Question R6 fork swap wheel spacers

[Davidk]

Hey guys, I’m putting the 2003 r6 forks on my 2004 fz6. I’m keeping the fz6 wheel. I have the forks, calipers, and fender coming in the mail. I’m just wondering what size wheel spacers I will need and if I will need to purchase the r6 axle? Thanks.

 

[Gary in NJ]

Life would be so much easier for you if you run the R1 front wheel. If you powder-coat the front and rear together you’ll forget about the difference.

If you want to keep the FZ front wheel you will need to use the R1 axle. This will require that you have custom spacers turned (maintaining the brake clearance) and I believe different wheel bearings.

 

[Davidk]

Life would be so much easier for you if you run the R1 front wheel. If you powder-coat the front and rear together you’ll forget about the difference.

If you want to keep the FZ front wheel you will need to use the R1 axle. This will require that you have custom spacers turned (maintaining the brake clearance) and I believe different wheel bearings.

Can I use the r6 wheel and axle or is does it have to be r1? I’m using r6 forks

 

[Gary in NJ]

Oops, sorry. That was a typo. R6 for sure

 

[Davidk]

Oops, sorry. That was a typo. R6 for sure

Okay thanks man

 

[MattR302]

Yes, you need the R6 axle. You also need caliper spacers (simple M10? washers) and axle spacers. Find BD43’s thread about the fork swap, it’s pretty thorough.

 

[durk96]

What does the R6 fork do for ya that the FZ6 fork does not?

 

[Gary in NJ]

What does the R6 fork do for ya that the FZ6 fork does not?

Proper (valved) compression and rebound damping that is user adjustable. The FZ6 has a damping rod that provides a fixed orifice for damping. From Racetech's website...

Damping rods while inexpensive to manufacture have major limitations. To create compression damping, oil is shoved through a hole or holes. Shoving oil through holes creates very little resistance to flow at low vertical wheel velocities as when hitting a dip or gully or applying the front brakes. This allows the forks to shoot through the travel fairly easily, diving or bottoming in these situations. On the other hand when the wheel hits something square edge, especially at speed, it needs a lot of oil to pass through the damping holes very quickly. Unfortunately the nature of shoving oil through holes is that as the wheel velocity increases the damping force increases with the square of the velocity. In other words if you double the velocity you get four times the force. This means the hole basically "hydraulic locks" resulting in a harsh spike. Damping rods give the worst of both worlds; they are both too mushy and too harsh at the same time.