Changing fork oil, need a little help.

No, I don't have to pull the tubes apart to get at the compression valving. In fact last night if it wasn't for not wanting the oil to get around the top area and that I needed to remove some preload(remember my forks are different than yours I don't have the preload adjuster but have to cut down a nylon block to remove some[at 35mm now]) I almost could have removed the base valve with the entire fork completely together. Heck, you have to have the spring in anyway to get some pressure on the base valve tube to get the base valve out.

Did that help with the track stuff?

Got the shims in last night. Added three more shims.(on top of the shims he already added!) Didn't have time to measure out all his additions but looked like he added near the piston and mid stack area. I'll measure them all out come winter time when I usually do a major maint tear down.

Test rode today. First real dual sport ride this year. Hit some single track, two track, and jeep-type fire roads that dont really get used much but had just been graded not too long before and was soft but with perfect traction, felt like I was flat tracking! Overall the suspension did very well. Even on the single track which has been my test area. I didn't spend a long time on the ST so the next ride or two I will really be able to tell. Of the time I did get on it on the ST, seems I lost a little of the magic on the super small chop I mentioned earlier, but gained everywhere else. That super small chop was NEVER the issue though. It still isn't as plush as the WRF's KYB's, but much better. They seem more like the way any fork should be, to me anyways which is much more progressive. I couldn't feel the parts of the travel, they just worked. Like earlier when the super small chop was real soft-n-nice but then got stiffer feeling as the hits got bigger. I don't feel that transition any more. The real way I know their better is because during riding the ST, I wasn't thinking about them constantly. Just riding and having fun.

Well, I think this saga/experiment for me ends here. I think I can finally sit back and enjoy! I was really pleased with how the bike handled all the different types of terrain I threw at it today. The only future change I might make is to try a lighter oil to try to squeeze out maybe a bit smoother action. Through out all these changes the only way Ive been able get it to the best is with the compression clicker close to full soft. Im hoping lighter oil might get me good action but more in the mid range of the clickers, but that wont happen until winter. Now its time to dig into the shock. Kidding, really.

Im going to have to go back through this whole thread too see how ridiculous I look with all the flip flop changes i've made. Should be fun.

I removed way too much oil starting off on my testing I'm sure ... 20 ML seemed like a very small amount to remove .... < 11 would have been OK probably ... I'm back to with in 15ML of where I started and the forks are still feeling fine .... I went about 40 miles last weekend on so really cool mountain roads \ hill climbs \ rocks \ and no problems ... I'm gonna add more oil back (10ML) and I'm stopping at 275ML as my full mark ... 280ML was where it felt harsh at when I started all this ...

The forks will bottom on the track If I'm not careful still ... After I get the oil back up to its highest level, I'll use the clickers to stop the bottoming ... I'm thinking now that maybe I did not get aggressive enough with my clicker changes to add enough resistance to bottoming on the jumps ...

Its the rainy season here now and not too much if any racing is happening now ... These guys do not wanna crash on a jump that has a rutted \ slippery face for a take-off ...track maintenance might also be an issue so no racing during the rainy season ... Thats OK with me as I ain't no big jumper But I have gotten enough practice at jumping that about ~anything in the woods for jumping is a piece of cake and that was what I was really after with all the track riding ...

Most of the tracks I have been on here are sort of like outside SX tracks ... IE ... go around a corner and do a jump, make a bermed turn and line up for a jump or 2 ... over and over like SX with a big finish line jump ...

Lately, we do a trail ride and pass by a track and do a few laps if not too muddy ...

I have not touched the shock on my bike lately either ... I slowed the RB down some a couple weeks ago and it is fine ... maybe getting the front acting well helped the rear also ..