81 KZ750 will not hold fork air pressure

I replaced the leaking OEM seals with the drop in sort, Leak Proof by Parts
Unlimited. It stopped the Fluid leak, but now the forks will not maintain
their air pressure for longer than a day or two.

What I can do to fix it?

Do I need to go back to the press in type OEM seals?

I would like to thank the group for all their help.

Kindest Regards,
Matt

 

Air assistance was a PITA and a gimmick anyway, which is why you don't
see it on sports bikes (or virtually any bikes) these days.

I'd forget about it, and pre-load the springs (or even fit better ones)
and use slightly heavier oil in the forks.

 

Thanks for the tips.

But how do I know what springs to buy if I go with "better"?

And how do I "preload" the springs that I have? Right now when I insert the
current springs I have to put some pressure on the cap to compress them so
that I can screw the cap on.

Matt

 

First, post your replies at the bottom so everyone can follow the
back-and-forth of the conversation.

Progressive is the usual supplier of aftermarket fork springs.

http://www.progressivesuspension.com/

I put a pair of Progressive fork springs in my '81 KZ750E2. It
wasn't difficult. Pay particular attention to the oil level,
measured from the top of the fork tubes with the forks extended.
It is critical to getting the suspension to work correctly.

It is difficult to get the fork caps on when you have enough
preload on the springs. You can adjust preload easily by using
PVC pipe for spacers, it's easy to cut with a hacksaw and it
is durable enough. Put a big washer between the end of the
spring and the PVC spacer to avoid chewing it up...

To put the fork caps on with all that spring pressure, I
suggest making some sort of adapter to fit the fork cap to
a 3/8" drive speedwrench[1]. The speedwrench will allow you to
push hard enough to overcome the fork spring, while turning
the cap. You will need a helper to hold the fork tube up and
extended while you are pushing on the spring.

[1] Sears item #00904281000

http://content.sears.com/data/product_images/009/04281/00904281000-dlv.jpg

 

See Mark's reply.

If you buy Progessive springs, you won't need any preload.

If you want to keep your existing springs, then some pre-load is
probably a good idea.

Some years back, I was casting around for spacers of exactly the right
diameter to sit atop the springs, and which I could add to, or subtract
from, to get the setting I wanted.

In the end, I used some special cupro-nickel discs, which cost me
exactly 2 pence (about 4 US cents) each; three in each fork leg. Total
cost: 12 pence.

That's because they were 2 pence coins.

 

Some years back, I was casting around for spacers of exactly the right

Where do I find these "cupro-nickle discs"?

If I use the PVC pipe suggestion, what size and how long should I start
with?

Thanks,
Matt

 

<holds head in hands>

Read the post again, for Christ's sake.

 

<holds head in hands>
OK ... OK,
I am still not sure what measure of coinage a pense is, but I am only a
youngon. A nickle?

 

<Beats head against wall in desperation>

God, how can anyone be so ignorant of the most basic currencies beyond
the US dollar?

This is why I don't like sending stuff I've sold on Ebay to the US: they
seem to think the dollar is all that exists. One twonk, last week, sent
me a US postal order for $45 which had "Not negotiable outside the US
and Possessions" stamped all over it in red ink and then was startled to
hear that I couldn't cash it.

And this was after he'd been told to send an International Money Order.

Well, if my headers don't tell you, and the coour of my phraseology
doesn't either (and there's another clue in those last few words), and
the word "pence" doesn't either, I'll leave you to figure it out.

The research will do you good ;-))

 

You should try living beside 'em. Heard an American of a cruise ship in the
mall the other day.
Her cell rang, she seemed very surprised.
Answered it and it was a family member from her home.
She says - I didn't think that cell phones would work 'way up here'.
We are 60 miles from the US border.
I got one of those US-only money orders as well. Fortunately I cashed it in
the US next time I went down near the border.
I called the US Post Office to see what time they opened and was told -
don't come early, we don't have much money in the till until 10 or 11!!
PQ

 

Most people I've found on E-Bay "can" comprehend what they read, but alas,
there are plenty who can not. Even scarier is some of the atrocious spelling
I see in the ads. YIKES.... I realize not all are ad writers, but to
misspell so badly as some do, SHEEESH!!!!!!! But as to currency, there was
a tale in the past couple of weeks, which you may or may not have heard
about - where someone went into a clothing store and used a $200 bill with a
picture of George W. Bush on it, got their merchandise and change to boot.
The ass hole who used it I believe was caught, but what about the teller? I
can't recall their outcome. At any rate, ANY ONE should know a $200 bill
doesn't exist. IF you don't know your currency, you shouldn't be operating a
cash register. Talk about STUPID!!!!!!!!!!!!

NS

 

Too true. One of the hardest things I found with US dollars, the first
time I encountered them, was that all the bloody notes look the same, at
first glance. Even last week I confused a 20 dollar bill for a 50.

Heh. That sounds very familiar.

You would have had fun with the old pe-decimal currency (we changed in
1971, when I was 13). It always used to confuse first-time (or
fifteenth-time...) visitors.

(American tourist) 'How much is that?'

"Six and six, dear...."

'Six and what?'

"Six shillings and sixpence."

'Oh, so, er, that's, er, one of these coins here....'

"No, dear, give us that half crown, and those two two-bob bits, and
that's it.'

"Er, two-bob bits?"

'That'll be the florins, those silver ones there. Two of those, and the
half crown.'

"Hang on, what's a half crown?"

'Two and six, dear.'

"Two and what?"

'Two shillings and sixpence. Here, just give me that ten-bob note, and
I'll give you change.'

"Ten bob note?"

And so on, and so forth, ad nauseam.

(The old pre-decimalisation pound was the only major unit of currency
that was divisible by three. Happy days)