Drilling damper rods?

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Taipan
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Drilling damper rods?

Post by Taipan »

Thinking about fitting fork valves in my NC700X, which means i'll need to drill the damper rods, but I no longer have access to a workshop and a bench drill etc. Anyone ever drilled damper rods? Am I going to have any success with them in a vice and using my Makita 18v drill?
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Re: Drilling damper rods?

Post by Skub »

I'd want to know exactly what I was doing there TP.
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Re: Drilling damper rods?

Post by KungFooBob »

Can't be any scarier than drilling carb slides, just do it!
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Re: Drilling damper rods?

Post by mangocrazy »

Taipan wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 8:06 pm Thinking about fitting fork valves in my NC700X, which means i'll need to drill the damper rods, but I no longer have access to a workshop and a bench drill etc. Anyone ever drilled damper rods? Am I going to have any success with them in a vice and using my Makita 18v drill?
I had to drill the damper rods on my 350LC when I fitted YSS cartridge emulator valves to the forks. But I did have a pillar drill and a countersink bit. I think it would be possible using a hand held drill as long as the damper rod was held steady in a vice.

Go for it! What could possibly go wrong? :mrgreen:
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Re: Drilling damper rods?

Post by Mussels »

Something like this may help.
Image
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Re: Drilling damper rods?

Post by KungFooBob »

Is it new holes or opening up existing holes to a larger diameter?

If it's opening up then I wouldn't be worrying about having the right kit.
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mangocrazy
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Re: Drilling damper rods?

Post by mangocrazy »

On my damper rod conversion, the instructions said to open up existing holes and drill additional ones. But if you use a centre punch to locate the drill bit and use a small diameter one to drill a pilot hole before going large, you should be OK.
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Taipan
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Re: Drilling damper rods?

Post by Taipan »

Mussels wrote: Sun Mar 07, 2021 10:05 pm Something like this may help.
Image
Less than £30 too. I'll get one of those I think. Cheers for posting that. :thumbup:

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke- ... with-vice/

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iansoady
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Re: Drilling damper rods?

Post by iansoady »

Use one of these to start it:

Image

https://www.cromwell.co.uk/shop/cutting ... rills/f/68

Less chance of it wandering.