that quite interesting to ride on, its the strangest thing to feel you'd swear you have elliptical rims on your bike.
There is no lack of lousy roadway in Calgary
Ian
If at first you don't succeed, just get a bigger hammer !
Suzsmokeyallan wrote:Using the floating head damper rods which are better and about one inch longer will give the forks some added range of travel, and since the 76 forks have a flat top cap i can slide them up through the top triple clamps to reduce some 'top out' when the bikes on the centre stand and regain more of a stock unloaded stance.
Allan - the damper rods you mention are aftermarket like the ones in the article ? Or from some other model/make of bike ?
My plan is to add a small spacer under the existing damper rod solely to expose more of the lower part so I can drill out the holes lower down on the rod when I install the cartridges.
Ian
If at first you don't succeed, just get a bigger hammer !
By adding a small piece under the damper rod you are actually making the forks have more usable working travel. The article explained this as one of the major problems of the GT forks, so youre addressing it in the process.
Heres some info i have for a thought on the fork issues. If you get a set of these particular year units you can strip them out and use the inner tubes, springs (possibly) and the damper rods to put into the GT750 outers. These damper rods are much larger and a more modern design and also have the top out springs
These inner tubes are approx the same length and diameter as the GT ones and have an air cap fitting if you choose to use some air assist as well. You naturally wont be able to use the slider bushings so they will have to be removed, but then again the GT doesnt have them either.
Heres some comparison photos,, the one of stancions are those from the 83 GS650 against the 74 GT750/RE5 ones.
The lower leg one is a comparison against the 81 GS650 and the 74 GT750/RE5 lower leg.
These legs are basically the same in general dimensions except for no lower fender stay ears and they have the change internally for slider bushings. The caliper bolt holes are a bit closer to the axle as well, it works out at about nearly a hole closer but the spacings are the same.
You can easily see the big difference in the damper rods design in terms of volume etc.
Last edited by Suzsmokeyallan on Sat Sep 05, 2009 1:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Thanks Allan - oddly enough, I did pick up a set of the same model front forks last year with the same idea in mind. The ones I got had some corrosion at the upper end of the fork travel so I couldn't use them, but I may revisit the idea over the winter.
Ian
If at first you don't succeed, just get a bigger hammer !
Heres another little surprise, the pic below says it all.
On the bottom an aftermarket slightly longer damper rod with floating piston, in the middle an RE5 damper rod and on the top a 74-77 GT750 damper rod.
I know the longer damper rod cant be used on the GT750s just as it is since the forks extend a bit too much putting both tyres on the ground and the brake hoses are tight when the bikes on the centre stand.
From the parts listing the RE5 has dual springs in the stanchion legs and these specific longer damper rods compared to the stock GT750.
Note how the hole in the lower portion of the RE5 rod has a chamfered edge compared to the GT750 one.
Now its apparent why the RE5s tend to have a slightly nose up attitude when viewed from the side.
Suzsmokeyallan wrote:Heres another little surprise, the pic below says it all.
Indeed - that is a good photo Without a scale to tell what the dimensions are (see the photo I shared at the start of this thread) I'm guessing the stock GT750 damper is about an inch shorter than the RE5 damper ? My thought was to use about a 7mm spacer, just to lift the damper enough that I can drill it out as low down on the damper leg as I can get for the cartridge install. We'll see how it goes - I'll have lots of time to play with it once the snow arrives .....
Ian
If at first you don't succeed, just get a bigger hammer !
Well you dont really need a scale to see anything in particular. Just look at the RE5 and GT rod and its easy to calculate its a piston taller in total length or as you noted its approx an inch longer.
Those cartridge emulators from Mikes on the GS 650 inners would be the hot ticket (same diameter piston too) seeing they've got the larger volume rods with more travel.
We can see the bump (top out) spring on the longer GS damper rod which is a nice upgrade if you often top out over potholes.
What I don't recognize in the lower picture of the GT spring is the secondary spring. Was that from an R5 or has that spring been shortened? My Gt forks don't have a second spring.
Those teflon bushings would be a nice upgrade to make for a more compliant ride especially for anyone upgrading brakes at the same time.
Last edited by tz375 on Mon Jun 20, 2011 3:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I did the damper mod as per the article on BlueBoy, but didn't add the extra spacer under the rod on Pinky. I have a set of those emulators from Mike's also, but haven't gotten around to installing them. Keep us posted.
Lane
If you stroke it more than twice; you're playing with it.
Too many bikes, too much time, ENOUGH SPACE, FINALLY! Never enough money.........
Richard i did some parts number checking and the Buffalo did not have a two piece spring, or the longer damper rods
Those items, the two piece spring and longer damper rod are for the RE5 only from the parts book, so its model specific.
I know basically nothing about RE5s, but usually the short spring is a rebound/bump stop spring and fits under the head of the damper rod. That's typically why the damper rods are longer.
Was that leg just assembled wrongly by a PO or is that how they hsow it in the parts book/service manual?
Nope the smaller spring goes on top of the main spring and theres a washer between the two of them. The parts catalogue shows it assembled this way, so there no spring under the damper rod.
