1997 80mm travel Judy Cartridge on 1996 Judy SL fork?

xicofig

Retro Newbie
Would it be possible to install an 80mm cartridge from a 1997 Judy, on a 1996 Judy SL fork?

I suppose the 1996 Judy SL was 60mm travel. Is this a good/correct way to increase the travel to 80mm?
 
I will stick my neck out and say 'Yes' as I am about to do just that...

...the only difference between models was the increase in diameter of the damper shaft, and the corresponding increase in the size of the securing bolt in the bottom of the lower leg.

It shouldn't be beyond the abilities of the majority of Judy owners to run a slightly larger drill bit through the hole to adapt one to the other if necessary?? :wink:
 
xicofig":39tsjs1d said:
Would it be possible to install an 80mm cartridge from a 1997 Judy, on a 1996 Judy SL fork?

I suppose the 1996 Judy SL was 60mm travel. Is this a good/correct way to increase the travel to 80mm?

I believe you should be able to. To actually increase the travel on Judy you had to change the cartridge anyway.
I actually have both the 1997 fork in long travel 80mm and a 1996 Judy 63mm so should be able to give it a try but just have not got round to it.

The only thing i have read that might stop you is that the bolts on the later cartridges are M8 where as the older ones are M6 so people talk about drilling the older legs but tbh i imagine you could use an M8 to M6 reducer instead.

I also have a late 1997 cartridge maybe even early 1998 that fits the older Judy with a workaround. The cartridge is the non serviceable one with the screw at the top. I have got this to fit the 1995/96 stanchions with a workaround and just need to add the M8 to M6 reducer to get the dummy leg to fit. The cartridge is fine as it is M6 like the 1995/96 Judy. I have also added the Type III springs and it feels quite nice :D
 
yup.. have done this myself to a set of older Judy DH's

just needs a larger hole drilling for the bolt and then some of the dropout carefully removing to allow the larger bolt head to sit properly..

you just need to be careful when drilling / filing that none of the material you are removing gets inside the fork legs..

if it does get inside the fork and you dont remove it it will eventually end up on one of the moving parts where it will form a lovely abrassive paste with the fork grease and kill your fork stanchions / bushing..
 
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