CB550K3 - Fork Springs - Which way up?

[hunterso]

Finally got some time on the bike again.

Managed to find a copy of the honda manual on ebay - find it hard scrolling the pdf sometimes - so this is a godsend

So bike is back on stand - wheel dropped out and springs out again.

The plot thickens - the manual states spring free length is 443.5mm (this is in the supplement for the k3)
Measured my springs and they are 473mm - now you would expect them to sit proud of the fork tubes being that much longer but they sit about 10mm below the tube tops - any thoughts?

Pumped the fork legs up and down and the right hand (non brake side feels a little sticky but not excessively so) im not sure if this is the damping action of the oil in the leg though.

Think i might dump the oil out again and see how it moves when empty.

[billy192]

my Little G5 had forks that were sticking. when i removed the mud guard, front wheel (with jack under engine) i slackened the triple clamps and as i turned the stanchions the end where the spindle was moving in a circular motion. meaning my forks were ever so slightly bent. it must have had a tap on the front end in its 30+ years.
i turned them til they both pointed forward the most tightend up and boom work great. i will replace when i can afford.
not saying yours are the same but worth a check
Billy

[Bitsa (Ralph Wright - RIP)]

Billy
Don't know where you live but in Maidstone Kent there is a company that straights out the whole front end forks trees etc assembled.Did my old gs550 came back like new and very reasonable cost.Cheaper than new tubes etc.You may want to think about it.
Cheers
Bitsa