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New fork stanchions . Warning .

Submitted by robert_cooper on Sun, 28/08/2022
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Heavy Twins

Hi Folks , I recently purchased the above items from NOC . 

 I had a problem getting the damper tube unit and spring to go to the bottom of the fork leg . I gave the inner unit a tap or two wondering what could be causing the restriction .I finally took the new bushes out and the stanchion and examined the unit . There were two massive burrs on the inside of the oil holes on the bottom of the stanchion . I quickly checked the other unit to find exactly the same problem . The one that I had assembled had damage to the damper tube which I carefully fettled out . Just a thought for anyone else fitting these items .

I have also noticed that the internal threads at the top of the new stanchions are considerably larger in diameter causing my standard top fork nuts to fit quite loosely , I will make a call on this at a later date . Regards all , Bob Cooper

 

Submitted by tony_wood on Mon, 29/08/2022

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Hi Bob. I have recently updated my fork stanchions. My original ones were from RGM - they were ok but top nut fitment was terrible - incredibly tight. It needed a 12-inch handled adjustable spanner to get the original top nuts fitted - according to RGM there was nothing wrong with the stanchions, it was my original 1960 top nuts (plus two other sets of nuts) that were wrong. Oh really? The stanchions I’ve recently bought are from AN - what a difference. Yes, they are much more expensive but they are a quality item - the top nuts spin on full- depth by hand without any effort and the top fork bush is a really precise fit: no sticking and no sloppiness. If you’re sending your NOC ones back, you might want to consider AN’s offering.

Regards

Tony

Thanks for the input Tony , I will certainly keep your comments in mind and may indeed end up with the AN product . Cheers Bob Cooper

Submitted by ian_soady on Tue, 30/08/2022

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... similar issues to what Tony reports some years ago with my Commando. I had stanchions from AN which were fine and spot on dimensionally but the bushes from RGM were way undersize on the inside diameter. I would always use AN for parts like these where possible. There was an article on the AN site some time ago regarding pattern stanchions which made sobering reading.

Submitted by peter_shand on Tue, 30/08/2022

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A couple of years ago one of our branch members contacted me asking for help with his 650 Triumph fork legs. All new bits and a sloppy action result, He brought the legs to me for measuring and they were all over the place, undersize, wrong machining, bushes not fitting properly etc The bushes measured up ok, it was the stanchions that were wrong. I also noticed when looking down the middle of the stanchion that you could see a weld seam! they were made from ERW tube (electric resistant welded) i.e. cheap and not very strong tube! 

A set of stanchions from AN fitted perfectly.

Last month i was at Rufforth auto jumble and one stall was selling fork stanchions at ludicrously cheap money. I didn't bother to go look, they would have been crap. Only good for a garage queen or as an extension lever.

Makes you wonder though, how many 'restorations' are running around on potentially dangerous equipment.  

Submitted by michael_coare on Tue, 30/08/2022

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Might be worth repeating the warning about very old sliders possibly having hairline cracks in them.

One club member had a very nasty experience with a slider unexpectedly snapping like a carrot, thankfully without injury.

Later examination of the broken slider showed half bright and shiny- ie recent-but the other half dull and grey- clearly had been like that for some time.

 

 


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