installing emulators...did I miss something?

[ineedanap]

hi everyone.  I just finished tightening up my stock front forks after doing the emulators/springs/seals/bushings thing.  No big deal...or so i thought.  I was searching around here and noticed in the only write up I can find that the person made adapters and heated them up to fit onto the emulator.  According to the race tech directions adapters were only necessary on flat and protruding damper tubes.   Why did he do this?  Do I have to do this too?  I hope not since I already put these together and they seem to work fine.  Did I miss something?  Thanks

[Kurlon]

I didn't use any adapters when I put emulators in my 93 forks?  'course I also didn't bother with new bushings... I really should re-service them and really dial them in.  You will need to run much heavier fork oil to get any rebound damping I found, after you drill the damping rods.

[The Buddha]

Emulators emulators so these emulate I dunno a real suspension.
Maybe we should also get a motor emulator ... how about a gas tank emulator.
That crap is almost useless. I've opened a GS fork leg. Nothing will help it. If you've hit its limit, its done. If you're light and new and gentle yea it may be OK. Remember it was designed for a 110lb jap chick. The american male of 2009 vintage is over 200 lb and the roads are far from table top smooth. Forget it.
Cool.
Buddha.

[Kurlon]

Emulators emulators so these emulate I dunno a real suspension.
Maybe we should also get a motor emulator ... how about a gas tank emulator.
That crap is almost useless. I've opened a GS fork leg. Nothing will help it. If you've hit its limit, its done. If you're light and new and gentle yea it may be OK. Remember it was designed for a 110lb jap chick. The american male of 2009 vintage is over 200 lb and the roads are far from table top smooth. Forget it.
Cool.
Buddha.

I have definitely noticed an improvement in fork action on the track with emulators and a beefy brace on the stock front end.  Class rules restrict me from swapping front ends, so I've no choice but to go this route to get the job done.

[The Buddha]

Aaah yea the old class rules eh ...

Yea, people who have the knowhow and tools and means to do a emulator job definetly have the tools, ability and means to do a full on GSXR FE swap. Obviously something has to stop them. then yes hopefully your emulators will emulate some real forks.

Or as Yoda would have said - May the forks be with you.

Cool.
Buddha.

[ineedanap]

iI probably would have been better off doing a gsxr fe swap...but

The bike already had racetech .85s/new front rotor/95+ caliper/EBC HH pads/stainless lines when I bought it.  It seemed like a waste to start over.   The way I look at it the $300 it would take to swap a f/e is only $40 less than a 2 day track day at mid-ohio, or 20 bottles of Jim Beam .   

I did emulators on my last bike too (ninja 250) and it was a night and day difference.  4 turns on the emulator and 15wt oil really kept the front end planted.  Of course 33hp has a way of keeping the front end planted too.     Hopefully the GS forks aren't as bad as everyone says they are. 

[The Buddha]

Yea that is an indication you should ahve sold that crap to someone here and went to GSXR.
The new GSXR stuff is actually even lighter than the spindly GS's forks.
Cool.
Buddha.

[lamoun]

I'll have to agree with Buddha here.

If you have the cash and the tools go straight for a front end swap (cartridge forks only, in my opinion)

You will need to run much heavier fork oil to get any rebound damping I found, after you drill the damping rods.

Kurlon what weight oil and spring you use now?
I use 20W oil with 0.90springs and I think don't have enough rebound damping.

@ineedanap

Could you give me the link of the tread you mentioned?
What year GS do you have?
In 2004 they changed the forks a bit and used a flat headed damping rod.

At first I didn't use any adapters, a week later I had some made and fitted them in. I felt no difference.

[Kurlon]

I'm running 30w with .875 straight rate springs.  I'm likely going to have my forks worked over by GMD, the big change will be reworking the damping rod so I can run lighter weight oil, and take better advantage of the emulators.

If I get real cocky, I may see if a friend can squeeze cartridge internals from a set of VFR800 forks in there... 

[ineedanap]

hey lamoun, type    "supper"     (yes that's how it's spelled) into the search.  It'll be the first one that comes up.  Mine is a 90.  His was an 05.  That must be where the difference is installation. 

[lamoun]

Thank you ineedanap, I totally missed that one when searching for my emulators.

Kurlon that is a crazy idea... which I must admit I also have thought...  double 

I hope you do it, so we can stand aside and watch!