Andreani Cartidge Fork Kit

[JoeTx]

Good luck with your installation Joe. Your cartridges look quite different to mine - I wonder if they have changed the design? The top metal section is shorter and the spacers look longer. I wonder if this means you won't need to use a spring compressor?

Fred

LOL I'm probably a tad bit heavier than you Fred so my springs are different and such, but I was wondering why your set up was a little different than the instructions (if you want to call them that) that I received. However, everything appears to be mostly the same as your install, so I was just going to wing it using yours and Vnc's directions as a guide. Don't know if I will need a compressor yet. This is my long week to work so won't be able to tackle it until Thursday, sooo you may be receiving a PM or two Joe

 

[JoeTx]

Yesterday I got woken up twice for the same thing that was right under their noses so I swapped out my rear.

 

[JoeTx]

Finally had time to finish my suspension, and start a project I had planed on doing. Had some maintenance to do, just replaced my stock chain @ 12,500 with a Renthal road chain never had done one before so it sure was fun, loved squashing them rivets.



My project involved removing my tank



Where am I !!


Tank is off to the welders time to do those valves and change the fluid in my cooling system


Yes I checked my tensioner

Tank is back from the welder






They had me worried about the grinding, but it was the easiest of the install, worried about nothing.

 

[pattonme]

BTW, the USA distributor (on East Coast at least) is Fast Bike Industries.
I did a review of the Andreani back in May/June and made some pointed remarks to the factory about how they had configured the spring spacer and preload rod. Seems they took it to heart. That probably explains the differences @fred_jb

What's the forum verdict on the fork kit? In the FZ07 camp the sentiment is that compression is harsh(er than it should be) even backed all the way out and requires 2.5W (really light oil) to get around the "less than optimal" choices they made for the Comp leg. This too may have been addressed in the last 60 days but don't know for sure.

 

[pattonme]

Indeed the grinding isn't a big deal, but you lose the top-out spring. Did you happen to notice if they put one inside the cartridge? or are they still using the solid plastic 'bumpers' and the thick O-ring as a poor substitute? The Matris F15 kit by comparison requires no changes at all since they retained a dummy damper rod and thus can use the OEM top-out spring.

 

[TCRider]

Thanks for the write up everyone very informative.

 

[L.B.S.]

I somehow missed all the goodies in this thread lately!

Outstanding Joe!

 

[JoeTx]

Thanks guys, don't know much about the Matris kit, or losing the top out spring. Compression leg was harsh only required a half turn back out, I just ordered for my weight and style and did what they recommended putting in the Ohlins #5 and setting the level. Can't be to sure any of that old stuff I pulled out was worth saving, but can say my bike now corners like it's on rails, flies over bumps however about at 75-80 my front wheel feels rough, making slight changes in rebound to smooth it out. Then again I put in the Wilber's rear in at the same time so it's all relative, I think. I'm new to all this so I just try to do things that I feel will improve my ride based on different things I have read in our forum, keeping it simple not over thinking it.

 

[drdubb]

Is there just one standard spring...so no variance for rider weight?

 

[draco_1967]

Depending on where you get the kit, Andreani or Matris will include an appropriate spring for your weight. I've been doing a little research. I'm pretty sure this is where my end of year bonus is going [emoji41]

 

[drdubb]

I'm thinking about it too. The price at the omniaracing site was great, especially with the currently strong dollar. I didn't see any options on the springs. Please post up your progress.

 

[drdubb]

I saw mention of a spring compressor, is that required.

 

[draco_1967]

On all the threads I've seen about installs, they are. The cartridges are shipped with the springs separate, so you need the compressor to install the spring properly. That's for both the Andreani and the Matris.

I have seen a $25 "compressor tool" and an actual spring compressor for $150ish. The $25 tool fits at the top of the spring and has hooks that you attach ratchet straps to compress. The other is a big long tool that holds the fork and compresses the spring.

ETA: I couldn't get links from my mobile.
Racetech Spring compressor $125
Cheap spring compression tool $28
Cheap spring compression tool $20

 

[Deleted member 1183]

I am now curious as to how the Andreani cartridges are working out for those who purchased them. A comprehensive report would really be appreciated as I may now purchase also, and would hope to benefit from your advice.

I have a concern though and I hope our resident physicist (Beemerphile) gets involved here. The compression and rebound damping of the Cartridges are not comprised together in each cartridge, but compression is in one leg and rebound in the other. That will result in opposite damping forces being applied in each fork leg which will try to transmit in a bending force (for want of a better description) through the bottom of the legs acting on the axle. I hope my description is understandable. Anybody got any views on this ?

 

[dduelin]

I am now curious as to how the Andreani cartridges are working out for those who purchased them. A comprehensive report would really be appreciated as I may now purchase also, and would hope to benefit from your advice.

I have a concern though and I hope our resident physicist (Beemerphile) gets involved here. The compression and rebound damping of the Cartridges are not comprised together in each cartridge, but compression is in one leg and rebound in the other. That will result in opposite damping forces being applied in each fork leg which will try to transmit in a bending force (for want of a better description) through the bottom of the legs acting on the axle. I hope my description is understandable. Anybody got any views on this ?

Separating the jobs a fork does into the individual legs is not a new idea. Many bikes are like this and the method of clamping the axle to the fork legs is usually sufficient to resist bending or torsional forces introduced. Some forks, notably KYBs in late model Yamahas have only one spring in one leg if I understand it.

 

[Beemerphile]

I have a concern though and I hope our resident physicist (Beemerphile) gets involved here.

Much too lofty a title for me, but whatever brain cells I have seem to agree with Dave. It is widely done without issue. If I were designing a suspension, the purist in me would want to see it with balanced effort. Buy hey, we have 100% of the braking force being taken by the right fork and that doesn't seem to futz anything up. I vote for "no worries".

 

[drdubb]

I have these on my long range wish list. Wish I could do it now while the exchange rate is good.

 

[Deleted member 1183]

Separating the jobs a fork does into the individual legs is not a new idea. QUOTE]



Thanks for the input. Good point. I was aware of this but I suppose my concerns are centred around the aspect that the NC forks were not designed from the getgo to deal with such stresses, whereas the bikes You refer to were. If I remember correctly my GL1800 might have been such a bike.

 

[Deleted member 1183]

Much too lofty a title for me, but whatever brain cells I have seem to agree with Dave. It is widely done without issue. If I were designing a suspension, the purist in me would want to see it with balanced effort. Buy hey, we have 100% of the braking force being taken by the right fork and that doesn't seem to futz anything up. I vote for "no worries".

Thanks for that.

 

[draco_1967]

Any updates after some months of usage?

I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on suspension, and it will either be the Andreani kit or Racetech Gold Valves. The rear will be an Ohlins shock.