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Damping is shot. What do I need todo?
Posted: Sat Aug 03, 2013 10:27 am
by bodge
I haven't ridden my bike yet but I can tell the front damping in the forks are shot.
When pushing it when i apply the brake it shoots down about 2" every easly and bonces abit if you bump it up and down.
Do I just need to change the fork oil and seals to fix this. Its the later type forks.
Do I put different oil in for how heavy I am? Im 12stone ish with all my gear on.
I will be taking it on trackdays but I just want to get it on the road first and handling as well / better than it would have done out the factory
Re: Damping is shot. What do I need todo?
Posted: Sat Aug 03, 2013 12:36 pm
by Mcconnellnc30nc35
Can you feel any clicking from the front when your driving, my mates nc 30 suffers from this problem he is just about to do fork oil, seals, and upper and lower fork bushes as his bike seams to (click) due to a bit of ware
Re: Damping is shot. What do I need todo?
Posted: Sat Aug 03, 2013 4:10 pm
by Neosophist
Use standard oil (10 weight)
Your springs might be old and soft, have you got the preload and compression set to the right settings?
As for second poster.. sometimes the mudguard rattles around and makes a very werid clicking sound, have you ruled that out? Friend overhauld their forks and still had the same noise.. was that!
Re: Damping is shot. What do I need todo?
Posted: Sat Aug 03, 2013 5:19 pm
by Mcconnellnc30nc35
My mates fork bushes are that worn you can feel the click between the fork leg and stanchion lol but must grt a look at his mudguard also
Re: Damping is shot. What do I need todo?
Posted: Sun Aug 04, 2013 10:15 pm
by NGneer
bodge wrote:I haven't ridden my bike yet but I can tell the front damping in the forks are shot.
When pushing it when i apply the brake it shoots down about 2" every easly and bonces abit if you bump it up and down.
Do I just need to change the fork oil and seals to fix this. Its the later type forks.
Do I put different oil in for how heavy I am? Im 12stone ish with all my gear on.
I will be taking it on trackdays but I just want to get it on the road first and handling as well / better than it would have done out the factory
Do yourself a major favour, pull the forks out and strip service them. This is not a major job but (in my humble opinion) is the biggest improvemnt for your money you can make on an NC30. Get a spring upgrade kit from rick Oliver (comes complete with the 10 weight fork oil you need), some new fork/dust seals and see what the internal bushes look like when you are in there.
Order the springs from Rick ahead of the job and (assuming the bushes are ok and you don't have to wait for some replacements in the post) you can have the forks out, striped, rebuilt and back in within a comfortable days spannering. Trust me - it will transform your bike
Re: Damping is shot. What do I need todo?
Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2013 12:19 am
by magg
After the forks have been stroked a few times does the damping increase. Does screwing in the adjuster have any affect.
Re: Damping is shot. What do I need todo?
Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 5:52 pm
by bodge
nope damping seems to stay the same.
Thanks for all your help.
How do I get the settings in the ball park figure? My KTM had a guide in the handbook. (all the way clockwise and then 15 click any clockwise is comforatble. 20 clicks standard, 25 clicks sport) information like that.
Idealy I want to keep away from upgrading the springs just yet.
the Adjusts don't look right to me. Ill have to take a picture but the one that takes the (looks to be 13-14mm spanner) is screwed all the way in so you can no longer get a spanner on anymore. Just doen't look right.
How do I get it in the ball park figures on the damping (for sport track use) and is there any information on setting up the SAG anywhere on here.
Thanks again for the help (MOT tomorrow ) fingers crossed
Re: Damping is shot. What do I need todo?
Posted: Sat Aug 10, 2013 1:34 am
by magg
The adjuster with the two flat that takes a 13mm spanner is spring preload, the brass straight blade screw drive adjuster in the middle is the damping.
Preload adjuster has indicater rings and usually protrudes 15mm above the fork cap.
Re: Damping is shot. What do I need todo?
Posted: Sun Aug 11, 2013 8:17 pm
by bodge
Thanks for all the help.
I chucked it in for an MOT and it turns out the forks are bent anyway lol. They took the front wheel off for a tyre change and the forks sprung really far out of shape so im after a new set. Never the less ive learn things from this tread so its all good

Re: Damping is shot. What do I need todo?
Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 10:41 am
by dx400r
Theres plenty of places that offer fork straightening.... try them before binning a decent set of forks
