Play in 05 YZ125 forks

[MXBrian]

I thought that I had a loose steering head, and needed to service the bearings anyway, so I just finished doing the job. Discovered something interesting, though: my steering head wasn't loose, but there's play in both of my forks between the lower and upper. If I grab the lower in one hand (fork extended) then grab the upper in the other I can rock the bottom of the lower (where the axle goes through) pretty much in any direction just a little bit. Feels just like a loose head, except the play's between the sliders.

I also disassembled my fork while doing the head (second time) and everything looked good, although I didn't pull the main seals or separate the inners from the outers, so I didn't get a look at those bushings (I assume theres a bushing at the top of the lower and the bottom of the upper.

Is this slight play normal?

Thanks,

Brian

 

[bedell99]

From what your describing it sounds like worn out bushings, but that is just seems very quick to have that go on an 05. How often do you ride.

Erik

 

[MXBrian]

05 YZ125 forks

Exactly. I race once a week (although I do 3 classes -- 6 motos) but as I'm just a novice my motos are very short. I get out to practice maybe on average once or twice during the work week, but I live in New England so the bike was not ridden November through March and I only got it in late September. In short, I definitely have not ridden it enough or hard enough to wear the slider bushings out I wouldn't think. Hell, I've only worn through two sets of tires.

As an aside, I've changed my for oil twice now, and both times it looked fine -- wasn't overly dirty or contaminated. I guess what I'll do, if I don't get any more feedback on the forum, is head up to my shop, throw a new 125 or 250 up on a stand, and see if they new forks have the same play.

Thanks,
Brian

 

[marcusgunby]

You have to have some play in them-its not unusual-its hard to say if you have too much-im guessing they are normal.