Front Fork Noise

You did put that allen key bolt back in at the bottom of the forks didn't you, the "fork cylinder bolt" ???

Thanks chaps,

I had to push down fairly hard to get the top caps in. I did however measure the springs and they were within spec, but maybe the integrity of them has diminished somewhat, making them softer. Bottom bolts are tight as ....!!! I will strip them down and check all, and maybe purchase some progressive springs anyway. Right now, I will walk away from it, climb on my ZX10 crotch rocket and get the bee's out of my head!!!

Just thinking off the top of my head, At his point I would remove the front wheel and try to compress the forks one at a time and see if you can identify a dead shock. Normally I would be removing the forks from the bike and doing this compression test on the floor but there's a air balance tube between the 2 forks and I don't think you can isolate the forks without having this balance tube hooked up.

Can't count how many times I've found a dead shock on a car that really messes up the ride quality either from lack of oil or lack of CO2. I suspect that you're dealing with issues with the orifice control valves in the pistons of the shocks and the oil is not dampening the movement of the fork and the fork is bottoming out on extension and compression or just compression or just extension.

I'm thinking that once the front wheel is out, you should be able to grab the bottom of the fork and stroke each of them and note the difference in the feel and maybe that will point you in a direction. Drop the air pressure to zero first.

Hello Kawboy,

I have had the wheel off and done just like you have stated, both the forks have equal feel and motion. I have tried the different air pressures and stood up and watched the forks in motion when I hear the clunking sound and they don't appear to be bottoming out or topping out. It appears to be sharp short quick compressions when the clunking sound is heard. A good example is travelling over small warning "rumble strips", this is when they are at their worst. It mystifies me that the noise only became very noticeable after I changed the oil....and now after trying all the different oil weights, I still have it. I am now wondering whether I have a certain wear pattern in the fork tubes that I've disturbed when I slacked every thing off to adjust the head bearings etc. I did loosen the tripple tree's and twisted the forks backwards and forwards slightly before tightening all up again!

On a day yet to be decided....could be a very long time from now...I will completely strip the forks and check/mic all up and see from there.

That is the thing that is baffling me ...when you said "it never made ANY noise "till the fork fluid was changed ? :huh: