Help with R6 rear shock and forks that were installed on my FZ6 before I bought it

Tom24GR

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That's some expensive kit...especially when it's shipped from Europe. Why not just get Yamaha part number 5MT-23111-00-00? Can you post a photo of the fork cap removed from the fork? I'm not sure, but maybe it can be rebuilt.


My fault. The adjuster which doesn't click is the rebound adjuster on the bottom of the fork. The preload and compression on the fork cap click away just fine.
 
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Tom24GR

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Hello everyone,

I am getting the fork service done. I finished one of the legs fully. So the oil was WAYYY old. Alot of metallic particles and ALOT of water. Additionally, one leg had 500ml and the other had 400ml. Also the seals were super brittle.

I was wondering whether anyone had any recommended settings on the R6 forks to start with.

P.S. I changed out the springs for something more my weight (.95 as opposed to the OEM .83)

Also I took one of the user above's advice on putting 7.5w oil instead of the stock 5w
 

Gary in NJ

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Running the clickers in the middle positions is always the best starting point. Before you start messing with the damping, make sure that you dial in the pre-load correctly - front and rear. You want about 30mm of travel consumed by race sag and after set, the resulting static sag should be around 10-15mm. These aren't hard values because every time you measure you will get a different value - especially with new seals. Take 5 or more measurements and average them. The real tell is the static sag. If this doesn't fall within that range (and to be honsest 15mm is high), the springs aren't the correct value. But from experience I can tell you that 0.95Nm is correct for a rider in the 175-195 pound range.
 

Tom24GR

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Sounds good to me! Thanks for you help. As soon as I take care of one minor error I'll have both legs installed and get back to you guys.

Do you have any idea about how I could fix this error? I have copied and pasted it from a reddit post I made. My apologies for its length.



I'm doing a fork service on my Yamaha fz6 which required splitting the fork to replace the bushings. One of those bushings sits inside a grove on the fork tube. Unfortunately, I guess the bushing was of questionable quality, and as I was putting the fork tube back onto the bottom part of the fork the bushing rode up and is not sitting in the grove but rather on the outside of the tube, making it too tight for me to pull out the tube to put it back in the spot its supposed to be.

Now the fork tube does not move period. I tried pulling them apart but literally nothing. I tried wedging some very very thin plastic trim removal tools in between the tube and the bushing to give it a little room to move but nothing. I now put it in the freezer as that is what the only post I have found on the subject recommended (the aluminum tube will shrink more than the steel bushing, or at least the say).

Does anyone have any idea on what to do?: I dont have any sort of pipe that is wide enough to go around the tube but narrow enough to fit in enough for me to hammer it down or something.

For reference this bushing is stuck right around where the oil seal usually sits (however when installed properly it should reside on the fork tube itself somewhere near the bottom of the fork, in a grove.

Any ideas on what I can do to dislodge it? I sprayed WD-40 while the plastic trim tool was wedged between the fork and the bushing but this thing is stock and will not move even with 2 guys playing tug of war with it.

Also, would a mechanic likely have some tool to make this easier? I'm considering bringing it in just to have this thing removed (but not for the whole job). The first fork leg went smoothly and I finished it in about 30 mins but this one is giving me a hard time.
 

Gary in NJ

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Unfortunately I have not ever disassembled an R6 fork. All of the cartridge forks I have worked on have been USD, so I'm don't fully understand the mechanics in play here. Can you post a photo of the stuck bushing? I assume you are referring to part number 6/27 in the drawing?

Screenshot_2021-01-19 Shop 2002 Yamaha R6 FRONT FORK OEM Parts Diagram - RevZilla.png
 

Tom24GR

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Part 4 is the problem. instead of resting inside its grove it has worked its way up the fork tube. Now preventing me from separating the fork. I would take a pic but you can barely seem it even with my eyes.

#4 somehow has gotten formed and rode up the tube, and now its totally stuck. My friend and I played 'tug of war" with it and it didnt even move an inch.

p.S. #3 is the chrome fork tube (in the diagram it doesnt look like it though). im sure you know that Im just saying it because the diagram makes it look like something else.
 

Gary in NJ

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Is there enough room where you might be able to create a bushing driver with a section of PVC (sliced up the side to it conforms to the fork tube) and actually hammer/drive the fork piston back to where it once came?
 

Tom24GR

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It would have to be super super thin. I know that the fork tube is 43mm. so the pvc would have to have an inner diameter of 43 mm to encompass the fork but I am stumped on what thickness to get. At home depot they only have inches listed.
 

Gary in NJ

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43mm is 1.69 inches (43 / 25.4). 1-1/2" PVC has an ID of 1.6" (40.6mm) and an OD of 1.9" (48.25mm). Here's what I'm thinking...

