KDX200 1985 shock upgrade gold valve ?

[topari]

The Clymer manual i looked at shows a floating piston for the 85 shock, tells you the depth to set it at, gas presure etc

Do the pictures show the reservoir sealed ? All 3 of mine are sealed. Can only be opened with a hack saw.

[LWC82PE]

Yeah from what i could tell, i was just looking at the google preview (search KDX200 clymer manual) and 2 pages were missing. The reservoirs look like the early twinshock suzuki ones. Welded at each end and with a crappy plastic piston inside that often get stuck. Have you removed the valve and hose and stuck a screw driver or something through the hole to actually see if there is a piston you can push down ? Are you 100% sure that there is no piston hard up against one end of the reservoir?

[topari]

I will need to check.
According to the KDX200 manual, there is a free piston in the reservoir. Procedure is to use a push rod to position the piston 46mm from the bottom. In practise this means the hose removed from one end, and the schraeder value from the other. I guess I'd use the vernier to set the depth. 68ml of oil is added to the reservoir from the hose end and 167ml into the shock body. Then add N2 between 142 ad 213 psi. Factory setting is 142 psi.

I will check on the other shocks and report.

I will probably use argon to pressurise the shock. Have lots of it.

[tymes]

You can push the piston back and forth in the reservoir with something blunt, and just measure it with the verniers.
I set the piston a bit closer to the shrader end and put the shock in the vice upside down so that i could bleed off the air and extra oil through the botom shock banjo bolt.

[Nathan S]

Still confused about the shock body material - your photo looks like an alloy body?

Got a photo of the inside of the cap you cut off the reservoir?

[topari]

End cap, reservoir and some other bit.

[Gday]

If anyone is interested in a group buy of heavier shock 83-85 shock springs pm me, I've got the details from tymes of who made - I spoke to them and they are happy to do another run - the more the cheaper.

[topari]

3. Alloy body. No steel.

Correction. Body is indeed alloy not steel. I tried the magnet test.

Big spring on order. Will be starting with some 7wt oil, based on recommendations from a tuning company.

[tymes]

Big spring on order. Will be starting with some 7wt oil, based on recommendations from a tuning company.

Heavier viscosity oil will cause the suspension to have a harder feel over high speed compression damping like sharp edges. If your using it for enduro style riding?  then it wont feel as plush over the harsh bumps where the suspension needs to compress quicker.
The adjustment on the top of the shock is for rebound only.
I have found the standard spec 5w oil and low end pressure range gives the bike a predictable smooth comfortable feel when it hits the bumps. No kicking of the rear. Bottoming out has not been a problem with the correct spring.
7w isn’t a big difference though.

[topari]

tymes, thank you.

I noticed on three of my shocks the top heim or spherical  bearing is shagged. Kawasaki want about $100 for one. I went to local bearing company and found something similar for about $16. It needs a bit of fitting to match the shock head. Wonder what others have done? The heim bearing looks like a weak point in the linkage setup.

[80-85 husky]

kwaka engineered a "special" (i.e. we supply you pay..) bearing. I looked at getting a sleeve made to fit a std skf spherical. then I bought a husky and the Ohlin's spherical were $12 eat the local bearing shop

[tymes]

I got some sphericals off ebay that fit but they were the same OD but not as wide. We have locktight them in there and they havent moved in the four shocks we are using them in between me and a friend of mine and we have had them in there for over a year. They were about 12 bucks each. Its the outer of them that isnt as wide and they have a nylon insert in them, none of ours have developed any play in them yet.

Wasp, how much do yous charge for the top spherical bearings that you stock? Also do you have the rubber bush for the bottom of the shocks? And Im interested in pricing a  piston kit!

[topari]

Just to slow my rebuild progress, I find the 14mm shock shaft has a 1.25mm pitch. I want to buy some M14x1.25 nuts but no one has them