Free spirits installation instructions:

http://www.freespirits.it/istruzioni/301205ing.pdf

It appears that this should work with the cartridges, but you would need to retain the plastic spacers located in the bottom of the fork to keep the freespirit spacer centered in the base of the slider. As you note in your post, all this kit contains is a couple of spacers and longer allen bolts. Two 30 mm chunks of alloy round stock of the appropriate diameter, a drill press, and 2 bolts would make it DIY....

Good luck with your endeavor.

Regards,

--Rich

 

Thanks Rich but I just heard back from Freespirits and they reckon it won't work. They said: "Unfortunately the Bitubo cartridge has proximally 120mm of stroke, while our kit increase original stroke of 30mm. and therefore the kits are not compatible."

I'm taking this to mean that the cartridge would have used up all of its travel before the inner fork tube hits the bottom of the fork boot (bottoming out) which I guess is not good as the cartridge will take the hit. I'm going to have a good think about this and talk to a machinist as there has got to be a way for this to work

 

Darn it. I hate it when I guess wrong. You nailed it on your interpretation. You could avoid this by making your own spacers that are the entire ID of the fork leg so that the stanchion bottoms onto the spacer instead of the bottom of the fork leg.

Cheers,

--Rich

 

Now that's a bloody good idea. Basically identical to their bushings, just 41mm in diameter.

 

http://www.traxxion.com/AK-20-Axxion-Cartridge-Kit/

 

Bonneville America or Speedmaster fork tubes.

 

Mike,

I was going to suggest the same thing - actually scrambler tubes - but longer none the less. The reason I stayed quiet on this approach is that the PO already bought the bitubo cartridges for the shorter bonnie forks and they won't work in the longer stanchions...

Regards,

--Rich

 

I would think a simple extension between the Bitubo damper rod and preload cap is all that would be needed. And a longer spacer.

/M