question on servicing '88 Husky forks...

[GaryM]

Really I believe the fiber ball hone just cleaned these old tubes from, oxidation, dirty oil film etc for the sleeve bearings to ride on.
I also have a stone hone but did not want to remove much material. For example your Ohlin manual wants you to run a hone to clean and seat the new
seals to the cylinder when rebuilding your rear shocks. have to a couple long extensions on hand.

 

[everfree]

There are issues with all 85 - 87 forks in that the later chrome stantions were updated to have 4 x 6mm diameter holes around the bottom. These allow the oil to flow between the fork and up to the seals(and back), giving the oil somewhere to go and not to pressurise the seals or cause cavitation. If you have a milling machine and carbide cutters, you can modify them all to work fine by cross drilling them(they are hard!) - you need to do the corresponding parts too as shown in the pic attached. Also, whilst you have them apart - replace the aluminium tapered Valve ring with one of our Bronze ones… Use 7.5w oil and 350mL is enough, as all the valving is at the bottom of the fork, they only need oil there… If you put 500ml in you will blow the seals.

Hope this helps.
Andy.

Here's a pic of my '88 fork tube. In '88 they also had a small bolt (see pic) that keeps the valve holes and tube holes aligned.
If you modify your 86-87 fork tubes and valves you need to add the bolt... right?

 

[everfree]

Just for comparison, here's my 87 fork tube w/ damping spindle (top) and 88 fork w/ damping spindle (lower).
Notice the differences in damping components.

The yellow spring and spacer are from the 87 250 I'm restoring. Does the yellow mean a certain spring rate?
That's 70mm of spacer with a stock length spring! What does that tell you about who owned the bike and how he rode?

 

[darren7878]

On a similar subjet:

Recently fitted new bushes , seals etc in two sets of 84 forks.

One set I wire wooled the tubes in a lathe. cleaned them up to much. They look re cromed!

Now the set with the cleaned tubes have a much smoother action than the other set!!

Think I will take the other set apart again and repeat on them.

 

[everfree]

I finished cleaning the '88 forks, put them back together and back on the bike last nite. I finished at 2am... when you're on a roll don't stop...
I took the bike out for a test ride today... nice sunny weather for a change. The forks felt good, easy on the initial hit and compliant through the stroke. Not a long enough ride to tell, but I'm liking these '88 forks.
Here's how I set them up for a baseline: green springs, 600 mm long, 25mm spacer for top of springs, and 450 mm of 7.5 wt fork oil. The 25mm spacer gives me static sag and 450mm of 7.5wt is a compromise just to see how for forks perform until I can really tune them for me.

Here's the '88 430 WR with the new forks.
After riding this 430 again, I have a smile on my face.

The 430 is a great motor. Tons of torque at all RPM and super throttle response. You want to move quick and scare yourself? Twist that throttle a little! Love it.
This motor is a brute, of all the 430's I have, I think this has the freshest motor.
It is super quick and strong. You really have to watch your throttle work. Just idling you can tell this motor has scary power. You can feel it between your legs waiting to explode out!
All hail the mighty 430 ! IMHO, Husky's finest motor.

 

[hva-factory]

Just one more thing to consider - and it is vitally important and not always obvious, is that if you pinch in (or spread out) the fork lowers, so they are not running perfectly parallel with the tubes - you will never get the fork action you are looking for. Undoing the bottom fork clamp and bouncing up and down is NOT the answer. Use a gauge between the legs and measure they are in line.

Andy.

 

[Chayzed Pilot]

That's a good tip Andy and overlooked by lot's of folks.

 

[dartyppyt]

Notice my modern race bike.

See it's 198mm dot to dot.

You install the forks compressed relaxed, with out springs. Then mark the centers of your feet so there is no stiction. Measure between dots. You have to have axle in to square bottom feet. I usually use a tie down on axle to hold them compressed.

Then to adjust fork height. Use axle and adjust height so axle spins without drag, without wheel on. Fully extended with springs and caps on.

Then when you are all done. Put your fork oil in and you are set for good.



I learned this from Husky pro riders in late 70's.

 

[Comicstrip]

Hello dear Husky lovers,

I'm resurrecting this thread;

I own a WR430 1988 since...1988, still first owner
Left unattended for about 16 years, shame on me, I know, and decided to put it back on the trail 3 weeks ago.
An in depth maintenance, by the way, was still in extremely good condition, and running again like a charm.

