Fitting your own springs?

I'm just about to order some one rate harder springs for front and rear. I've changed springs on bikes with right way up forks before and it was a doddle, though I realise the USD forks are more complicated.

Does anyone know if you really need the special tools mentioned in the manual for the WP forks, specifically the cartridge retainer type thing (p/n T14026S). Is this a 'nice to have' tool or a 'fooked without it tool'. I have the feeling I could get by without it but would prefer to know in advance.


Also can you change the rear spring without a spring clamp?

Thanks people!

A $20 tool is available from KTM for fork tops. Rear spring can be changed w/o any special tools/clamps.

The WP tools aren't available, to us.
The WP tool for fork cap/preload adjuster is made my AMF, 40mm 4mm pins. You can get them from Samstag Sales:

(also various others - replaceable pins, different sizes, so you could use the same tool for the water pump rotor.)

There's the socket type. The best one is the Enduro Engineering one, $30. (There is a thread here with pictures of it.)

The damper rod holding tool...pitposse.com has one, like the WP tool but it's a long rod, and it has three different thread adaptors. [Also a pic in the aforementioned thread.]

PS: Here, ... google...
site:www.superduke.net WP tool
site:www.superduke.net WP tool "nice tools"

Your right Cat and I've ordered the Pin Spanner separately. I have an Abba stand, but in the past, on different bikes, I've used a car jack on the exhaust pipe and wood to raise the side stand to raise the rear. A lot of luck was required too obviously. I think your idea of the rod is good, you just need the right metal, what about a bit of concrete reinforcement bar?

I came very close to ordering 9.5 and 170 springs. Then I realised the '07 has a 170 as standard so i changed my order to a 180. Then I realised it has 9.5 as standard too so I had to change my order again! I'm going to try 10s as I'm hoping with the 180 it will be balanced. Though it may turn out too firm for anything but the track!