Get a section of 1-1/2" PVC that is 6 to 8" longer than exposed fork tube (top to piston). Cut a grove up the side of the PVC. This will allow it to expand a little. You should be able to fit this over the entire fork tube right up to the piston. Be sure to deburr/radius the inside edge of the PVC so you don't damage the chrome finish on the fork tube. You'll need to take a measurement of the ID of the fork slider to see if a 48.25mm tube will fit inside - with the fork seal out - you may get lucky. If it fits - you should be able to drive this piston back into postion - or get it moving so you can seperate the tube from the lower.

BTW, you'll be able to use this same home-made tool to drive your new seals.

If there isn't room for the PVC to fit inside, bring it to a shop and they will get the piston moving - and install your new seals - with a 43mm seal driver.
 

Tom24GR

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i just used a piece of metal that is 4mm thick and it barely fits in between the inner tube and the black part of the fork where the bushing is stuck and it just barely fits. Should i give it a try or is it futile?
 

Gary in NJ

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1.9 - 1.6 = 0.3 inch
0.3 x 25.4 = 7.62mm
7.62mm / 2 = 3.81mm

It should fit.

If you install the fork lower into a vice (use the caliper bracket mounts), are you able to get any side-to-side movement on the fork tube. If you can get this movement you may be able to twist the tube, getting the piston back into position.
 

Tom24GR

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unfortunately side to side movement is impossible. Ill go ahead and buy the 1.5 inch and let you know. ill put it in the vice or have someone hold it vertically and hit the pvc with a hammer.

i appreciate your help alot !
 

Tom24GR

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Hey @Gary in NJ , I ended up finding a fork tube and a pair of fork boots for like 50$ so I just bought it. I couldn't find any PVC's that fit.

Other than that everything has gone good with the upgrade. My only last question is this. The compression adjuster at the bottom of the fork near the wheel is still not clicking like the other.

In other words, it most but it doesn't make the clicking noise whereas the right one clicks like it should. I tried to use the broken fork boot as a dummy to try and see whats wrong.

Is it possible to keep unscrewing the compression adjuster so that it comes out?

Maybe there is some sort of o-ring that broke or something else which is causing it not to click.
 

Gary in NJ

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The clickers move an adjustment rod that applies more or less presure on the shim stack. It's just a ball bearing that's under the load of a spring, which falls into and out of a hole as the shaft of the adjuster is rotated. Sometimes it's not really a click, but more of a stiff spot in the rotation. Usually each "click" represents 1/4 turn. You can confirm this but observing how much rotation you get between clicks on the one that does click.

Without having your shim stack in my hand I can't tell you if its rebuildable or not. What I can tell you is you can count the number of rotations from open to close, and multiply that by 4. Those are your clicks. Set the non-click fork to the same position as the click fork.

I have found on every bike I've had with adjustable suspension (including my FZ which has adjustable compression on the forks and rebound on the shock), without exception, that once I get the suspension set-up where I like it, I never revisit the clickers again. If something changes...then something is wrong. My hats off to the guys that make adjustments on every ride and additional adjustments at every stop. My guess is that they don't know what they are doing, or they are focused on the wrong things. Set it, and forget it.
 

Tom24GR

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In my case the forks are from an old R6 but I agree with you. I want to set it up and leave it unless I take a passenger or go to the track. What I might end up doing is taking the one that broke and cutting it open with an angle grinder. Like a guinea pig in science class. At least I'll learn something.
 

Tom24GR

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Hello everyone,

After much work the front forks are done. Brand new seals, bushings, oil, as well as a spring for my weight. I can say without a doubt its WAYYYY better. The adjusters actually make a difference now. Besides springs which were much too soft for me, one of the forks was had 100ml less than the other. The oil itself was extremely contaminated and filled with water. Upon reassembly I also put the triple clamp 6mm below the fork cap (as recommended to me above). Besides more stability both in turns and in a straight line, I finally feel that there is some damping going on. Every nook and cranny in the road is not transferring directly to my body.

I'm still working on finding the perfect settings but preliminarily 3 lines of preload showing and the other adjusters in the middle(4/9 comp. 4/10 rebound). I'm going to continue trying it out but I want to thank all of your help. The Bike has finally been restored to where it should be. Well almost, I just have to send my rear shock to penske to be serviced. :p
 
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Gary in NJ

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Great to hear. Do know that you don’t have to send the shock to Penske. While they will do a great job, you will pay for the privilege of doing business with them. Any competent local shop will be able to rebuild (and respring) that shock.
 

Tom24GR

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Do you think the $175 price for rebuilding it is too much? Admittedly I haven't been to a mechanic's shop in years because I do everything myself. I guess I should check around and ask. the only benefit from Penske is that I believe they will replace the preload collar which has corroded (included in the price). What do you think a shop would charge me more or less? Like 125?
 
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