ST 1100 fork spacer

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Aug 24, 2012
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Park Ridge, NJ
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1994 ST1100
I'm about to rebuild my forks. Just received new bushings, oil piece and seals. Bought Progressive suspension springs which came with PVC pipe. If I understand from other threads correctly, I suppose to cut the pipe to the certain length. What's the correct length that I should cut it to?

Mark
 
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What do the directions say? If I remember right, I think you use the pvc in place of pipe? I could be wrong, I would have to dig up the directions when I did mine.

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Follow the directions that came with your springs! They give you a sheet that has the ST1100 listed. We just installed Progressive springs in RCB's, and did fork bushing and seals in both his and mine. On RCB's the sheet said to cut the pvc down to 3.25 inches and put it in in place of the longest metal spacer, and leave out the short one.
 
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maximark
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Park Ridge, NJ
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Follow the directions that came with your springs! They give you a sheet that has the ST1100 listed. We just installed Progressive springs in RCB's, and did fork bushing and seals in both his and mine. On RCB's the sheet said to cut the pvc down to 3.25 inches and put it in in place of the longest metal spacer, and leave out the short one.
I don't think that springs came with any directions. I'll have to look again in the box.
 
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The spacers are to set the "proper" preload on the front springs. The recommended length is a general guideline, some folks like to play around with it some. If you make them too long, the ride will be harsh... a little shorter and your suspension will be mooshy and not handle well. The first time I installed the Progressive springs, I followed the instructions that came in the box and the job went very well. You will need a special tool to deal with the right side dampening rod.
 
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maximark
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You will need a special tool to deal with the right side dampening rod.
whats the tool called? Or how does it look? Do you know? Shoot! Now I have to look for it. Or find a loaner.
Can it be subsidized with something else? What you mean "to deal with right side dampering rod"? There was another thread yesterday about using tight downs to compress the spring to loosen the rod. Is it the same thing?
 

Mark

Gotta make tracks
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You set up the front end almost the same way you set up the back.
Measure cut adjust, repeat until satisfied. Read up on front end setups.

The tool threads onto the rod allows you to get the keeper/washer out.
 
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The tool screws onto the top of the damper rod and allows you to hold it while compressing the spring and installing the keeper. It can be fabricated fairly easy with some metric hardware. It's been awhile since I made mine... and I think it is a 10mm size. If you PM me with your address, I'll be happy to loan you the home made tool.
 
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The first time I took my forks apart I attached a piece of twine/string, something to hold the dampening rod from falling back into the tube.
Since I custom made a piece that attaches to the rod. Yes, it is a 10mm.
sent from my Droid phone.
 
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Pictures of this tool, homemade or otherwise anyone?
Have to wait till I get home later on.
Or you can go on ST-riders site and request special tool kit.

sent from my Droid phone.
 
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finger lakes ny
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Thanks Dave. Need a bit of explanation though (sorry), as I haven't been inside my ST forks yet and don't really know what I'm looking at here. Just need to get some fresh oil in there!
 
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Thanks Dave. Need a bit of explanation though (sorry), as I haven't been inside my ST forks yet and don't really know what I'm looking at here. Just need to get some fresh oil in there!
No problem Dean, this tool makes it easier to hold onto the right side dampen rod otherwise it wants to fall back into the tube. When I got the special tool kit last time I ended up making that, the measuring rod and gonna buy the seal driver....the tools, socket, etc already have. So I will have all tools neded for fork seals or fork oil replacing.
 
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soCal
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View attachment forks001.pdf
Thanks Dave. Need a bit of explanation though (sorry), as I haven't been inside my ST forks yet and don't really know what I'm looking at here. Just need to get some fresh oil in there!
The right fork has a cartridge design, which includes a damper rod that extends up to the top of the fork inside the spring. The end of that rod threads into the bottom of the fork cap.

