Spring Rates and Setting Sag...

[kookimonsta]

fingers crossed it all works out ok for you.

[youngy]

I contacted Maxton because I'm interested in the fork conversion, if it is a cartridge conversion.

Here is their reply:

"We convert your forks, but not by modifying the existing internals. We throw everything inside the fork away and start again with our internals.

The internals we supply is our own cartridge style damping system. The
cartridge system is the same type of internal as what you would find in any
modern front fork. It has been manufactured and developed by our own
engineers and has pistons and shim stacks for the rebound and compression
damping. The Cartridge also has needle valves so you can adjust the
damping. The damping adjusters are external, so you can change the damping
without having to strip the forks down, but we hide the adjusters to keep
the classic appearance. As part of the conversion we also machine new fork
tops to take the new cartridges and damping adjusters. We also fit new
springs.

Every Maxton cartridge is built to order, for this reason we valve and
spring the cartridges to suit the fork, the bike, the riders weight and what
they are using the bike for. Once the cartridge has been manufactured we
then fit the cartridge to the fork to make sure it works correctly. In most
conversions we have to modify the original bottom sliders and stanchions so
our cartridge will fit and work properly. The forks are then returned to
you fully serviced with new seals and the spring preload and damping set up.

The Maxton cartridge conversion costs £360.00 + V.A.T."




So it is a proper cartridge conversion - no emulators.

Sounds like an absolute bargain to me. I'm planning to have this done at the end of he year.

[kookimonsta]

better start saving my pennies then!

[cheesie]

thats not what he told me he told me I would loose damping adjustmentbut he did say they would throw all internals away, my ohlins shock came yesterday and in it the booklet gives different loaded sag and static sag figures than the instructions above, they seem more flexible for instance static sag between 15 and 30mm for the front

[youngy]

I'd say that the figures in the Ohlins literature are far more real world road orientated.

My Ohlins shock is set up as it came out of the box. On the front I have 0.85 Ohlins springs and the preload is set to 8 lines, with 140mm air gap and 10w oil. Rebound on 3. From what I remember the static sag was around 30mm. I recall finding it hard to get enough sag in the front.

I've just come back from riding the bike with this suspension on it for the first time and have to say it feels very good. I don't find any harshness in the forks - well ok maybe a little on manhole covers but then it's no worse than some cartridge fork shod bikes I've had.

Going back to Maxton's spiel - I wonder if the adjusters are inside the new fork tops, so you can't easily twiddle.

[cheesie]

I was thinking the same about the ohlins sag figures, only had mine out for a wee burn today as it was being mot,d but the new rear feels very nice on factory settings, I lowerd the front preload again and it is better, just over 6 rings showing what, weight are you youngy

[youngy]

a slim, lithe 100kg (on a good day)

[cheesie]

same here mate like a gorila riding a monkey bike

[youngy]

I'm sure I'll be reminded of that by some people....................

how many rings did you have showing on the front before you backed them off?

[cheesie]

5 rings about 6 1/2 before I started fiddling

[Waz]

The Maxton "true" cartridge conversion seems like the "dogs". I've heard of suspension tuners converting SV650 forks with Honda CBR600 F3 cartridges, this takes it 1 step further. Got me stuffed where they would "hide" the adjusters though. The rebound wouldn't be a problem on top of the fork cap, but the compression has me stuffed. Would like to get a squize at one.

[kookimonsta]

theres a red trx on ebay now that has aparently had maxton worked forks but doesnt say if maxton have just worked on them or if they have converted them. might be worth a question if your serious

[phuk72]

theres a red trx on ebay now that has aparently had maxton worked forks but doesnt say if maxton have just worked on them or if they have converted them. might be worth a question if your serious

pointless if its not for your weight though.

[kookimonsta]

i was thinking more askin ho whw adjusts them and mabe pics of the caps. but yea your totally right. the thing is he only says they re-built them so that could just be new seals and bushs.

[youngy]

or just a lie!