What's goin on here

[New2Me]

I'm changing my fork seal per the manuals instruction but hit a snag. The manual says my un-sprung spring should measure 24.10" but it only measures 20.10" The regular spring is supposed to measure 19.82" but my forks have the air bleeders on top. Could a 30 yr old spring really be this compressed?

[New2Me]

If this is just an issue of compressed springs will these replacements work?

http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/produc...atId=&mmyId=39

I would like to get new shocks for the rear as well just a little tight on cash at the moment.

[bikerphil]

I'm changing my fork seal per the manuals instruction but hit a snag. The manual says my un-sprung spring should measure 24.10" but it only measures 20.10" The regular spring is supposed to measure 19.82" but my forks have the air bleeders on top. Could a 30 yr old spring really be this compressed?

No, the Standard and Special models use different length springs. The Standard springs are shorter. The Progressive spring is only one size designed to fit both the Special and Standard. Yes, those springs in the link will work fine and you will notice an improvement in handling with them.

[cywelchjr]

I'm changing my fork seal per the manuals instruction but hit a snag. The manual says my un-sprung spring should measure 24.10" but it only measures 20.10" The regular spring is supposed to measure 19.82" but my forks have the air bleeders on top. Could a 30 yr old spring really be this compressed?

Check the length for standard springs, doesn't matter about the air part, it's special and standard, with the specials OEM springs being longer than standard's OEM springs. However, the 80 and 81 standards with the air forks also use different springs than the 78 and 79's using a spring more like the specials but shorter. And as someone (crazy steve IIRC) found, there are a couple more difference between the standard air and non-air forks than just the air fitting on the top. I don't recall exactly what it was, but they are actually a little bit better fork, somewhere in between the older standard fork and the special for (yes, I'll admit it, except for the weird brakes the specials forks are a little bit better).

[New2Me]

No, the Standard and Special models use different length springs. The Standard springs are shorter. The Progressive spring is only one size designed to fit both the Special and Standard. Yes, those springs in the link will work fine and you will notice an improvement in handling with them.

Hmm my Clymer don't tell me the difference.
It just says "regular fork - 19.82 in., Air/oil - 24.10in." and if my spring is shorter than those dimensions to replace.

When I pulled the fork I didn't have any air pressure in the forks so I'm thinking the valves need new o-rings as well. Rubber will not work on these right, because of the oil?

[latexeses]

Buna-N o-rings are fine. Head to any bearing supply house and you should be able to find them there. I live in a farm region and the are pretty common here.

[bikerphil]

Hmm my Clymer don't tell me the difference.
It just says "regular fork - 19.82 in., Air/oil - 24.10in." and if my spring is shorter than those dimensions to replace.

Yep, well that's the Clymer manual for you. If you get the Progressive springs, air is not needed anymore.

[New2Me]

Yep, well that's the Clymer manual for you. If you get the Progressive springs, air is not needed anymore.

Is there a better manual I can get in the future?

Do you happen to know what the progressive spring length is?

[bikerphil]

Is there a better manual I can get in the future?

Do you happen to know what the progressive spring length is?

Free length is 20.50" , P/N 11-1110.

http://www.progressivesuspension.com/literature.html

http://www.progressivesuspension.com/pdfs/7100-105.pdf

You can download the FSM from CatatonicBug, find the link in one of his posts.