KX Riders

Maintenance & Technical => KX500 Original => Topic started by: dmazz71 on March 16, 2011, 11:21:54 AM

Title: Fork Spring Noise
Post by: dmazz71 on March 16, 2011, 11:21:54 AM

Hi All,

I have an 03 500 and noticed some sort of spring noise that seems to be coming from the right fork.  When I hold the brake and slowly pushed down on the handlebars, I hear a little click when the fork compresses.  I don't hear anything on the left side, so I'm assuming that something is going on.

Could this be a sign that the fork oil is low?  The bike did sit for a while, but I can't see any signs of an oil leak.  The area around the seals are relatively clean.

Thanks
Dan

Title: Re: Fork Spring Noise
Post by: cbxracer30 on March 16, 2011, 12:46:55 PM

Bel-ray fork oil used to have what they called "swell" in the oil to make the seals swell and keep a good seal , unfortunately this also causes all the plastic parts inside to swell also on bikes that sit along period of time. On bikes that are continuously ridden the motion in the forks keep the plastics wore down , but on the bikes that sit the plastic parts inside the springs - swell and jam up inside the springs causing forks to become stiff and or stick. This could be your problem. To fix this problem you need to take the forks apart and sand donw these parts.CBX

Title: Re: Fork Spring Noise
Post by: dmazz71 on March 16, 2011, 01:19:08 PM

Thanks for the reply.  That makes sense, since It has been sitting a while with the original fork oil. 

Title: Re: Fork Spring Noise
Post by: USMC 500 on March 16, 2011, 01:34:41 PM

I'm about to change the fork seals on my K5, is there an easy way to do it or do i have to take my forks completely apart??  If so do I need special tools?

Title: Re: Fork Spring Noise
Post by: Motorrad on March 16, 2011, 01:40:16 PM

Quote from: USMC 500 on March 16, 2011, 01:34:41 PM

I'm about to change the fork seals on my K5, is there an easy way to do it or do i have to take my forks completely apart??  If so do I need special tools?

easyer than me explaining it.

Make sure you inspect all the bushings for wear...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y43k1qFVGW4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9ICr-DOmdk&feature=relmfu

Title: Re: Fork Spring Noise
Post by: ktmdude on March 16, 2011, 04:52:09 PM

When I had my forks re valved, and re sprung on my 300, they made noise when pushing the bike. (Bike moving, motor off) Turned out the Race Tech springs are a smidge smaller than the stock ktm ones, so they rattle around a bit. Not sure that's your problem, but it's was my experience.

Title: Re: Fork Spring Noise
Post by: Polar-Bus on March 17, 2011, 01:43:27 AM

Quote from: dmazz71 on March 16, 2011, 11:21:54 AM

Hi All,

I have an 03 500 and noticed some sort of spring noise that seems to be coming from the right fork.  When I hold the brake and slowly pushed down on the handlebars, I hear a little click when the fork compresses.  I don't hear anything on the left side, so I'm assuming that something is going on.

Could this be a sign that the fork oil is low?  The bike did sit for a while, but I can't see any signs of an oil leak.  The area around the seals are relatively clean.

Thanks
Dan

Also make sure you are not hearing the floating front brake rotor clanking while you have the brake applied. I have the same clunk, and it's my brake rotor. When I first felt and heard this noise, I thought I had a bad fork bushing, or my triple tree preload was loose