CB550K3 - Fork Springs - Which way up?

[hunterso]

Just changing the oil in my forks and noticed the springs were fitted with the tightly wound coils uppermost.

Is this correct?

I'm sure i read somewhere on here that the tightly wound coils of the spring should be inserted downwards into the fork leg

Can anyone confirm the correct way to install

Thanks

[UK Pete]

I am sure its downwards, i doubt if you would notice the difference though
pete

[Green1]

I'm sure the tighter coils go at the bottom I put them the wrong way up in my pegaso and it would bounce violently on bumpy stretches

Mick 

[hunterso]

Thought so - tight coils downwards it is.

Thanks chaps

[Lobo]

Phew...

[deltarider]

I'm not sure. I recently got the advice (German site) tight coils should be up on my CB500. For the effect one would say it doesn't matter but you want to avoid unnecessary unsprung weight.

[ka-ja]

Hi,
     It well may be that Honda springs have the tight coils at the bottom, but I have just fitted Hagon progressive springs on my 400/4, and they advise tight coils to the top!---Ken

[Lobo]

Well, funny old thing, because when I first looked at the 500/550 manual it showed the springs tight coils UP. I then noticed the thread was CB550.... and went to the CB550 differences / addendums where the springs are tight coils pictured DOWN.

And most bloody helpfully, the blurb in both cases simply says, "Reassemble as they came out"

Anyways, here the pic of the CB500 springs, appearing, as I say, UP.

And my Cb400F parts manual shows a constantly wound coil - no ups / downs... but note that you're 'upgrading' Ken!

There must be a physical reason for all of this... I'm trying to think (eg) tight / dense / ineffective coils lower most to lessen sprung weight... or is there some mechanical restriction in the legs themselves which would inhibit compressions anyway, or maybe differing road conditions / export models would require inverting the springs (yea, grabbing @ straws)....there must be some logical reason...

[deltarider]

The 500 had various front legs. I remember decades ago a Honda mechanic and I looked at a view of the front legs and he commented: don't look at the picture, it is wrong. The stupid thing is I can't recall what picture it was, so I know nothing...

[Lobo]

.... maybe just play, er safe... and put one up & one down....

[hunterso]

Nothing's ever straight forward is it 

The one thing i did notice is that with the tight coils downwards, the other end of the spring was a nicer fit into the slight indent in the fork caps.

Anyway its all back together now - will see how they feel when its back off the stand and on its wheels.

[hunterso]

Update:

Bike back on its wheels now aaannnd...... the forks are crap - really crap 

Push down and they stay down - have to pull on the bars to get the bike back to normal

Used 10w castrol fork oil and put 185cc in both legs measured with a big syringe type thing.

Checked for oil leaks and all is well.

Going to put it back on the stand and turn the springs round again.

Does anyone know what the free length of k3 springs should be?
In the manual it just says to measure the free length but it doesn't explain what the measurement should be.


Buggeration!

[deltarider]

Push down and they stay down - have to pull on the bars to get the bike back to normal

Did you tighten from the bottom to the top and by the manual? It is easy to do it wrong and as a consequence legs will bind.

[Green1]

Buggeration indeed

I emailed hyperpro a few days ago and forgot to post they recommend putting the tighter coils to the top but also said it doesn't matter what way they go as the spring will work the same either way up.I was told tighter coils to the bottom you will get less spring noise but they recommend the other way up not to affect the oil level in the leg.

Mick

[Trigger]

K3 forks are 165- 170cc, and 10w synthetic is a little light for these old girls, try 15w. Tight to the bottom for the spring. Something wrong if the spring is not returning.