Webb fork limit spring settings

Mine are just snug so they don't rattle when as slack as they can be.  Their tension increases by the same amount for every step rise in height of the fork, so (as far as I can work out) the actual starting tension is not important.  But they shouldn't rattle about.  (And it's not easy to assemble them at a high tension.

Can anyone describe the difference in fork behaviour with and without them?  They were described as being added to reduce forks "pattering".  But the way to reduce unwanted vibration is to add damping, not more springs.  An extra spring only increases the stiffness and therefore frequency of vibration.  The geometry does make the front spring progressive so it gets stiffer as it compresses so they should reduce the fork deflection under full load.
Were they really a marketing gimmick?  Someone with race experience might know better?  Everyone else managed without them.

They weren't intended to limit travel.  (WD16H had rubber stops for that purpose.).

They become tighter as forks are deflected up more.  So I fit mine when forks are off the ground with a jack under the engine / frame.  The Inter ones are adjustable length so they get shorter or longer if the spring is turned.  On my 16H they just have to be pulled in place..as far as I can remember. 

Hello,

I have a 1937 ES2 and two 1938 16H's all with girder forks.  I take it you are talking about the "fork rebound springs" or check springs as I have heard them referred to.  I do not understand your comment that they are adjustable in length.  The springs are screwed onto the clevis joints and should be screwed fully home.  They are NOT spring length adjusters.  When reassembling my forks I had to stretch the rebound springs in order to get the clevis pins in.  I suggest that if your rebound springs (with clevis joints fitted to them) are longer than the gap between the clevis pin eyes on the  bottom (damper) links and the top links then your rebound springs have been over stretched and are not returning to their correct length, I have seen (and own) quite a few that this has happened to.  Alternatively your fork main spring is incorrect in length closing up the distance between the clevis pin eyes.

Hi Bill,

   I think you have the adjustable racing specification check springs. These are the parallel type springs with threaded end caps to take threaded adjustable clevis ends. The road specification springs are barrel shaped with non-adjustable clevis ends that are profiled to screw directly into the inside of the spring ends. The parallel springs were fitted to forks with-out the side friction damper on the racing models only. The tapered springs were fitted to all models with the the friction side damper.  
   The purpose of the adjustable springs was for setting the tension for individual race circuits depending on the surface and terrain conditions. On the road models the side friction damper could be adjusted to give the most comfortable ride. Over the years many road models have been fitted with the racing springs as reproductions are more available and they are considered more desirable as a racing feature (?). 
   In your situation I would set the adjustment in the middle and see how the suspension feels. You can then extend or contract the adjustment to see if there is an improvement either way. If you have the forks with no side dampers you will find they will patter most of the time.

Attached are photos of both types of check springs. Which type do you have Bill?
First photo is from my WD Big 4 outfit and the second is off my 1936 racer.