But I have a front fork problem;
At extension, lets say when the front wheel is getting into the air, I can hear a “Klonk”, seems that the fork is extending to the stop without any restriction.
I tried 450 ml of 5W and 450 ml of 10W with the same result.

Worth to be notice, on my previous 1983 WR430, the same problem was solved by replacing the top off washer (part # 15 12 487-01) but this fork have the '88 sliding seal.

Ideas are welcome,

Thkx !

 

[everfree]

Hello dear Husky lovers,

I'm resurrecting this thread;

I own a WR430 1988 since...1988, still first owner
Left unattended for about 16 years, shame on me, I know, and decided to put it back on the trail 3 weeks ago.
An in depth maintenance, by the way, was still in extremely good condition, and running again like a charm.

But I have a front fork problem;
At extension, lets say when the front wheel is getting into the air, I can hear a “Klonk”, seems that the fork is extending to the stop without any restriction.
I tried 450 ml of 5W and 450 ml of 10W with the same result.

Worth to be notice, on my previous 1983 WR430, the same problem was solved by replacing the top off washer (part # 15 12 487-01) but this fork have the '88 sliding seal.
Ideas are welcome,
Thkx !

Comicstrip,
Maybe nothing is dampening the spring action - no dampening?

Have you have disassembled and cleaned the forks, not just changed the oil ? After 16 years they would need a complete service.
I would disassemble the forks again and use the 1988 Owners Manual instructions to carefully reassemble.
Are the damping valves (15 12-449-01) free to slide inside the dampening spindle?
Are the damping rings (15 12-452-01) facing the right direction -- cone pointing up?
Are the damping holes in the tube lined up with the bushing holes by using the bolt (15 12-492-01)
I would replace the topping sliding seals, my worn seals caused the forks to bind - striction.

 

[2premo]

they still use a similar top out washer

 

[justintendo]

the top out washer performs a different function on the 87-88 forks, but they are still present. these forks have "top out springs"..have you pulled the forks all the way down for a good cleaning and inspection? healthy upper and lower bushings seem to make a difference in these forks too

 

[Comicstrip]

Gentlemen,


Sorry for my late reply, I'm on the road for work and thank you for dropping some ideas on my fork problem.
I put the fork apart and cleaned everything I could clean.
Everfree, you made a good point, I was not able to unscrew the endplug (15 12-444-01) to clean all parts attached to it.
Reading your comment, I will definitively put everything apart again and put more efforts / motivation on that one.

Damping rings should have been mounted correctly but I will double check for sure.
Same situation for damping holes.

That was also my idea to replace the topping sliding seals but, so far, my internet research have been unsuccessful to find new ones.


Now, I'm 6000 Km away from my fork and I will have to wait 5 weeks before getting my hands back in the grease.

I will get back to you with feedback as soon as I stripped the fork.

Thkx again everfree, 2premo and Justintendo for your help and comments,

 

[Comicstrip]

I'm finally close to my fork and disassembled it again and you were right !, I've found 2 wrong things ;

The rebound valve (15 12 449-01) was a bit sticky and lazy, probably half stuck by old oil. A good cleaning solved this

The last idiot who put that fork apart reinstalled wrongly the dampering ring (15 12 452-01)..BTW , I was that idiot...

..and everything is working like a charm now !

Thkx again for all your input

 

[everfree]

I'm finally close to my fork and disassembled it again and you were right !, I've found 2 wrong things ;

The rebound valve (15 12 449-01) was a bit sticky and lazy, probably half stuck by old oil. A good cleaning solved this

The last idiot who put that fork apart reinstalled wrongly the dampering ring (15 12 452-01)..BTW , I was that idiot...

..and everything is working like a charm now !

Thkx again for all your input

Yeah! Glad to hear the forks are working good.
Happy riding.

 

[oldbikedude]

87/88 husky's rule....lol....I have one. (had two)

 

[everfree]

87/88 husky's rule....lol....I have one. (had two)

Yes, the 87 / 88's rule! Best of the Swedes.
Pretty easy to work on too.

 

[suprize]

comicstrip, if I was you I would replace the engine seals as soon as you can (if you haven't already). while they are working now, they will most likely fail at an inconvenient place which will be as far away from home as possible...(from murphys laws on muddaboik riding).

they are 16 years in the no go and while everything else is pretty bullet proof, the main engine seals are a risk. even if you just replace the stator side, its cheap insurance over a full throttle seize.