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Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: deathlucky on September 17, 2006, 02:43:09 AM

Title: forks still weak with after market springs
Post by: deathlucky on September 17, 2006, 02:43:09 AM
hi i got my progressive springs put in like 2 months ago and they seem to of gotten soft
is this normal or could my fork oil be off
i go the bike at christmas and after like 7 months months the oil was black as black can be
so could of my fork oil gone off in 2 months it was 10w or are my springs just stuffed

thank you for your time
Title: Re: forks still weak with after market springs
Post by: gs500zach on September 17, 2006, 09:07:55 AM
I have progressive springs, but they have not gone soft at all, I use 15w oil and I used a measuring cup to make sure I put the same amount in each tube..Are your fork seals leaking any???
Title: Re: forks still weak with after market springs
Post by: Lukewarm Wilson on September 17, 2006, 03:40:11 PM
Change the oil and did you put spacers in with the new springs? :thumb: :cheers:
Title: Re: forks still weak with after market springs
Post by: annguyen1981 on September 17, 2006, 04:55:18 PM
I've read that sometimes you don't need spacers.  Depends on brand and style. :dunno_white:

Is there a possibility that there is not ENOUGH oil in the forks?  Someone else here had put TOO MUCH oil, and was too stiff.
Title: Re: forks still weak with after market springs
Post by: CirclesCenter on September 17, 2006, 05:41:19 PM
Progressives are for softies.

Straigh rate, racing rate RACETECHS!!!!! (That's how I roll. With 15w too.)
Title: Re: forks still weak with after market springs
Post by: deathlucky on September 17, 2006, 11:38:20 PM
they were really stiff when i first got them then the other day they just about bottomed out and i was like wtf
Title: Re: forks still weak with after market springs
Post by: pantablo on September 17, 2006, 11:49:34 PM
keep riding them. they're not perfect, just much better than stock. if you're on the heavier than average size you might still bottom them out once in a blue moon. That may be what it is-just a freak occurence. ride it a bit and see if it consistently does that.
Title: Re: forks still weak with after market springs
Post by: deathlucky on September 18, 2006, 12:29:23 AM
yer they have gone really weak when i first got them i could push them down like 1" now i can push it half way down the fork
Title: Re: forks still weak with after market springs
Post by: annguyen1981 on September 18, 2006, 06:14:44 AM
Have you checked for leaks?
Title: Re: forks still weak with after market springs
Post by: gsJack on September 18, 2006, 06:14:35 PM
I put new fork seals and Progressive springs in my 97 GS500E in Feb 02 with about 52k miles on the bike with new fork oil and spacers that I think were about 3/4" long, was the length called for by Progressive.  The bike is parked now with 80k miles on it, but had about 77k on it when I bought the 02 GS500 in Sep 03.

I removed the Progressive springs from the 97 and put them in the 02 in Sept 03 along with the same short spacers with about 5k miles on the bike.  Just dropped in the springs and short spacers and used the oil that was in there. It's got about 43k miles on it now so I must have put about 63k miles total on those springs and there ok for me.  Neither bike bottomed with the Progressives in them and both did quite a bit w/o them.  I weigh about 250#.

The springs have set a bit, front ride height is about back to where it would be with std springs, but they seem about the same stiffness as when new.  I rode the old 97  as recently as this past June so I could compare the well used Progressives with the std springs and std spacers now in the 97.  Used the newer ones from the 02.

Shouldn't be anything wrong with Progressive springs after a couple months.  Nothing wrong with the more expensive Racetecs if your headed for the track, but the Progressives have done the job for me for street use.








Title: Re: forks still weak with after market springs
Post by: pantablo on September 18, 2006, 09:44:01 PM
you sure you put them in right side up?
Title: Re: forks still weak with after market springs
Post by: deathlucky on September 19, 2006, 01:33:38 AM
the shop did it
Title: Re: forks still weak with after market springs
Post by: MarkusN on September 19, 2006, 01:35:53 AM
Orientation shouldn't affect static performace at all. Dynamic only a wee bit.
Title: Re: forks still weak with after market springs
Post by: deathlucky on September 19, 2006, 01:37:41 AM
i have no idea what u just said sorry
Title: Re: forks still weak with after market springs
Post by: sledge on September 19, 2006, 02:18:48 AM
Static means not moving, dynamic means moving.