Kronos replacement Rock Shox springs for my Mountain Bike

The US $44.99 EBay Kronos shock springs arrived today. My 1997 Rock Shox Judy XC shock absorbers had an elastomer (rubber) element that has disintegrated over the years. It was hard to clean out the corrosion and elastomer mush, but the Kronos springs are a drop-in replacement.

On the Internets, this seemed a difficult task, but it was just a matter of cleaning, lubing, and putting in a new spring. Actually there is just the longer spring in there, it is a 160lb spring and I am a dainty 140lb. The short spring has an adjustment feature to add extra spring force, but I don't think I need it.

I used Lucas Synthetic fork oil 5wt and Ultra Slick Synthetic teflon grease.

The lower fork innards

The other thing you have to do is open up the oil dampener black plastic tube in the right fork, and fill it with the 5wt oil. The part with the blue stripe has hole in it for the oil to flow through when you hit a bump, dampening the oscillation. It looks like there should be a piston, but there isn't. The patent has a piston. I wonder if it does anything, or is it just for show. The parts on the left fork do nothing, as far as I know.

So that was easier than expected.

Update:

Polyurethane Rubber Solid Rod Force Glue Stick PU Rods Self-defense Sticks 20mm(OD)x500mm(L) 1Pcs

A cheaper option is to buy a Polyurethane rod on aliExpress for $20, and cut it in half. I don't know if it is the same kind of polyurethane used in the original elastomers, but it might be OK for commuting thru potholes. A fork in the road I didn't take.

Yogi Berra: 'When you come to the fork in the road, take it!'