[RonJeremy]

I've only had my SP-5s for about two months and they all of the sudden feel very springy. If you push up and down on them, they feel as if there is no fluid damping at all. I looked at them real good and the seals look fine and I know they haven't leaked a drop of fluid. I've heard people say they get soft when there broken in, is that the case. Also what weight fluid comes in them from BBR ?



Thanks in advance for the help guys.

 

[jws]

i talked to a guy from bbr he told me 5 wt, and i think it was 3.5oz per tube put i dont remember 100 % mine felt like that new and super soft. i rode them once and blew the fork seals. i sent them to xtremeracingron to get set up they will be here tuesday

 

[Dakota569]

When I had them I raised the oil level 1/2 oz. to 1 oz. from stock.. any more and your gonna jack up a fork seal ....and run 10wt oil . that is about as good as you can do for them .... I think oil level went from 3/12 oz to 4 oz. Not positive on that though . The fork oil in BBR style forks breaks down pretty fast from adult moto abuse .... Ron is the man for setting up BBR forks .....

 

[jws]

xtremeron told me that the forkoil and seals have some kind of a chemical reaction and break each other down

 

[RonJeremy]

Thanks for the info guys, what weight oil should I put in them ?

 

[jws]

oil is cheap i would get some differnt weights and play around with it untill your happy

 

[Dakota569]

I'd start with 10wt. at 4 oz. in each leg .......

 

[SLAyER]

I emailed bbr about this prob like a week ago and they finally answered me 2 days ago. This is what they said.



"They come with 10 wt oil.

Don't hesitate to run 20 - 30 wt oil, that is not uncommon.

You will want to run 3.5 oz's per leg.

I hope this helps, let us know if we can help with anything else."



I think im gonna try 20wt . Hopefully I dont blow a seal. Mine have held up good so far.

 

[RonJeremy]

Wow, thanks for all the help. I assume I drain the oil from the bolt on the bottom of the forks. Is there a trick to getting all the oil out and do you need to work them up and down to get all the air out once there filled. This is starting to remind me or rebuilding shocks on RC cars.

 

[xr50racer]

Id put 30 weight fork oil in them. I weigh 180 and i am agressive rider so i like them a bit stiffer. The best fork oil is PJ1 30 weight.



As for seals. I know what seals people are passing off as "GREAT" seals. Un fortunetly guys these seals are called LEAK PROOF. These are the CHEAPEST seals you can buy on the market. Go open up your Tucker Rocky or Parts Unlimited catalog at any dealership. They are so cheap and prone to leaking Manufactures wont even use them even though it may save costs, They do not have a spring to rincrease pressure they use a double rubber lip.



Or better yet give any reputable suspension tuner a call like Race Tech, Factory connection, or Pro circuit and they will all tell you not to use them.



I ran a 30 weight oil at stock 3.5 oz in mine and it seemed to work great.

 

[RonJeremy]

Am I correct on how to drain them ? When filling them can you just measure the fluid in a ratio rite and pour the oil in the same hole and tighten the bolt back up ? Sorry for all the questions, but I have never done any forks before. :wink:

 

[xr50racer]

yes the easier way is to take the cap off the top and take the forks all the way out. Then you cna pump them effectively and make sure you are getting all the oil out. The time you spend trying to play withit on the bike through the small hole will be watsed when you try to fill them up. Just take the forks out of the clamps and pump the oil out. then fill through thte top and cycle them up and down a few times before you put the cap on. yes you are right. Just measure in a ratio rite and fill them up.

 

[fiddybucks]

I took my sp-5's apart and there is a white plastic ring, if you notice it does not fully close up leaving a little gap (I think that this gap lets the oil pass through too fast). i replaced it with one that closes up all the way and the forks are night and day better, and i can use a lighter weight oil in them.



can someone post the manufacturer and a part # for the best oil seal to use in this fork?

 

[FiddyNights]

Use a factory Honda oil seal from a xr70. The new sp5's are not xr70 forks but the seal is the same. If you really get stuck just call derik at BBR. I had some questions on my forks and he all but jumped through the phone and did it for me. Its this kind of service that makes me wonder how people can bad mouth them.

 

[RonJeremy]

I finished the oil change in about 20 minutes including the removal and re install. Just wanted to say thanks again for all the help.

 

[Dakota569]

How do they feel ? I know you havent ridden them yet though ..... Can you feel more resistance when you mash down on em ?

 

[RonJeremy]

They definately feel stiffer, but they still don't feel as smooth as they did when I first got them.

 

[Dakota569]

Ya thats pretty much the same results I got when I did my BBRs .... They are still gonna feel alot better than they did before you changed the oil .