General Category > Bike Builds, Rebuilds And Restorations Only
New tires become suspension rebuild+...(Monza) FAC update!
SED:
--- Quote from: kevdog3019 on April 11, 2015, 11:44:05 AM ---An upgrade to better quality forks is the best thing you can do. I did and it's HUGE how stable these little guys can feel. It's the single best upgrade for rideability I found.
--- End quote ---
I hear you Kev,
The stanchions on my mtn bike forks are the SAME diameter! :o And it's a light weight cross country bike - about 350lbs less than the Monza! If it were a downhill bike the stanchions would be bigger.
I do have hopes of finding a V65 and doing an engine/transmission/fork transplant into the Monza - someday! :)
Muzz:
--- Quote from: kevdog3019 on April 11, 2015, 11:44:05 AM ---. An upgrade to better quality forks is the best thing you can do. I did and it's HUGE how stable these little guys can feel. It's the single best upgrade for rideability I found.
--- End quote ---
What forks did you use Kev?
SED:
Not sure if anyone cares about trying to make the original forks work on the V50III & Monza, but with the FAC dampers at least a month away I thought it was worth a try.
As you recall from our last episode the air bladder was removed from the original dampers, then purged and refilled them with 20wt fork oil.
Stanchions were cleaned out by pulling a rag through them.
Per Guzziology, the lower spring seat was dropped into the sliders with the its locating pin 180 degrees from the notch to receive it, then turned with a long screwdriver. You can feel it drop into place. If you have marked a line on the top you can also confirm that it points toward the notch which corresponds to the drain screw.
Then time to drive in the new seal:
Slather everything with assembly lube - use a long finger to wipe it on the aluminum bearing surfaces down in the in the slider:
Smear a thin layer of lube over the surface of the stanchion and insert. Wear marks indicated the bleed hole had been at the front so turn it 180 degrees so it bears on a fresher surface. (maybe just superstitious ::))
Smear a little lube around and slide the dust seals over:
Assemble the spring on the damper rod. Notches at the bottom retainer engage the notches in the lower spring seat to keep it from turning while tightening the lower retaining bolt:
Slather the spring and damper with assembly lube (more superstition) and lower it into the slider, then insert and tighten the bottom retaining bolt with its aluminum gasket:
Check that the lower bolt is tight and the drain plug installed and then fill the fork lowers. There is very little room between the damper cartridge and the stanchion. A large syringe (feed store item) makes it relatively easy to fill with the correct amount. The oil goes in slow and needs time to drain down past the cartridge. If you give a good squeeze on the syringe it will quickly overflow and drip on your shoes (ask me how I know! :P). Pumping the stanchion up and down encourages the oil to drain into the slider.
Pull the stanchion up out of the slider and screw the damper top into it - after lubing the threads and o-ring of course!
SED:
Now time to install the triple clamps with their new ball bearings. Tighten the bearings correctly, but don't tighten the pinch bolt in the upper triple clamp.
It's worth doing a test fit of the fork legs in the triple clamps. Friction holds the stanchions in the clamps so nothing has to be tightened yet:
By far the most tedious part is inserting the stanchions through the headlight bracket and clip-ons while routing the cables correctly. It is worth marking every cable and wire bundle with tape to know whether it goes above or below the headlight bracket, and around or behind the stanchions. I failed to do this and had to disassemble the twist grip/switch assembly to reroute the throttle cables. Opening the grip/switch pod broke a wire off one of the incredibly fragile switches so now looking for a replacement. Any suggestions?
I found there was plenty of room between the upper and lower triple clamps if I loosened the pinch bolt that clamps the bearing lock nut and raise the upper clamp as far as it would go (see arrow above).
The twist grip is impossible to assemble with two hands. My solution is to clamp a vice grip over it to provide some tension while one hand puts some tension on the cables and the other two install the screws. Works every time :BEER:
Eventually everything goes together. Install the axle and gently tighten the pinch bolts in the fork lowers to align them vertically, then tighten the rest of the pinch bolts and it's almost done!
Ready for a test ride!
SED:
--- Quote from: kevdog3019 on April 11, 2015, 11:44:05 AM --- I would say those forks aren't worth messing with as they are pretty low quality parts Guzzi used. They flex like toothpicks and that's their biggest downfall, not the dampening IMO. Put your front brake on and push on them back and forth (not up and down) and you'll see what I mean about why things wallow in turns.
--- End quote ---
Kev, Here's photographic evidence of the size of 375lb Guzzi forks compared to 28lb mtn bike forks - Yikes!
Better clean up the mtn bike... ::)
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