Hi Dan,
Do you think it would be possible to fit the NIX 22 kit to the standard Commando 34.5 mm forks? I've fitted the cartridges from a Honda F4i into them, but it's a pretty tight fit, and requires a funky sort of adjutment process to change the compression damping, requiring front wheel and axle removal to get to the needle, but it works quite well. The total parts cost was under $200 for a pair of bent F4i forks on eBay. We used a pair of springs I already had, shortened 250 ninja springs, if I recall correctly. The cost of the NIX 22 kits on your web site looks like $750 or so, which seems reasonable, if they could be adapted to the Commando with relatively simple machining. like the idea of using the Ohlins for a couple of reasons, the ease of adjustment from the fork tops, the high quality of Ohlins products, and the availbility of shim and spring info and parts.
I couldn't find enough info on-line about NIX 22 configurations (dimensions and such) to know which one would be a likely candidate for a Commando. I looked at the list of applications for the NIX 22 kits on your web site. Is there a particular kit that you would recommend for adapting to a Commando? I'm thinking I might like to give it a try.
Ken
I just missed getting an extra set of Norton forks.
As I would like to do it as well
It really depends how many you are going to make, one or two by manual machines, means either a lot of extra work, or deleting some features.
There are a few problems, that I have looked at already.
First: as the cap is not a metric thread so a cap has to be made.
As the cap diameter is so small due to the tapered end of the fork as it fits into the upper triple without any clamping bolt.
Second: This small size is slightly to small to use the current small Ohlins forks springs, which I really wanted to use, due to their selection, 6.0, 6,5, 7.0, 7.5, 8.0 and 9.0 Nmm
This can be overcome by using another brand of spring
Third: Again as the cap diameter is so small that the Ohlins parts to adjust the spring preload will not fit.
There are a number of ways to overcome this. If I was making enough of them, I would have the parts CNC
If I was just doing a few, as I have done in the past, make a simple cap to house the compression adjuster and NOT have an outside spring preload adjuster, it is very easy to add or subtract spacers to add or subtract preload
Everything else is pretty easy.
Determine the length and stroke, fine a kit that is close.
Determine the bolt size on the fork.
It needs to be either 8mm or 10 mm or more work to convert the Ohlins parts, or make new ones.
If you want to work with me on this I am in.
I will post some pictures of other fork parts, that may give you some ideas.
I have not looked, do you know the fork length?
Measured from the center of the axle to the top of the fork tube, not including the cap.
The fork stroke?
I just took a quick look
This is what I found
I do not know if it is correct
Fork length 23.161 inches 588.29 mm That is very short
Fork stroke 6 inches 152.4 mm this sounds wrong, if it is right, I would change it to 130 mm
Stock spring rate 36.5 Lb/in 4.12 Nmm
