Left Fork Tube Assembly

With the left and right fork tube assemblies completely disassembled, Bob has thoroughly cleaned anything that will be reused and is ready to begin reassembly. The fork tubes will be reassembled using Performance Machine lower sliders, Progressive Suspension monotube fork cartridge kit, and James Gasket 49mm seal kit.

Left and right sides will be assembled differently with different parts. The right side holds Progressive’s cartridge assembly, while the left side is a conventional design. Begin with the left side by using one OEM damper spring and one of Progressive’s damper springs. Slide both over the Progressive damper rod and set aside the OEM rod. It will not be used.

The installation of the second spring is what shortens overall fork length. This front end will be lowered one inch. Slide the damper tube down the fork tube until it protrudes through the bottom and install the stock damper cup. Now, temporarily use a fork spring to hold the damper tube in position and slide the fork tube into the lower slider.

Using a 12mm allen, start the bottom damper bolt. Carefully secure the lower slider in a soft jawed vise and torque the allen to spec. *If the allen spins and can not be fully tightened, it can be retorqued after the entire fork is assembled* Install the upper bushing, washer/spacer, and fork seal with a fork seal tool. Make sure to lightly lube the fork seal before installing for ease of assembly. Carefully install the retaining clip. The assembly is secured in a fork tube holder and filled with 200cc of fork oil per the Progressive instructions.

Next, install the progressively wound spring with the tighter side down first. Add Progressive’s washer, preload spacer, and another washer. Then install Progressive’s fork tube cap with the provided socket and torque to spec. Lastly, install the fork plug/preload screw and torque that to spec. And voila, this left side fork leg is complete.

Now watch the Progressive’s cartridge assembly.