Fork Cap Screw

Does anyone know what the large slotted screw head in the middle of the fork cap is for? I don't see anywhere in the shop manual where it tells anything about it.

 

Those would be used for pre-load adjustment.

 

That's what I thought, but I've turned them all the way in and I don't really seem to notice much, if any, difference in front end stiffness..

 

I weigh about 195lbs with gear and have the pre-load set with one thread showing. The bike does handle incrementally better and it's about the best you can do with what the VFR's suspension offers, which isn't much. I actually find that it works just fine in the real world but the track is a differant story.

 

If you've got a lot of miles on your '02 and don't notice any differance from one setting to the next than your springs may be near the end of their usefullness.

 

The preload adjuster does not alter the stiffness of the spring....the spring will always remain the rate that it is, the preload adjuster is a ride height adjustment. If you want stiffer springs you will have to replace the ones you have, look into .90, .95, or 1kg springs.


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Do you happen to know what the rate is on the stock springs?

 

If I had to make an uneducated guess, it would be 0.85, couple that with the age of the springs themselves, you are probably well below that. I would estimate that the 0.95 or 1.0 kg springs will provide the feeling you are looking for. If anybody tells you to try changing the oil weight and height, don't listen. The oil weight and height only controls the bottoming of the fork. You need to run the heaviest spring, with the lightest fork oil, to get the feeling I believe you are after. Disassemble the forks, clean all the accumulated metal particles and grunge from the orifices in the damper rod and shim stack, replace the springs, and replace the fork oil. Back the preload adjusters out and test. I think you will be happy with the results.


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or me ha hahaha