more suspension questions

[freezer16801]

ok, I just installed .95 kg racetech springs and 5 wt. fluid in the forks. The rebound feels nice and the compression is improved, however still sharp on quick bumps. I still am not achieving full travel in the forks. I have the fluid set to 104 mm's with the springs out. What can I do to increase my travel? My guess would be to increase the air gap to say 110 mm's to see if that permits me more travel?

Here is an overall view of the forks and the placement of the ziptie after a nice mountain ride.


you should be able to see a sharpy mark that I made that is close to where full travel would be.

[Cogito Ergo Zoom]

Definitely interested to see some conversation here, because I've been going back and forth about whether to just do springs & tweaking vs. doing the full springs/cartridge rip and replace.

Couple of questions:

Have you reset sag after the spring swap and are you running any front preload?

Did you change the rear spring as well to keep it balanced and, if so, what rate did racetech recommend? I think I remember you saying before you were ~220lbs if I remember correctly...

[Monstaman]

The book and stealerships say 480mls per leg but you won't get that and 104 mm.

I would drop your fork oil volume to 110mm INCLUDING your spring and see, drop it down in 10 mm increment until you reach full travel, I suspect you will be down to 550mls or less from the 650mls to 750mls.

Your current air spring is too tight at 104 thus preventing any further travel.

[doon]

Originally Posted by Cogito Ergo Zoom

Definitely interested to see some conversation here, because I've been going back and forth about whether to just do springs & tweaking vs. doing the full springs/cartridge rip and replace.

Couple of questions:

Have you reset sag after the spring swap and are you running any front preload?

Did you change the rear spring as well to keep it balanced and, if so, what rate did racetech recommend? I think I remember you saying before you were ~220lbs if I remember correctly...

I have about 50mm sag in the front and have 520ml of 5wt oil in the forks and have lots of travel.
Have changed out the springs but you really need new internals as the rebound over small, close together bumps is pretty bad.

[Cogito Ergo Zoom]

Originally Posted by doon

I have about 50mm sag in the front and have 520ml of 5wt oil in the forks and have lots of travel.
Have changed out the springs but you really need new internals as the rebound over small, close together bumps is pretty bad.

Thanks for the info and yeah, I hear you on all that--I know the stock damping is the primary problem--but I'm leaning to see how much better I can get it with springs / fork oil / air gap tweaking first probably. The IRS came after me in a big way last year so I'm not feeling like I have as much discretionary income as I did before given the likely outcome.

[freezer16801]

Originally Posted by Cogito Ergo Zoom

Definitely interested to see some conversation here, because I've been going back and forth about whether to just do springs & tweaking vs. doing the full springs/cartridge rip and replace.

Couple of questions:

Have you reset sag after the spring swap and are you running any front preload?

Did you change the rear spring as well to keep it balanced and, if so, what rate did racetech recommend? I think I remember you saying before you were ~220lbs if I remember correctly...

The bike is very much improved over stock. Total it cost me $159 for springs and one jug o' fluid ($6). The only difficulty I experience on the street is the stiff hits on sharp bumps to a much lesser extent than stock. Basically, the way we measured the preload during the spring install when we added spacers permitted the preload adjuster to be at the lightest setting.

The springs are easy to insall too. There is no need for a spring compressor with these forks. The hardest part is removing them from the bike.

The shock was redone by traxxion and is downright perfect! The stock sachs after being dynoed, revalved, and resprung feels as good as my ohlins on my track bike after having the same work done. I can not emphasize how impressed I am with this shock after their work. It looks sexy now too all polished up with a new spring and their bilet preload adjuster installed.

[freezer16801]

Originally Posted by Monstaman

The book and stealerships say 480mls per leg but you won't get that and 104 mm.

I would drop your fork oil volume to 110mm INCLUDING your spring and see, drop it down in 10 mm increment until you reach full travel, I suspect you will be down to 550mls or less from the 650mls to 750mls.

Your current air spring is too tight at 104 thus preventing any further travel.

I am waiting for my new fluid level guage, then I will try 110 mm's with the springs in. I think that will get me as close as the stock cartidge will permit.

This is a nice low-priced option to improve the forks without dropping $1000.

[Cogito Ergo Zoom]

Originally Posted by freezer16801

Basically, the way we measured the preload during the spring install when we added spacers permitted the preload adjuster to be at the lightest setting.

It looks sexy now too all polished up with a new spring and their bilet preload adjuster installed.

What was the free length of the racetech springs?

Show us a pic of the shock!

[freezer16801]

Originally Posted by Cogito Ergo Zoom

What was the free length of the racetech springs?

Show us a pic of the shock!

the free length of the springs was actually very close to the stock spring. We added two or three of the 1mm spacers that racetech includes in their fork spring kit.

here is photos of the shock.

and the right side. Notice the spring perch and preload collar. Both made by traxxion.

[Cogito Ergo Zoom]

nice...looks very racey