[pnj]

I have a 2002 DJ 2 fork that I put new, shorter springs in. I ordered the stiffest springs (green) and had no problems installing them.

but the fork seems to be too soft and dive very easily. I only weigh 150 so they should be somewhat stiff, I would think.

the only adjustment available is the spring preload.

I don't even know what this is or what it does but I do know where to adjust it. It's on the top of the fork legs, two small allen screws allow you to tighten them down or loosen them.

will doing this make the fork stiffer? what exactly happens when I tighten those screws and how far can I tighten them before I damage them?

thanks

 

[pnj]

no one can tell me what spring preload is?

or how to stiffen this fork?

 

[sub6]

preload just puts pressure on the springs, so that it takes more effort to get the fork moving. It will make the fork feel "stiffer" in that it'll be less sensitive to small bumps and such. It won't do much for you if you're bottoming the fork out though. You can turn the preload until it stops.

I take it the '02 doesn't have those air caps on it - if it did, you could pump the fork full of air and it would hardly budge. As it is, the stiffest you're gonna get is by preloading it all the way on the heaviest springs they've got.

 

[pnj]

it hasn't bottomed out yet, but it drops or compresses WAY too easily. maybe I don't have enough oil in it?


I bought the stiffest springs. they are green.

they have four inches of travel and the first 2.5 is super easy.

is it possible to put too much oil in? I thought I read somewhere that more oil makes them stiffer....

no air caps on these.

 

[sub6]

Well, you're a BMX guy right? Bear in mind that these forks are supposed to move a lot, this ain't rigid!

Anyway you can put more oil in it, but that'll only effect the bottoming of the fork, it won't have much effect on the initial stiffness or initial travel.

 

[pnj]

bmx yes. 20 years worth.


I'm going to just have to get used to them I recon....


thanks.