'03 YZ450F forks on a WR250R is this possible?

I realize that the front forks are undersprung for me at 235 without riding gear. I recall seeing a post about someone putting wr450f forks or wr250f forks on our R2s. Today I came across a set of 03 YZ450F forks complete including triple clamps. Does anyone know if they would fit or not?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

I'm in the same ballpark without gear & with the right oil level & 1/4" preload the stock fork springs are doing pretty well in the revalved forks.
I READ another guy used 2006 YZ125 triples & forks without issue. I also read another guy that had to use the caliper off the 450 forks he used. The spacing was different on the caliper bolts.

You can make them fit but you need everything, tripple clamps, wheel with spacers and brake caliper with bracket.

The yz forks only have .48 springs in them, the wrr has .47 so the springs arent much stiffer, the yz valving is a lot better tho.

The yz/wrf forks have the potential to work better than the wrr forks as they have bigger/better valving setups in them plus an inch more travel, but if they're not set up good revalved wrr forks will work better and save you some money.

You can shorten the wrr fork springs close to an inch then put an inch spacer in, this makes them about .50s, this is pretty cheap, I had it done for 50 bucks at a local shop. It made a big difference im 240lbs, I also have gold valves in them.

Biglake wrote:

You can make them fit but you need everything, tripple clamps, wheel with spacers and brake caliper with bracket.

The yz forks only have .48 springs in them, the wrr has .47 so the springs arent much stiffer, the yz valving is a lot better tho.

The yz/wrf forks have the potential to work better than the wrr forks as they have bigger/better valving setups in them plus an inch more travel, but if they're not set up good revalved wrr forks will work better and save you some money.

You can shorten the wrr fork springs close to an inch then put an inch spacer in, this makes them about .50s, this is pretty cheap, I had it done for 50 bucks at a local shop. It made a big difference im 240lbs, I also have gold valves in them.

I'm kinda stupid when it comes to suspension so over look my ignorance bit witch end do you cut top or bottom and what shock spring matchs the forks well after cutting them

You cut the top of the spring and put the spacer on the top of the spring, it stays in place better when its on the top.

You also need to heat and bend the last coil flat on the spring so it sits flat.

I had this done by a shop as I couldnt heat and bend the coil on my own, I dont own a torch.

A 9.4 rear spring would be the right weight for you.

I hope I can make this work. I have $200 in a complete 2003 wr450 front end minus the triple clamps. Its low mileage and looks like new.

http://advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=21912596&postcount=36672

I am not going to speed money on the wr250r forks.

JOY

Here is another guy installing WR450F forks on his WR250R

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?p=24014132#post24014132

Lots of used KYB 46mm forks out there.

After two re valves my forks work really well for most things, but we've never been able to get it progressive enough for the big hits. I went ahead & bought 2002 WR250F forks & a YZ250F front wheel & axle setup. For my riding a .49kg spring will be part of the rebuild. I'm afraid it's just going to highlight the deficiencies of the rear shock, but the front definitely needs a bit of help for what I do with the bike. I figure I'll run with the forks about .750" up in the triples, for basically a 1" rise in the front, which will be pretty equal to the taller MT43 rear tire.

I installed the 2002 WR250F forks today. I used a YZ250 front wheel, axle & spacers. Everything was a bolt on, no mods. That is the original caliper & brake line. I have them .800" up in the upper triple clamp. Just did a joy ride around the block running up & down curbs & one 2' dirt pile jump. Feels good, but the real test will be Saturday in the whoops.



The 306 is in the background & is nearly ready to install  

The front end is so much better than the reworked original. I can hit a string of 2' whoops without fear of getting out of rhythm. The stock setup did not have enough high speed dampening to absorb that kind of hit, this does.

Will YZ forks work or do they need to be wrf forks?

I have two 2003 YZ's. 2 stroke. and bolted on a set of forks along with the front wheel and caliper on the WRR. I dropped the fork in the triple to keep the geometry the same as stock I have bar risers on that allowed me to drop them enough. I weigh 180 no gear. YZ forks have stock springs. It works so much better then stock on tech single track!!  I want to get the shock redone by GO Race or wait for the all new shock GO Race is developing. Even with the stock shock and the YZ fork, it's so much better. I'm an A level senior enduro rider. I love this bike!! So versatile!!

