converting ODS with elastomer spring to coil spring

[w2zero]

Starting the overhaul of the latest addition.  96 Beast with the yellow marshmallow goo for springs.  Totally collapsed and melted from UV radiation.  It was parked under cover but sun hit it for part of the day.  Side not in the sun is hard.  Disassembled both shocks and found them still in pretty good shape.  Replaced the oil in both.  I don't have a spring for the rear yet but do have a 200# titanium spring in the correct length for the front.  Problem is;  the spring is slightly too small inside diameter to fit over the spring  hats for the COR type springs.  I took one of the upper spring hats for the ODS/urethane spring combo and chucked it in the lathe and turned the inner bore through.  Then removed part of the threaded plastic adjustment collar for further clearance and preload.  Looks pretty good too. 

[shovelon]

Excellent work!!!!

Give us a ride report when you can.

Terry

[w2zero]

I have to buy a 25x1.25mm tap and make them one piece knurled to be really cool.  Providing the tap doesn't break the bank, but it would be better for preload adjustment.

[DugB]

If you make some adjustment knobs I'd buy a few...I saw a Proflex on eBay recently where the owner switched to springs and only used an adjustment knob on the shocks, like the Noleens use. Being able to do this with ODS units would open up the possibilities a bit re: readily available springs and compatibility with our bikes.

Go for it! :-)

- Doug

[w2zero]

Going out and about today.   Will check on that threading tap for sure. 

Found an oddment (to me) when tearing down the Vector fork yesterday.  I have done more than a few rebuilds on these forks and the seals on this one aren't the usual semi-hard nylon plastic items.  They appear to have the same trapezoidal profile but they are black neoprene or some such flexible rubbery stuff.  They don't appear to have any wear but then they didn't appear to have ever been lubed either. 

[Spokes]

Thats a new one on me to 
Ive stripped down several sets and they've all been the usual type as found in the rebuild kit. Interresting....

Chris

[orange]

(In desperation I cut garden hose into thin slices and used them in some Vectors once)

[w2zero]

I plan on taking along examples of both next time I stop by some of the local industrial supply warehouses.  Anything else to match?  Way  back when I was running and maintaining frp chopper guns, I got tired of paying sky high prices for o-rings and seals for the pumps and heads.  Sourced them from various industrial supply houses for pennies on the dollar.  Forty dollar quad rings  for the catalyst accumulators dropped to fifteen cents and changed from red silicone to teflon.  Lasted a hell of a lot longer too.   I'll take some fork bushings too, might just find lengths of tubing to cut into individual inserts.

[w2zero]

Got a callback from a supplier this morning.  $149.00 USD for the 25x1.25mm threading tap.  Custom made and no returns.  I will research other avenues for threading those ODS shock adjusters.  Gotta be another supplier somewhere or take a different direction.

[w2zero]

Found a possibility.  Seems that the front axle nut on a Ducati super bike is 25x1.25mm.  Now to find one and try it.  It looks possible but a little bit narrow for our purpose.   I see them from 9 dollars to 79 dollars in aluminum or titanium respectively. 

Having the tap made for 149 is tempting but I expect there are less expensive ones out there.  I did see one in the UK on ebay but it was pricey and shipping would make the 149 competitive.

[Colin]

Found an oddment (to me) when tearing down the Vector fork yesterday.  I have done more than a few rebuilds on these forks and the seals on this one aren't the usual semi-hard nylon plastic items.  They appear to have the same trapezoidal profile but they are black neoprene or some such flexible rubbery stuff.  They don't appear to have any wear but then they didn't appear to have ever been lubed either. 

Sounds to me like these are the original Black Seals that the Vectors first came with.
They were replaced by the White/Clear "Extreme" Seals that either came in the RK005 kit or may have been fitted as OE on later Vectors.
I believe that the reason for the "upgrade" was that the Black rubbery style one's introduced more stiction into the movement.

I've replaced the Black one's that were fitted from new on my XP-X Vectors with Extreme seals and the bike is completely transformed.............NOT! <GRIN>  but it's important to keep the crap out of the bearing surfaces, so worth doing anyway.

Col.

[Skinnyboy]

Col, do you have a tech sheet for replacing all the seals from the Vectors?  I stripped mine, subsequently bought an RK005 kit and want to redo mine. My forks are just bolted together for looks sake at the moment.  I did something stupid though, i replaced the lower pivot bolt with an anodisded one and it galled in the thread, tried to remove it yesterday and snapped the head off!!  Now i have to strip them down to extract this friggen bolt!

[w2zero]

I wondered about the stiction from the black seals.  Now remember, that fork is one with the separated upper link anchor and stem on a Beast that had ODS shocks and elastomer suspension. 

My bike is an original 855 I bought in early 86 and it had the plastic seals, integrated stem/upper pivot and the non chamfered swing arm clamp next to the front derailleur plus elastomer suspension and friction shocks. 

May have been a mix of parts between made in USA, Taiwan and assembled wherever.

On a lighter note, scored a longer steer tube on epay so I can convert my other Vector to a divorced stem.

[Willie_B]

Col, do you have a tech sheet for replacing all the seals from the Vectors?  I stripped mine, subsequently bought an RK005 kit and want to redo mine. My forks are just bolted together for looks sake at the moment.  I did something stupid though, i replaced the lower pivot bolt with an anodisded one and it galled in the thread, tried to remove it yesterday and snapped the head off!!  Now i have to strip them down to extract this friggen bolt!

Look under the "How Tos" at the upper left corner, lots of good stuff in there. Starting on page 9 is the replacement info for the seals.
http://idriders.com/proflex/resources/98crosslink_manual.pdf

[Skinnyboy]

thanks man, I already checked that out, bit wary as its for a crosslink not a vector 2, I'll wing it and see what happens.  I have to drill and tap out the lower link now, stupid not so cheap bolts!!