Author Topic: Bouncing AND safety question  (Read 872 times)

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Offline dramsell

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Bouncing AND safety question
« on: July 12, 2008, 12:53:14 PM »
I have bouncing in my 78 CB 750K.  I have adjusted my shocks, new front tire and front rim spokes checked. Swingarm is tight. And do not think it is the steering head bearings.

If it is the fork springs, is it safe to ride (and just a little uncomfortable) until I can afford to have them fixed?

The other question I had was, do you have to take the forks off or can this be done by taking the steering head bolts off only?

Thanks for the help!

Dave

Offline Bodi

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Re: Bouncing AND safety question
« Reply #1 on: July 12, 2008, 01:44:36 PM »
Springs don't control bouncing, that's the shock absorbers' job. Adjusting the original type shocks just changes the spring preload, there's no damping adjustment. The stock rear shocks are marginal when new - and they wear out fast. So the best results are usually from replacing them with decent ones: Hagon or Ikon are very good but just about any new shock will be much better than the originals or old aftermarket units.
The front forks have pretty simple damping units that wear too, but at least you can tune them a bit by using different weight fork oil. Thicker oil will stiffen up the damping, adding a bit more than stock oil amount will increase the airspring effect when the shock is compressed.
There are also "cartridge emulator" units available for the front forks that improve damping enormously with a DeCarbon damper system replacing the stock rebound only damping orifice unit. These are somewhat pricey and the maker will work out with you the best damping rates for your bike, weight, and riding style... changing the rates afterwards is possible but you need to change the internal shims and spring washers.
The front springs may be tired too, but that doesn't make you bounce. You have two choices here I think - stock or Progressive Suspension.
Riding with worn shocks is not horribly unsafe but it is far from safe. Hit a pothole at speed and you'll hope you can learn to fly - quickly. A bump that rattles your teeth with a good suspension will throw you six feet in the air with an old worn out junk suspension.
Changing the front springs you just block or jack up the front so the tire is unweighted, then remove the big fork cap bolts. To install the emulators you have to dismantle the forks, the wheel and fender must come off.
« Last Edit: July 12, 2008, 01:48:54 PM by Bodi »

martino1972

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Re: Bouncing AND safety question
« Reply #2 on: July 12, 2008, 02:07:00 PM »
with bouncing,do you mean that there is a little "hop" in the bike that gets worse the faster you go??

Offline dramsell

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Re: Bouncing AND safety question
« Reply #3 on: July 12, 2008, 02:12:36 PM »
You feel every bump. If you ride in the center of the road it bounces, if you ride in the side of the road (car path) it will bounce.

DOES ANYONE HAVE THE PROCEDURE FOR CHANGING THE FORK SPRINGS (BY REMOVING THE STEERING HEAD NUT) THAT DOES NOT INVOLVE PULLING THE FORKS?

I think I could do that if I do not have to pull the front wheel and forks off (I have limited knowledge and tools and space).

Dave

Offline crazypj

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Re: Bouncing AND safety question
« Reply #4 on: July 12, 2008, 04:26:58 PM »
you dont need to pull forks apart to change spring but you do need to get wheel off ground so top nuts don't take off at million miles an hou
 It sounds like you have way too much fork oil in there. Has anyone changed fork oil?
PJ
I fake being smart pretty good
'you can take my word for it or argue until you find out I'm right'

Offline dramsell

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Re: Bouncing AND safety question
« Reply #5 on: July 12, 2008, 04:37:57 PM »
I had the honda garage put fork seals in it a few years ago.

This sounds as though I might be able to do this myself and not mess up my daily. 

I have a 78 CB 750f I am learning on (200 project that I actually got running, although not perfect yet. The PO let it sit since 1991).

I have always taken my CB 750K to a small repair shop since I have no previous motor experience and bought the F so I could learn to do this stuff myself and NOT have to sacrifice my ability to ride when I want to. 

New knowledge attained:
clutch installation
coils and wire repair
ignition
cable installation
gauge installation
wire harness install (in progress)

So I am hoping this fork spring repair will be easy!

Do you have detailed instructions?

Dave

Offline Bodi

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Re: Bouncing AND safety question
« Reply #6 on: July 12, 2008, 04:41:03 PM »
The steering head nut is used for removing the steering stem or adjusting the steering bearing preload. To get the springs out, remove the two chrome caps on the top of the fork tubes. This is what's holding the front of the bike up, though; you have to block up under the motor (a board the right length wedged under the oil filter housing works fine) or winch up from the handlebars to take the bike's weight off the fork springs. Just undoing them with the bike on its stand will shoot the second cap off with a lot of force as the front of the bike drops, making it fall off the centre stand and then on its side. Not good. Even with no weight the springs are compressed a bit to get the caps on, so they will spring up a bit when removed. Press down on the wrench as you remove them, if allowed to pop up they can damage the first thread on the caps and be buggers to get started back on.