1. With the fork on the bike and the top triple clamp bolt loosened, break the fork cap loose, but don't remove.
2. Remove the fork tube from the bike.
3. Now remove the fork cap from the fork tube, the damper rod should remain attached to the fork cap.
4. Slide the upper part of the fork tube down enough to expose the top of the spring, there will be a nut at the top of the damper rod (14mm open end wrench)
5. Hold the nut with the 14mm wrench and remove the fork cap from the damper rod.
6. Now you will see a slotted retaining clip that's like a big flat washer, it is held in place by the nut on the end of the damping rod and holds down the spring/spacer. You can remove it by compressing the spring by hand and pulling it out because the slot is the diameter of the damping rod. After doing that, there's nothing left to hold up the damping rod and it will slowly sink into the fork.
7. At this point you can remove the spring from the fork tube.

Now, to put the clip back in place upon reassembly, its helpful to have something to hold the damping rod at its highest position while you put the clip back into place. I've done this job many times, just not very recently so I can't recall exactly how I did this before, but I don't have the special tool. I may have yelled to the wife to come hold this thing while I put the clip back into place, or I may have been able to do it with my own two hands, which is difficult but not impossible. I think I may have also used a strong magnet to hold the rod in place as well.

You can loosen the top nut a bit to remove some of the spring tension, which makes the job of putting the clip in place a bit easier. Just be sure to expose enough threads above the nut so that the fork cap can properly attach to the top of the rod. I forget the exact dimension, its in the shop manual and its something like 10mm if I recall. If you do loosen the nut, just measure the distance from the top of the nut to the end of the rod before loosening the nut, and put it back to that dimension after you're done.

So the tricky part is to keep the damping rod fully extended with one hand, while compressing the spring with the other hand, and putting the clip back into place under the nut. I think I held the magnetic pickup tool in the palm of one hand, and used my fingers on that same hand to slide the clip into place under the nut. If you have a helper to hold the rod up, then its a piece of cake.

Sometimes if I'm lazy I just pour the oil out of the little gap in the clip and use a very small funnel to put the new oil back in through that same gap, that's also an option.

Edit: attached scan of manual page for visual aid.
 
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I'm only needing to refresh the oil at present because I have no idea what's in there. If I'm reading this right, the fork cap will completely unscrew, and without any further disassembly will create enough gap to possibly use to either empty or fill oil?
Anything wrong with (for just a quick change) leaving the forks on the bike, opening the drain screw, measuring what comes out and replacing with an equal amount?
Thanks for the help guys.
 
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maximark
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Park Ridge, NJ
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1994 ST1100
Thank you guys. Very much. I'm gonna disassemble them this weekend and see. dwalby, your instructions are pretty clear so I have an idea what to expect. I'll let you know how it went. Vinny is sending me that special tool, but if I could do it without it- great. I'd have new front and today installed new rear PS 465-1128 but haven't had a chance to test it, so both new! Can't wait to have normal ride instead of "boat rides" on NJ uneven pavement. If weather allowes, we'll know tomorrow how bad the old rear shock was.

thank you guys

Mark
 
Joined
Jan 27, 2009
Messages
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Location
Wilton, NH
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2021 BMW 1250GS
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7806
I'm only needing to refresh the oil at present because I have no idea what's in there. If I'm reading this right, the fork cap will completely unscrew, and without any further disassembly will create enough gap to possibly use to either empty or fill oil?
Anything wrong with (for just a quick change) leaving the forks on the bike, opening the drain screw, measuring what comes out and replacing with an equal amount?
Thanks for the help guys.

I wouldn't do that. You need to pump the fork several times to get the old oil out. It really is not that bad to take off the forks, I was intimidated at first, now don't even hestite to take off the forks. It is three hex screws and the forks slide right out. Follow your manual and you will not have a problem. You really should measure from the top of the fork down with measuring tool to get an actuate reading with the forks compressed.
 
Joined
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Location
soCal
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'97 ST1100
STOC #
687
Thank you guys. Very much. I'm gonna disassemble them this weekend and see. dwalby, your instructions are pretty clear so I have an idea what to expect. I'll let you know how it went. Vinny is sending me that special tool, but if I could do it without it- great. I'd have new front and today installed new rear PS 465-1128 but haven't had a chance to test it, so both new! Can't wait to have normal ride instead of "boat rides" on NJ uneven pavement. If weather allowes, we'll know tomorrow how bad the old rear shock was.

thank you guys

Mark
I edited the original post and added a scan of the manual page with the fork exploded diagram for a visual aid. The concept is very simple, you'll do fine.
 
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