Broken Fork Air Valve!

[danny01975]

After putting some air in my front left fork and re-installing the cap, this happened. . The Air valve assembly just broke off! I should have known something was up as it was very difficult to add air and kept leaking. I supposed it was cracked this whole time and finally gave out.

I found a part number for it but I haven't been able to find it anywhere except eBay and there about $60 for one. Any idea if this is some sort of universal Schrader valve assembly that I can get somewhere else? The schrader valve looks like any other. Or is this some OEM only part?

Also, is this worth fixing or is it time for a suspension upgrade?

Oh.. This is on a 1982 1100GK

 

[Rob S.]

The ONLY reason I can think of for maintaining the fork air system is if you insist on having a 100% stock original 1982 GS1100GK. And you'll forgive me for saying "that's nuts!" It's not an E, after all. And after investing in all the original parts to restore my '82 11E's fork air system, (including a special pump to put the air in), I never had it working for long. It's too fragile (seals), you'd have to check and adjust (add) air often, and it just doesn't deliver the performance you'd get from a new set of straight rate springs.
So fork the air, and buy some RaceTech or Sonic springs. And unless you're wasting away, estimate what you'll weigh in a few years when choosing the spring rate.

 

[danny01975]

The ONLY reason I can think of for maintaining the fork air system is if you insist on having a 100% stock original 1982 GS1100GK. And you'll forgive me for saying "that's nuts!" It's not an E, after all. And after investing in all the original parts to restore my '82 11E's fork air system, (including a special pump to put the air in), I never had it working for long. It's too fragile (seals), you'd have to check and adjust (add) air often, and it just doesn't deliver the performance you'd get from a new set of straight rate springs.
So fork the air, and buy some RaceTech or Sonic springs. And unless you're wasting away, estimate what you'll weigh in a few years when choosing the spring rate.

Great advice and thanks!! This is the kind of answer I was looking for. New springs it is!!

 

[Brendan W]

Great advice and thanks!! This is the kind of answer I was looking for. New springs it is!!

Being cheap, I.........
If the springs are the correct length, withing service limits you could put a spacer on top of them to preload the forks.
Mine came with an adjustable ramp type pre-loader in there.
Even if you replaced the air valve you would almost certainly have different leak rates each side which is not good.

 

[danny01975]

So are we talking about simply replacing the springs only? When I look up springs on the race tech site there's something there about a valve emulator and modifying the dampening rod.

 

[Rob S.]

So are we talking about simply replacing the springs only? When I look up springs on the race tech site there's something there about a valve emulator and modifying the dampening rod.

Dampening rod mod - never heard of that, although I haven't read much about the GK as mine is an E.

Valve emulator - IMHO, overkill for our purposes. (I'm guessing you're not planning many 'track days' on your GK.)

 

[Cipher]

Get a brass nut and a schrader vvvalve and fab up a new one. Loctite or solder on the schrade as it sits in the brass nut.

 

[Rijko]

Marcel Vlaandere (https://www.classicsuzukiparts.nl/) has 3 of these valves should you want to replace them.

 

[danny01975]

Marcel Vlaandere (https://www.classicsuzukiparts.nl/) has 3 of these valves should you want to replace them.

Thanks! But I think I'm going to just replace the springs and forego the air all together. One of the rear shocks is also leaking, so I'll probably just replace those with conventional shocks as well.

 

[salty_monk]

Yeah best decision. Sonic is a good option. You can also cut down the stock spring to stiffen if you're on a budget but you won't be able to get it as stiff as the SOnic/Progressive. 43lb is about as much as you can go without getting coil bound on the 1100 fork (although the GK might have a heavier spec spring already for the fairing so you might be able to get more out of that, youd have t measure & do the math).

Ikon is a reasonable priced shock...