Spesh. 'Judy' FSX forks

Anyone that's played with these.
Have any of you converted them to post 97 setup (basically the wider hole needed at the bottom etc).
Or to hydrocoil of 98+.

Everything else is I assume standard 95/96 stuff.


P.s. anyone happen to have the bushing tools for judy forks?

I converted both of mine to cronos springs. I can’t say the overall performance is better or worse than the original setup, but they don’t slouch like stock after a half season of riding.

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Ben is asking on behalf of me, looking to overall the hardware of my fsx forks, stanchions could do with replacement as could the bushings by the looks of it, I have a set of 97 judy xc's I can use for parts as their stanchions are very good, we're just wanting confirmation that they will be compatible, Ben has a new set of bushings and seals that we can fit if the tool can be found!
Springs/elastomers are actually in very good condition and they will only ever get very light riding so they can stay as they are!

Any help and advice is greatly welcomed!

I did the Hydracoil conversion and put the whole story into the workshop wiki.
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/wiki/Special ... conversion

The problems with that are, that the dropouts need to be airtight so the oil does not leak out.
The larger hole is not nessesarily needed.

On the pro side: Very reliable setup, no need for regreasing, better performance compared to the original dampening cartridge. The only maintanance left it the periodical oil change.

I very much prefer my Hydracoil converted Judys to the others, that only have steel coils with the dampening cartridge.

Thias":3ggapvn1 said:

I did the Hydracoil conversion and put the whole story into the workshop wiki.
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/wiki/Special ... conversion

The problems with that are, that the dropouts need to be airtight so the oil does not leak out.
The larger hole is not nessesarily needed.

On the pro side: Very reliable setup, no need for regreasing, better performance compared to the original dampening cartridge. The only maintanance left it the periodical oil change.

I very much prefer my Hydracoil converted Judys to the others, that only have steel coils with the dampening cartridge.

Click to expand...

I forgot about that, it's in my bookmarks it seems. That's a possibility but not my forks and the less work the better.

I did a few conversions for some people and I always ask them - do they want a rather cheap fork or a bit more expensive but better working and less maintainance fork.
Of course they'll have to pay for my extra work. Just as they would for a regular service of their modern fork.
But I am convinced its the better choice in the long run. If they ride the bike regularly. If the bike ist mainly for show or the ride to the next coffeeshop - then the simple coil conversion will do just fine.

Most of the guys I takled to were convinced by the fact, that the oil change (by simply pouring out the old oil and filling in new oil - no disassembly needed) was all they had to do in the future. For me personally the gain in performance is more important...

Wirh the FSX thou, there is always the risk of the dropout bond not holding the oil. If it does, there's not much to do for the conversion. But if it leaks - no fun. :facepalm:

There's no cost, I do these for love.
Seals, new check. Bushings new check.
Stanchions, err hopefully as the certainly need replacing.


It's already coils, it was the holes at the bottoms for seating newer 97/98 dampers in I was wondering about and the ease of bushing servicing.
I could probably 'make' some tools over time. Simple narrowed edged washer on a rod to pull out (so I can get it through) and either socket set and washer to seated or something a bit more elaborate with a stanchion and a ring (old bushing or alu tube) if the bushing needed an actual seated guide.
Anyone made anything like that?

But not seen an fsx lower close up, I see there is little space for a 0.5mm widen, so the savers may be needed and the lowers are the bit that makes them expensive to buy.

Do all FSX have the 'greasing port in the canti studs' thing.

If this bike gets dirty other than dust I would be amazed, lol. (JMC replica stumpy)

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The only dirt this bike will see is the video lol.
She isn't a stumpy Ben she is actually an S-works M2 Team
And I genuinely don't know if the fork has grease ports in the canti studs as I've not pulled them off, I'm sure you'll have a better idea after your (supervised) visit this week lol

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Stumpy, S-Works M2... Same difference

I understand.
I made my tools for the bushes myself. I pull the old bushes as you described. For refitting the new bushes I turned something on my lathe. It needs to be turned, because it has to fit the bushes quite tightly.
At the end, the new bushes need to be seated. I use an old stanchion tube for that.

I can snap a few pics, if it helps.