DIY Suspension Forks

[Dauntless]

https://www.instructables.com/QuicknDirty-Springer-Fork/

Someone is posting about building their own frame, so how about a thread with ideas for fork building:

 

[marka-ee]

I have been toying with the idea of making some forks because I want a more plush ride that the traditional telescopic forks. I like linkage based forks. The lawwill leader was one such design. Now there are new ones on the market, but they are $1500 .

 

[amberwolf]

I haven't built them yet, but some years ago I designed (ok, came up with an idea for ) the basics of a completely different "fork" that would give me more adjustable front suspension, and let me use some nicer shocks (taht I could swap out as needed), but I haven't made detailed plans or tried building it yet, because I don't have the "tree" clamps needed for it and building those is not in my toolset at the moment. (some time back, I had setup to buy some from a member here, but he sold them to someone else while I was asking him for a correction or confirmation to his paypal address ). (I also havent' had the time to do it).

These "forks" would actually be the four-bar-link "rear triangle" off a lightweight FS bike frame, mounted bakcwards (dropouts leading) and the shockmount/etc off the main frame, attached to a steerer and stanchions made to fit whatever clamps I can get (clamps instead of welding to the others so I can adjust ride height, etc. as needed).


Part of the reason is so I could put a powerful motor up front, without worrying about little bitty dropouts holding it in place--would be easy to have big clamping torque plates instead. The motor wouldn't have to be a hub, either, it could be a frame-mounted motor on the "triangle"; then I can have a motor *and* an IGH with a drum brake in it, for instance.

Another part of the reason is to have something that looks very different from the typical front end.


If you're curious, I have some sketches / etc. somewhere in one of the trike build or design discussion threads, probably in the old Delta Tripper thread at the end of it. I'll attach them to this post if I can find them later.

 

[marka-ee]

Sure. Reusing some linkages and whatever from mountain bikes would be a way to avoid some expensive CNC milling. Basically making a parallelogram type of system with a shock and spring involved ?

 

[MJSfoto1956]

I'm currently in the middle of converting/customizing the front trailing arm suspension taken from a 1985 Honda CH250 and installing it onto my electrified 2017 Chinese Zuma clone. Lots of moving parts (pun intended) that I'm having to deal with. When done I'll post a step-by-step. In the meantime I'll tease you with this diagram I am working from:



M

 

[Dauntless]

A configuration I've considered for modifying the existing fork. With shipping it's over $70, which if the shocks are good then a good price. There are shorter shocks you could attach lower on the frame. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001482624487.html

Another idea is to attach a bolt on for these shocks at the bottom of the forks that fit the frame.

 

[marka-ee]

Interesting design, to use the shock as an active structural element. I'm thinking of building on a base of a rigid steel fork and adding swing arm linkages. One issue to worry about is how tight the bearings are slop wise. Bronze bushing bearings or small needle bearings? If the linkage stuff is at the bottom of the fork the play is minimized. The old Amp / Pro Flex linkage fork at the linkage stuff near the crown, bad because it amplifies the play.