I'll probably go to the next stiffer YZ spring after getting the rear shock re valved. YZ rear wheels bolt right on but the rotor is too big FYI.

Cal44 wrote:

I have two 2003 YZ's. 2 stroke. and bolted on a set of forks along with the front wheel and caliper on the WRR. I dropped the fork in the triple to keep the geometry the same as stock I have bar risers on that allowed me to drop them enough. I weigh 180 no gear. YZ forks have stock springs. It works so much better then stock on tech single track!!  I want to get the shock redone by GO Race or wait for the all new shock GO Race is developing. Even with the stock shock and the YZ fork, it's so much better. I'm an A level senior enduro rider. I love this bike!! So versatile!!

I'll probably go to the next stiffer YZ spring after getting the rear shock re valved. YZ rear wheels bolt right on but the rotor is too big FYI.

I used 2003 wr450 forks with a 2001 yz front wheel and my front brakes/rotor worked without issue.  I have them pretty high up in the trees with a 3/4" bar spacer.
I had Go Race do their magic on the rear before i messed with the forks.  It definitely showed the shortcomings of the stock forks.

4play wrote:

I installed the 2002 WR250F forks today. I used a YZ250 front wheel, axle & spacers. Everything was a bolt on, no mods. That is the original caliper & brake line. I have them .800" up in the upper triple clamp. Just did a joy ride around the block running up & down curbs & one 2' dirt pile jump. Feels good, but the real test will be Saturday in the whoops.



The 306 is in the background & is nearly ready to install  

Hi there...what year yz250 wheel or does it matter? Curious..

Zoltan wrote:

4play wrote:

I installed the 2002 WR250F forks today. I used a YZ250 front wheel, axle & spacers. Everything was a bolt on, no mods. That is the original caliper & brake line. I have them .800" up in the upper triple clamp. Just did a joy ride around the block running up & down curbs & one 2' dirt pile jump. Feels good, but the real test will be Saturday in the whoops.



The 306 is in the background & is nearly ready to install  

Hi there...what year yz250 wheel or does it matter?  Curious..

They all should work from the last 15 years or more. I also needed to correct my post above, I did not need the YZ caliper and brake assembly. Stock WR caliper is fine with the YZ wheel as the others mentioned. Sorry for the confusion.

I will mention that the WR rear disc is smaller then the YZ, but a YZ rear wheel appears to fit otherwise with the YZ rear wheel spacers. This is nice if you want to do a quick swap from a DS tire to knobbies. Just a thought and convenient if you own a YZ or YZ's.

Thank you for your write up on the suspension swap. I am really interested in making this swap on my 2013 wr250r and was wondering if it is possible to use the oem speedometer? Does the stock upper triple clamp work with other mx tubes? Just ordered a brand new oem speedometer so i would have the other features that the trail tech does not have.

bdubonthemic wrote:

Thank you for your write up on the suspension swap. I am really interested in making this swap on my 2013 wr250r and was wondering if it is possible to use the oem speedometer? Does the stock upper triple clamp work with other mx tubes? Just ordered a brand new oem speedometer so i would have the other features that the trail tech does not have.

Yes, use your original triple clamps, just slide you old forks out & slide the new one back in.

4play, thank you very much for the response. So really any of the Yamaha 46mm fork tubes should work? As long as I get a yz wheel with appropriate spacers?

My ebay sourced wheel came with the original spacers & axle & it was a direct fit.

I installed 03 yz250 forks, just made bushings for the upper clamp and wheel axle, it changed the ride height to high, but

I installed 03 yz250 forks, just made bushings for the upper clamp and wheel axle, it changed the ride height to high, but actually revalve the stock forks with gold valves and got them to work better than the YZ Forks

Took three trys to get valve stack just right. Racetech is a good way to learn all about suspension tuning, now I could change valve stacks in an hour on both forks

Which fork gaurds did you use for 450 forks?

So is the only option for rear to get rebuild with a stiffer spring?

The front yz450 forks look and work even better. The bike handles landings way better and even rides a little better. I would definitive recommend
this to anybody bottoming out there stock suspension regularly. Thanks to 4play and everybody else who helped out with advice.

sorry to bring this thread back from the dead but seen a few front end swaps but alot of variation of height in triple clamps. seen .8 of an inch upto 1.5inches. im wanting to run .8 of an inch up like 4play has. has it affected geometry n steering much?