RC51 SP1 Fork Upgrade for '99 obtained but...

Need some help figuring out if these rebound pre-load adjuster nuts/screws can be fixed. The seller assures me that they still are adjustable. I have looked at some really low resolution drawings but cannot discern how much material can be removed and how close to the top O-ring the damage is located.

Furthermore, I've spoken with J.D. from Hord Power saying it is a definite maybe. If possible, a couple of turns of the lathe would fix it with just maybe a $25 fee. That would be great.

Once the fork is disassembled, can these adjusters actually be separated from the damping assembly (IIRC the name) for repair?

Anyone with experience with these? Any references?



Thanks!

 

No experience with RC51 parts, but the adjuster is most likely the same as you'd find in VTR1000 forks which I have got. Firstly the screw head you are looking at is part of the long needle that changes the rebound damping. It should take very little effort to turn the screws as the needles are lubed in the fork oil, and just the o-ring at the top provides resistance. I'd suggest you just back the screws out so they are proud of the top nut, gently file away the worst damage and if needed re-cut the screw head with a hacksaw.

I've never tried to remove my needles but I presume that you could screw the needles right out of the top nut. It is possible that they just screw inwards right through the fork cap.

Someone who will know for sure is Jamie Daugherty at Daugherty Motorsports.

 

Thanks a bunch. I've never emailed DMsports before, but I shall forward this thread to the contact address.

 

Ouch, hope they didn't come off the bike that way where some when didn't care . I've seen some crap forks where they just get tossed, Ekkk don't do that. Like Cadbury says, just hopefully you can back em out and test your file skills they are long little buggers so IMO best to keep em in the forks for now. GL..

 

Here's a couple of pics of a set of SP1 forks I recently opened up. The rebound adjuster is not easily replaceable, but if you can see the original screwdriver groove it's probably not beyond redemption. If you had a set of pretzeled Showa forks with the same type of adjuster you could salvage the adjusters from those forks and transplant them onto the rods from your SP1 forks. The brass adjuster is just peened into the hollow alloy rod.





Ciao,

JZH
London,UK/So.Cal., USA
www.vsource.org

 

Those can be replaced, no problem. Probably the biggest issue would be finding replacement parts actually. I might have some of these laying around (or an equivalent). I would likely need to machine out the damaged pieces so keep in mind you would need to send those forks to us for the repair.

Hopefully I can help!

 

Thanks everyone!

Machining on both the same with a little cosmetic work and a rebuild would be awesome! I've gone ahead and purchased the forks and will be buying caliper mounts. I will be selling stuff on eBay to get the forks properly rebuilt/setup. Front-end pains, here yall come, handlebars, delinking, wheel, brakes, lines, calipers, $$$. Oh yeah while I'm on it, I need to get that fender too! Let me email the seller!

Oh yeah, I will be keeping all the other components out of RTS (return to stock's sake).

 

I've just been through this with a set of SP2 forks. Believe it or not, Honda has never sold either of the two types of RC51 caliper mounting brackets or the mounting bolts for them as separate parts, so you cannot simply look up the part numbers and bang them into Partzilla. Fortunately, you can buy titanium M10x1.25 mounting bolts in the correct lengths. But the brackets are only available second-hand.

I have no idea why eBay people sell the forks without the brackets and then sell the calipers with the brackets attached, but the latter is what allowed me to buy a set of SP2 brackets for a song--they were totally useless to him because he wasn't using the RC51 calipers on an RC51. Good luck!

Ciao,

 

Caliper brackets are cheap on eBay as well as mounting bolts. Brembo aftermarket brackets are there too. I,ve got the fender from the same fellow. Sourcing front wheel, triples...the pain.