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Yamaha Tech Originally the Yamaha XT600 Tech Forum, due to demand it now includes all Yamaha's technical / mechanical / repair / preparation questions.
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  #1  
Old 14 Jul 2010
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Fork psi
Can anyone tell me what psi is sposed to be in the forks on my 88 (2KF) XT? I've got a Clymer manual for it but theres no info about this in it.
Cheers.
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  #2  
Old 16 Jul 2010
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FWIW,

My 1986 xt 600 43f calls for:

Standard: 5.7 psi
Maximum: 14.2 psi

As stated in the Clymer manual. Not the same bike but similar.

I would run mine with 0 psi but had heavy springs installed.

Be sure to add any air with a small bicycle pump.

Better yet is a suspension type pump for bicycles = small volume & accurate gague. Bicycle shop that sells mountain bikes will have this suspension pump.

Overfilling can be very bad.

Have fun,

Pawlie
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Old 16 Jul 2010
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One question.. how do you actually put air in the forks :confused1:


Vando
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Old 16 Jul 2010
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The older models have small nipples o/around the top, like greasenipples.
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Old 16 Jul 2010
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oh I get it now..
So they must be older than 1990 because my stock suspension didn't have any of that...I think... humpfff


Vando
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  #6  
Old 17 Jul 2010
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My bike had a standard schrader valve in the fork caps. Same valve as on car tires, motorcycle tubes, most bicycles.

Cheers,

Pawlie
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Old 17 Jul 2010
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Cheers for that. Dont know why I couldnt find that in my Clymer.:confused1:

Oddly enough, my enduro bike has valves to let air out of the forks. Loosen the screw after every ride and a little pffft of air comes out.
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Old 17 Jul 2010
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I dont like running air pressure in the forks. way too easy to simply blow seals out, and I enjoy doin fork seals, but I DONT wanna do em every time I ride.

I think the suspension bouncing creates a vacuum of sorts as you ride, which pulls air in through your fork seals. I'd love to just keep a neutral pressure, and keep ti there.
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Old 19 Jul 2010
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Yea, i'm with bobthebiker on this one....psi=blown seals....if your forks are too soft try stiffer springs....much more reliable.
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Old 19 Jul 2010
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Cheers for all the advice. The forks are a bit soft and bouncy, I've tried it with the correct amount of air in them and to be honest its not all that different.

Add to that the faff of trying to get the correct amount in there - have to unbolt the bars every time to get to the valves - and the fact that the air doesnt seem to stay in there for very long, and I think I'll just leave them as they are and learn to get used to it. Its never going to get ridden off road at any speed, and on the road the handling is good enough for the speed it travels at. It dives a bit under braking, but as the brakes are only adequate at best I dont really think its a problem.

I changed the fork seals after its long lay up, dont really want to have to do it again too soon.
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  #11  
Old 19 Jul 2010
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air valves
Hi,
I would love to get ahold of a pair of the actual valves. I have got a pair of the fork caps waiting to be fitted.......
Alternatively if there is anyone who could lend me a schraeder thread tap, i could rethread the fork caps to fit old/ex inner tube valves......
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