rst capa preload replacement.

jimmyhackers

10 kW
Joined
May 11, 2015
Messages
600
i have some rst capa 20" forks.

preloader just keeps spinning. im waiting for the spanner to remove it and see if i can fix it.

failing that the only new one is 13 quid plus 17 quid postage.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/392907461567?hash=item5b7b1c13bf:g:1bwAAOSwzLJfNb4k

the forks only cost £15 2nd hand themselves :p

just wondering if there is an alternative to this. cheaper, better design
maybe an upgraded part exisits?

would like some help
 
spanner came.

thing came out. was stuck in the max position. wiggling n poking it could get it threaded again....not really much point though as i want it at max anyways.

made me wonder if i just put a few rubber bung/washers in there....could probably get some more preload.

annoyingly rst made the other non adjutable cap a different spanner pattern altogether.....not sure how to get it out, or if its even threaded. knowing rst to be the budget end of the market. i half expect there to be no spring in that side at all.

i thought it might be worth adding a few bungs/washers to that side. internet says meh...and i myself am not really sure on it all.
 
Spring will only be on one side, if there is any rebound adjustment. The other side will have the oil. Really cheap shock may have spring in both sides, or possibly nothing at all in the other side.

Just only going to get so much from a pogo stick fork. Even more pre load just makes the stroke itself shorter. Bottom like, its always going to perform like cheap.

On the upside, its still better than nothing, for some road situations. Its never going to soak up huge potholes or speed humps, but it can slightly improve hand fatigue when you ride over large cracks in the road constantly. Here in the desert southwest usa, these cracks hump up 2 or even 3 inches, and even cheap ass forks helped with that.

You might look again for semi affordable forks with china brand names. For awhile, you just could not find good forks to fit 1 1/8 steer tube 26" mtb's. Everything decent was for tapered steer tube bikes.

But recently some to fit straight tube have reappeared on the market. The one I bought is clearly a copy of the old marzocchi bomber fork, with shorter travel. I found 100 mm of new air fork with oil in it beat 150 mm of old blown out bomber fork. This fork cost under 150 USD, but performs at least as good as a 250-350 buck rock shock, and best of all, it comes in the steer tube that my old specialized has.

Anyway, a good shock will cost you more than a pogo stick, but with the china market kicking in with stuff to keep vintage bikes alive, or upgrade cheap bikes, you might eventually find something better for your bike.
 
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