FORKIN’ SIMPLE
The Lambretta front forks fitted to models from the Series 1 onwards were well designed by Innocenti, and perfectly adequate to deal with the stresses put upon them. More powerful engines mean that hydraulic disc brakes are routinely fitted and the extra forces exerted by them mean that forks require servicing on a more regular basis than their designers intended. Thankfully the makeup of the internal components is straightforward and the forks are easy to work on.
How they work
The centre fork stem connects to a U-shaped tube which houses the links on either side of the front wheel. Both sides have an internal spring that operates on the centre of the wheel link. The link pivots around a bolt fastened at the base of the forks with the opposite end housing the axle. This layout is referred to as a ‘trailing link’. The main areas of wear are on the pivot, spring rod, and the rubber bushes on either side of the link. If serviced and maintained all of these components can work for many thousands of miles before problems start to occur. One
