Front end renovation

[Trigger]

You need to look at some 400 cafe racers. I have had two in my workshop with a 550 front end fitted and one guy that had up side down forks fitted 

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

I am confused by this thread as it seems to start off as a 400 with missing rebound springs.

Is your bike a 400 with standard 400 forks with just the small sprigs missing or do you know it has none standard forks/front end?

Some pics of your dismantled front forks might be useful here.

[Athame57]

Thanks Trigger I'll look at that link.
This is on my 400/4 so thats why I'm confused if its got a different bikes forks on and if that is a concern.

You might want to make sure they are not from a different bike. I don't want to sound glum but in my youth I bought a Kawasaki Z400J that turned out to have a Z500 front end from the yoke down. It came to light after I destroyed the rim of front wheel in a pothole. 

[Multiman]

I am confused by this thread as it seems to start off as a 400 with missing rebound springs.

Is your bike a 400 with standard 400 forks with just the small sprigs missing or do you know it has none standard forks/front end?

Some pics of your dismantled front forks might be useful here.

You and me too.
I think because of the missing rebound springs he suggested that it could have forks from another machine.
Confirmation that they are 400/4 forks would now be of help!
The front wheel is 18", stanchions are 555x33mm and are 172ish between centres.
I'm pretty sure they are standard 400/4 forks but with missing springs.

Anyone want to comment on the effectiveness of the missing springs or not? Probably not an experiment anyone has done.
Cheers all.

[Oddjob]

Only around £4 each and available, why not just buy 2 and solve the problem?

[Multiman]

Thats what I'm going to do, problem solved.
Just curious as why anyone would remove them in the first place.

My forks have subsequently self identified as 400/4 forks and I can report they feel at peace with themselves for the first time in 24hrs.

[Nurse Julie]

My forks have subsequently self identified as 400/4 forks and I can report they feel at peace with themselves for the first time in 24hrs.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Bryanj]

They didnt remove them, they fell off and were not noticed

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Interesting to see the difference between 400 & 500 fork innards - no big long bolt thingy- my 400 already had new seals fitted so it was the only part of my 400 that I did not rebuild.

One of the things for the future is to drain my 400 fork oil & see if it looks clean - I have that as a job for winter 2023/4 depending on my enthusiasm/motivation status.

[Trigger]

They didnt remove them, they fell off and were not noticed

Or they are stuck in the bottom of the stanchions ?

[Multiman]

Good shout but sadly not. Had a good rummage and tapped the stanchion on the bench and nought fell out or is visible.
Steve Cooper has a pair on their way to me so all should be sorted in a couple of days.

[Oddjob]

I would strongly advise you finding a piece of wire, forming a fish hook in the end of it and fishing around at the bottom of the stanchions just in case. I’ve seen slime/mud/crap at the bottom of sliders that defies belief and that would be able to hold a small spring like that in place no problem.

[Trigger]

Good shout but sadly not. Had a good rummage and tapped the stanchion on the bench and nought fell out or is visible.
Steve Cooper has a pair on their way to me so all should be sorted in a couple of days.

I was doing a set of forks on a FJ1200 recently and the rebound springs were well and truly stuck in the bottom of the stanchions so, get a light in there and see what you can see. You don't want two lots of rebound springs in a fork 

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

When dismantling my 500 forks the bottom of the stations were black with crud - I washed them out with Petrol using a long brush to agitate the stubborn residue. I resorted to using a long piece  of 15 mm plastic pipe with some cloth attached to the end with tape to clean it all off. I shone  a torch down the stantion to ensure it was spotless.

[Multiman]

Had a good furgle down the stanchions and no spring came to light.
They are pretty clean but will give them a going over with brake cleaner and a brush.
Took a pic with a cheap endoscope camera.