Wanted Risse Champ 20mm axle

[fettler]

Looking for a 20mm axle for a Champ fork or maybe a Trixxy one will do it. I know this is along shot but Risse have ignored all my emails over the years.

 

[synchronicity]

Risse is worse than terrible at email.
I ordered something from their shop, a flat crown for marzocchi 888.
It never arrived. Because it was never sent.
Ended up having to do a chargeback on my debit card.

 

[chodjinn]

Any half decent machine shop should be able to make you one for a few quid, it's literally an alloy tube with a bit of thread on it etc. I know a guy up in Kirkbymoorside who can sort you out if you need.

 

[DaveyBoyWonder]

Unless they changed the design, the one on my old Roxxxys was made of cheese so maybe better off getting a custom made one anyway!

 

[fettler]

Yes I could make one myself, if it was for one piece lower forks I would have done it by now as they only really act in shear at the axle ends and rely on arch stiffness. Being upside downs with independent movement on each side, the axle ends are under far more strain. Unless I find a guaranteed piece of high yield ally bar then short of making it solid or in steel I'd rather put the feelers out first. They're 8 1/2 lb or so already. Forks have been sat there for 10+ years now but wanting to get mine from 98, San Andreas DHS rolling again. Sort of thing I wonder if post machining heat treatment was a thing.

 

[chodjinn]

Surely a bit of 7000 series would be good enough, with a decent wall thickness. I've ran many different USD forks over the years and never really had or noticed issues with axles. What are your Champ forks like? I bought a set off ebay a year or so ago but they were sent back, they were a right state. I had some many years ago on one of my Karpiels and loved them

 

[fettler]

Yes I'll probably end up making one, lots of projects both bike and none bike related so tried to put feelers out first but Risse customer ignorance is alarming.
I had a pair of 6" champs on my 98 (I think) San Andreas DHS. Fork action was great although genuine fork seals only lasted a few months. A trade off against the low stiction seals. I tried some standard motorbike lip seals in the same dimensions but stiction was noticeably higher so I just stuck with standard seals. Probably cant get standard seals now as Risse wont respond to you?
I bought a 7" pair with a front wheel many years ago now but minus the axle. It was cheap on ebay. It did come with MX style fork lower protectors too. The lower legs are quite good.

If the lower legs are scratched /pitted you can turn the leg upside down as the fitting at the top of the leg is the same thread as the axle knuckle at the bottom. Need some good soft jaws or carefully use the brake clamp as a holder. Might need some mild heat to release the threadlock but swapped over the damaged part of the stanchion dissapears up inside the leg leaving a fresh shiny lower leg.

 

[chodjinn]

The price of getting one + shipping/import is just not worth it, get one made. As for seals, pretty sure you should be able to use a generic seal. Try the vintage DH group on facebook lots of good advice on there too