I'm thinking about replacing stock cartridges in a 2019 Duke 390 with Andreani inserts.
Duke service manual describes for leg disassembly as fairly simple:
1. Unscrew the top cap
2. Drain the oil
3. Remove the bottom screw under the fork leg
4. Slide the entire cartridge out
The installation manual for the 105/kt7e describes more steps
1. Unscrew the top cap
2. Split the internals to remove the spring (this requires a special tool and, from what I've read, heating up some red loctite)
3. Remove the top part of the internals and the spring
4. Drain the oil
5. Remove the bottom screw under the fork leg
6. Slide the bottom part of the internals out
Both instructions describe installation as more or less the reverse of disassembly.
Why would I need to separate the fork internals and install them in steps? It looks like the Andreani inserts come as a pre-assembled cartridge unit, with the spring installed, and the post-2017 Dukes have cartridges that should come out as a unit as well..
Or are these Andreani instructions for older models (pre-2017), with damper rod stock internals? I've checked the manual for 105/kt2e (for the older Duke 390) and it has the same steps and pictures.
Not sure if you have seen this vdo.
It is the Andreani one and should be the most correct one.
There are different vdo's on the Internet.
I have had it done by the Andreani distributor in Chiang Mai (Sina Moto), I was not present so no experience in the process.
I went back at a later stage to have the springs changed out for weaker ones as the stiff ones that the kit is supplied with was too stiff for me, even et the full unscrewed pre-load it would not reach the sag I needed.
Now it does.
My Duke b.t.w. is the first Gen.
Anyone installed these themselves? I am pretty mechanically inclined and am more than happy to break a motor but have never done suspension before, but am eager to learn :) if anyone has an install video or better instructions that would be awesome! -Jason
Is there anyone with this kit already installed? I'm interested to know if there is space to access the adjustments at the top of the fork caps without the need to remove the handlebar.
Hey Whyzee, I rode a 2017 with Öhlins fork inserts (not sure the kit number). The springs were stiffer and this helped settle the bike under hard braking and through rough coners at lean. The bike also had an Öhlins KT301 rear. I’m actually trying to find out more info on the spring that was fitted to the rear shock. The part number on the spring is 60013-34. I’ll probably have to start a new thread for the rear.
Well I can help you with the item numbers needed for a 2019 as they are a bit different, according to Gary at Ohlins USA.
Front end would be FKS 507 (NIX 30mm cartridge) and no springs are supplied. The spring series required Is 08423-xx, with xx being replaced by your desired spring rate.
Rear end for the Duke is KT801 (STx46 series) and the supplied spring is 61092-41 which is 170mm long and 115 N/mm rate. Gary didn’t/couldn’t come up with any other rates in this spring family for the rear shock, so.....
I was thinking DIY also but I’m not sure exactly what the mod is. Just heard it in a quote from the Dealership who had already completed the installation before. I’m sure with a little mechanical skill, it would be possible to figure out during assembly
I’ve studied all of the installation guides for these exact parts as well as about every YouTube video of Ohlins cartridges (not specific to our bike) and videos that are specific to our bike but are not Ohlins cartridges and it does not look out of my scope of ability. Might need one special tool for sure, for the top cap. Or at minimum a pin wrench from Any other supplier.
According to my research, Its a possibility that since the forks are made to fit the RC390 also, which have a shorter fork travel, there might need to be a spacer or shim fabricated for the adaptation
So I just swapped the cartridges and have the following notes for future DIYers.
This applies to 2017+ Duke 390. The instructions are different for older Dukes, not sure about RCs.
Disassembly of the stock fork is done as per the KTM Repair Manual and is easy as pie. There's no loctite (older models apparently had a bunch of it!). You'll need a 24mm wrench or socket to unscrew the top cap and a H7 hex to unscrew the bottom bolt. Apparently the H7 is not a common size, had to drive to the hardware store to get it. Also, grab a table vice, the job is much easier with one.
Once the top cap is off, drain the oil. Then remove the bottom bolt, slide out the whole cartridge and drain the rest. No need to split the stock cartridge and extract the spring as the manual suggests, the Andreani cartridges come with their own springs.
Now to install the new cartridges, you will actually need to split them, ie. unscrew the top cap, because you'll need to measure the fork oil level with the springs out. This doesn't require special tools, the top unscrews by hand, to screw it back on you'll need two 17mm wrenches and preferably someone to hold the spring compressed (tho I managed without help with some ingenuity). The spring isn't so stiff as to require a compressor, your arms will do (this may vary depending on spring rate, I'm lightweight).
The installation instructions supplied with the kit are ok. For the disassembly of the stock fork follow the KTM manual, not Andreani.
The oil level is specified on the box, not in the manual. Make sure you don't toss the cardboard before you're done wrenching.
I noticed that the Andreani cartridge is a bit longer than stock. When I reinstalled the reassembled legs into the triple clamps, I couldn't attach the brake caliper because the brake line wasn't long enough. I slid the legs upwards in the triple clamps by a good 15mm in order to get the fork bottoms in position for the brake caliper. This seems odd. Will the springs settle and compress a bit? Did I mess something up? Or should I extend the brake line somehow and allow for the increased front ride height?
