Need some advice on my front suspention ?? help

marcus24uk
marcus24uk Posts: 9
edited July 2009 in MTB beginners
ive not long bought a gt tempest, it came with rst launch front forks on it, and there is way to much travel for me, any advice on what i can do to tighten them up,, muchos thanks

rock it ! ! ! :lol:

Comments

  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    You got a link to the bike? The travel may be fixed.
  • myopic
    myopic Posts: 692
    My son has got the same forks on his Mongoose Fireball. The travel is notionally 100mm and can't be adjusted. His springs are really stiff - I can't compress the forks more than 30% and I weigh about twice what he weighs. I took them to bits last week to see if the spring could be removed before looking to see if there were lighter options available, but it looks like the springs in each leg are sealed in and couldn't be changed - I didn 't open the preload end of the forks though.
    You don't need eyes to see, you need vision
  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    ^^^What myopic said.

    Jr's Chucker has RST Launch forks and they are rock-solid. Winding the preload off makes them more supple but then they just blow through the travel on bigger stuff. Horrible rebound action as well.
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    They come havily sprung as standard due to being jump oriented.

    If a twin spring fork, you can sometimes remove a whole stack and use one spring.
  • myopic
    myopic Posts: 692
    supersonic wrote:
    They come havily sprung as standard due to being jump oriented.

    If a twin spring fork, you can sometimes remove a whole stack and use one spring.

    There are 2 springs in them. How would you get one out, Super? The legs containing the springs looked sealed to me, but I didn't investigate if they could be removed at the the preload end as I couldn't see a way to take that apart. (sorry that the thread has moved away from how to make the RST Launch firmer to how to make them softer!)
    You don't need eyes to see, you need vision
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    If like the RST forks of old, you need a top cap tool, then the whole preload adjuster/top cap unscrews form thew crown and spring pulls out. You can remove the spring, and simply repalce the top cap/adjuster.
  • myopic
    myopic Posts: 692
    Thanks, Super. That sounds like a good option - he only weighs about 60 kg. Is a top cap tool a std piece of kit you could pick up form LBS or is it specific to each fork brand? Is it possible to bodge with any other type of tool?
    You don't need eyes to see, you need vision
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Some are spannerable ie a hexy nut, others use a specific tool.

    You should have got one with the bike actually.
  • myopic
    myopic Posts: 692
    Thanks again, Super. Will give it a whirl and see what happens.
    You don't need eyes to see, you need vision