question about TXT Boy 50 forks

[fastducs]

Greetings. I'm beginning to familiarize myself with a used 2006 TXT Boy-50 that I've just bought for my son. The forks are off of it at the moment, so I gave them a quick individual look-over. It seems the right fork leg has no oil in it. I haven't peeked inside the fork leg yet, but I noticed that when I stroke the left leg I hear fluid slushing inside and feel some damping. But when I stroke the right fork leg, it feels like there is no fluid inside. BTW, it looks like the seals on both legs are leaking. So the question is: how much fork oil is each leg supposed to have? And what weight oil to use?

I would be very grateful if someone can tell me where to get a Workshop/Service Manual. Also a parts diagram would be useful. I have the User's manual, but it doesn't have any details on maintenance or repair procedures.

[fastducs]

I disassembled the forks: http://users.rcn.com/vmoathome/txt50/internals.jpg

and found explanations for the leaky seals and lack of damping in the right leg,

but unfortunately what I found only raised more questions.

(1) The leaky seals were caused by foreign material stuck inside the seal lip. Both fork legs had this problem! It looked like a piece of red mylar film. Here are some photos:

http://users.rcn.com/vmoathome/txt50/seal-with-mylar.jpg

http://users.rcn.com/vmoathome/txt50/mystery-mylar.jpg

What is it? Where did it come from? Has anyone seen anything like this before?

(2) Lack of damping in the right fork leg is explained by the fact that the right damping rod is missing a black plastic piston ring. The left and right damping rods are almost identical, except that the left one has a piston ring, and also a very small bleed hole just below the topout spring. Here is a closeup photo showing both rods:

http://users.rcn.com/vmoathome/txt50/damping-rods-closeup.jpg

My first thought was that the plastic piston ring from the right rod simply shattered, but I couldn't find any evidence of it when I drained the fork oil. Plus the extra bleed hole in the left rod makes me suspect that perhaps the right rod isn't meant to do any damping? Any thoughts on this? Should I just add the "missing" piston ring and see what happens?

[smudger984]

Sorry but cant help you with the forks, I have had mine apart but only too take out the top spacers so my son can touch the ground on it...... didnt really look at them very close, but I did ask Gas Gas UK about this before doing it and they didnt even know spacers were in the top ?????

To be honest my son has a 2010 50 boy and really not that impressed, yes its a great bike to ride but the quality does worry me. Just put a new water pump seal in it (or rather a mate of mine did) and he commented that the water pump does not sit in correclty, pulls to one side when the bolt is done up, he thinks the casing is out of line. Hopefully hes sealed it enough with sealer and it may just work, but this bike should be built better than that, its still over £2,000 to buy !!!!

Also I didnt like the way that the clutch disengages so late, so I also added the thicker 2mm clutch plate. On first test now the bike wants to move forward on tick over.....going to try it properly this weekend but I already have had this bike in more bits than more older Gas Gas 250 thats done more work and be ridden harder !!!!

cheers Smudger

Edited October 28, 2010 by smudger984