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Hello all,
My 2002 FXD has 4" extended forks and 10.5" rear shocks, giving it a nice chopper like stance.
However this also changes the steering head rake from 28 to maybe 32 degrees. This makes the steering a bit slow, and on top of that I kind of prefer the look of a more steep fork angle.
So I had the idea of using the raked steering cups that are intended to increase rake by 3 degrees, but mounting them backwards to instead reduce rake. This would basically bring my fork back to the stock 28 degrees and the handling would be more Dyna-like again
Has anyone tried this, or is there something Im missing that makes this glorious plan doomed to failure?
I don't have an answer for you about the head cups, sorry. Weren't you planning on chopping and extending your frame? You can build in any rake you like when you do that.
I've seen Reindeer's bike in person, and it came out really well, if you're looking for any encouragement on your chopper project.
I don't have an answer for you about the head cups, sorry. Weren't you planning on chopping and extending your frame? You can build in any rake you like when you do that.
I've seen Reindeer's bike in person, and it came out really well, if you're looking for any encouragement on your chopper project.
Yes, I'm planning to stretch the frame, but that will not be until next winter. The rake cups is just a temporary idea for this summer
The plan for the frame rebuild is 8" stretch, 28 degree rake.
I think recently I've seen a De-Rake kit (cups & stem) ... I'll try to remember
Maybe this kit, from Vulcan Works?
It looks nice, but its a bit annoying that it is 90 usd more expensive than their normal rake kit, when the only difference is the position of the fork stop lug
I'm basically talking to myself here, but I found some more info, the owner of a parts shop here in Sweden is using them to reduce rake on his dirt track Sportster, apparently it works great
Only issue I can think of, is that the design of the raked cups and the front end @ the same angle as the raked cups, the cups want to naturally stay where they are and are simply pined in place if my memory is correct.
When you reverse this and drive the stem in the other direction by reversing how the caps sit, you may consider something more than a pin as movement would be ugly.
Other words if cups were put in loose it would automatically go to more the more rake position.
Other way would be basically balanced backwards.
As well as the raked cups easily find their correct position. Opposite woild take some setting up.
Unless there are some that are engineered already to work negative.
and then just "maybe" I got this all wrong🤣
Just an old man's opinion.
It looks nice, but its a bit annoying that it is 90 usd more expensive than their normal rake kit, when the only difference is the position of the fork stop lug
Yep that's the one ... you should ask them about the price difference. Although they sometimes are not real responsive.
So the reversed one above uses no Fork Stops?
EDIT: Interestingly, There are 3 part#s for the DE-RAKE kits and only 1 for the RAKE kit
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Last edited by multihdrdr; Mar 14, 2024 at 05:02 PM.
Only issue I can think of, is that the design of the raked cups and the front end @ the same angle as the raked cups, the cups want to naturally stay where they are and are simply pined in place if my memory is correct.
When you reverse this and drive the stem in the other direction by reversing how the caps sit, you may consider something more than a pin as movement would be ugly.
Other words if cups were put in loose it would automatically go to more the more rake position.
Other way would be basically balanced backwards.
As well as the raked cups easily find their correct position. Opposite woild take some setting up.
Unless there are some that are engineered already to work negative.
and then just "maybe" I got this all wrong🤣
Just an old man's opinion.
And again LOVE THAT BIKE!
I agree, the weight of the bike would want to flip the rake cups around when used backwards. On the other hand during hard braking there would be forces trying to flip the cups when used in the "rake out" position, that would not appear in the de-rake position.
Either way, I think the press fir combined with an index pin in each cup is sufficient to keep them in position.
And thanks for liking my bike, its a bit the opposite of the popular club style Dynas here
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De-raking using head cups