Now, with the legs higher in the triple clamps, the adjusters are very near the handlebars. I can't adjust them without removing the handlebars or fabricating a very low-profile hex key.
It appears as though both of those are the same kits although the pictures do not match.
Both say 105/kt7e part number.
Not exactly sure what ‘through bolt bottom’ means
I'm after a kit that does not require anything other than pull the stock gear out and putting the new gear in. Nothing on the websites selling these mention about having to split it apart to fill oil and such
That will not be the case with Andreani kits.
Perhaps look at Öhlins, K-tech or Bitubo.
As far as I am aware for all the Andreani fork inserts you will need to separate the tubes from the bottom parts (which can be a challenge but certainly not impossible to do yourself.
As per their website, it seems they do not have a kit for 2020 (yet).
for 2019 it lists: Benvenuti nel sito ufficiale di Andreani Group International
I don’t know if I follow you?
These cartridge kits require you to remove both of your fork legs and tear them down to a point where you will install the new internals (Andreani in this case) and then add a specified amount of Ohlins fork oil before you tighten the fork cap and reinstall the legs back on your bike.
Big Mac has a really nice write up on what was needed to install the cartridges, as well as The sequences required, and how to follow along By using both the Andreani instruction guide as well as the KTM factory service manual
I thought he mentioned we had to split apart the new cartridge to fill with oil is what i was referring to? I understand that removing the forks and removing the old inners are required but I am confused as to do we have to disasemble the new inners and fill with oil or are they just plug and play so to speak?
While I have not changed cartridges in forks ever, I think you install the new cartridge in the leg, without the spring, add some oil and pump the cartridge in order for it to fill with oil. Then you would add more oil to reach the prescribed measurement/volume, add the spring and then button up the assembly.
I may be way off as I have never done this operation before
You might wanna have your local shop order them for you instead.
Why?
If you look at the picture in post #17 and read what BigMac had to say about that difference in length... doesn't that make you a little weary of just throwing 695 out on the street for nothing but problems with fitment?
Andreani has a unique piston design, sure, and they flow really well to boot, compared to most stock pistons... but something is wrong here.
And they are only 'open cartridge' designs also, not sealed units.
At least if your shop orders them and they are somehow [wrong], 'they' can take the heat of returning them, through their own supplier network.
Catch my meaning?
If they can't even get the length right, particularly when they are also shifting to a 'stiffer initially' straight rate spring (instead of the stock multi-rate), what really makes you think they did magic with the damping.
I 'like' Andreani stuff... but this just doesn't look right. It looks like a generic swap-in.
[go ahead now, call me Killjoy i guess. I'm gonna go be quiet now, I don't like myself anymore]
Technically, you could not split the new internals, just slide out the old ones and slide in the new ones. The thing is, the specification for how much oil to add is listed for the cartridge without the spring installed. And, in fact, the syringe-based oil level measuring devices won't fit if the spring and top cap is installed. So in practical terms, you need to unscrew the top cap and slide out the spring in order to fill the oil to the right level, and then slide the spring on again and reinstall the cap. Also, it's easier to bleed out air bubbles without the spring.
You don't need to separate the tubes from the bottom parts. You do need to unscrew a bolt from the bottom of the leg, which apparently was a b*tch on the older models because there was red loctite, but it's no longer the case in post 2017. Just an ordinary bolt, tightened to 25 nm. You do need a table vice or sth to hold the part still while you undo the screw.
I think I figured out why the legs are longer. I've disassembled them and measured the total travel, stop to stop, and it's 150mm, the same as the stock forks of pre-2017 models. The post-2017 stock forks have 142 mm travel according to the spec. So, looks like Andreani didn't account for the reduced travel in the new model. I've measured how deep I slid in the forks into the triple clamps and it turns out 11 mm - maybe I went 3 mm deeper than I needed to? Anyway, more travel won't hurt, even if it's not great that they messed this up.
Regarding damping - I find the advised fork oil (Ohlins 1309-01, 19cSt@40C) is too thin. It might work for a street setup, but to get proper rebound damping for track riding I need to almost completely close the adjuster. I'll fill it with a thicker oil and see how it works. As far as the spring goes, it is very well configured for my weight, the sag is by-the-book on default preload setting. I like a constant rate spring, it's easier to choose correct damping if the rate is consistent across the stroke.
I'd expect Ohlins cartridges would be better, but they cost twice as much. I'm probably not good enough to notice the difference in performance.
Didn't have a chance to ride it yet, because winter.
Generally, if you want a shop to do this, yeah probably a good idea to let the shop order the part as well. For me, it was a cool learning experience to try and do it myself, as I'd never opened the forks before.
Just a normal wrench, I don't remember now whether it was a 25mm or 26mm (bigger than the 24 needed for stock caps tho)
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