Vintage Dirt Bike Q & A

I am rebuilding the front forks on my 1980 cr250 and the damping rod has no damping. I submerged the dampner in oil and worked the rod up and down to get the air out and it started to work but I could never get a full stoke. I noticed the dampner was leaking oil at the top were the rod goes into the dampner, (must be were its sucking air in). there looks like there is a oil seal, it must be bad, but I dont see anyway to take the dampner apart. I have two sets of forks and its the same with both. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know.

Forks or rear shocks? If rear shocks, they are really rebuildable and not worth the trouble. If you are talking about shocks, they are rebuildable. Get a manual and it will show you how to take them apart and rebuild.

I am talking about the front forks, and I already have them apart. What I am talking about is the damping rod that is inside the fork witch controlls the rebound. I checked online and the damping rods are no longer available from honda.

Take apart the dampner rod? I have gone through several sets of conventional forks recently and i am unsure of what you mean? Can you post up some pics maybe?

i think your oillevel was to low when you tested.
when all is mounted the oillevlel is higher than the damperunit in the fork.
so no air can get into the damper.

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80 CR250Ra
80 CR250Ra
78 CR250R
80 CR80
82 Bultaco Sherpa 340
78 Bultaco Pursang 250 MK12
76 Bultaco Frontera 370 MK10
76 Bultaco Alpina 250
73 Bultaco Lobito 125 MK6
76 Suzuki RM125A
90 Kawasaki KX250

Ok, I see now. I added oil all the way to the top of the damper, and then worked it up and down intill all the air was out, but it still does not have much damping, even when you pull it up fast. I put one of the forks togeather and its like a pogo stick! I have some spare dampers, so I chucked one up in the lathe and cut the end off. I pulled the damping rod out and I found a wore piston ring. Im going to try to find a new ring close enough to work or make one. I found a couple of good damper in my spares that I can use, but I would like to fix the ones that are bad because one day you wont be able to find spare parts for these bikes. Ill post some pictures of my progress.