Shock settings?
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 430
Likes: 2
From: Dirty City
That's not the way I heard it. Maybe someone that knows for sure can jump in here. I was told the OEM adjustment did not change the ride level, only the tension on the spring. And I tend to agree with that since when you look at the shock while turning it only the spring moves up. The shock length stays the same. At least on my Street Bob it does.
Did you observe the length of the shock while the bike was fully loaded while adjusting preload, or while it was sitting unloaded? A more accurate measurement than the length of the shock is the amount of sag, as it's a larger measurement and any changes will be more obvious and easy to measure.
Edit: I should mention that there are setups where suspension geometry is such that there is an increase in stiffness even with a single-rate spring, generally found on some sportbikes, but the Dyna is not one of them.
Last edited by Ovaltine Jenkins; Feb 4, 2011 at 09:30 AM.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 8,750
Likes: 261
From: back home in Michigan
Adjusting my shocks never changed the height, but rather increased load capacity. This seems to be realized by a better ride and the fact that the bike will not seem to 'hit' when you encounter bad roads. But these facts seem to differ based on lots of things. Actual shocks, weight, ride desired, road condition....etc
Anyway, whatever setting you are using when riding 1 up should be increased slightly when extra weight is added to the bike. Keep track of incremental changes and the results so you can adjust as needed progressively.
Anyway, whatever setting you are using when riding 1 up should be increased slightly when extra weight is added to the bike. Keep track of incremental changes and the results so you can adjust as needed progressively.
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 430
Likes: 2
From: Dirty City
Here's a good article about it:
http://www.sportrider.com/tech/146_9510_tech/index.html
A properly-designed rear suspension should be within 0 to 1/5 of an inch of topping out when the bike is unloaded. This would be why there appears to be no difference in height when increasing rear preload. The difference in ride height can only be observed while the bike is loaded. So with one or two people aboard, with their feet all on the pegs, and with someone else holding the bike to keep it from tipping over, and someone else measuring.
Obviously this is a PITA, which is why Harley included preload setting recommendations in the manual.
http://www.sportrider.com/tech/146_9510_tech/index.html
A properly-designed rear suspension should be within 0 to 1/5 of an inch of topping out when the bike is unloaded. This would be why there appears to be no difference in height when increasing rear preload. The difference in ride height can only be observed while the bike is loaded. So with one or two people aboard, with their feet all on the pegs, and with someone else holding the bike to keep it from tipping over, and someone else measuring.
Obviously this is a PITA, which is why Harley included preload setting recommendations in the manual.
Last edited by Ovaltine Jenkins; Feb 4, 2011 at 09:40 AM.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,960
Likes: 26
From: Sonoma County, CA
Without over-complicating the situation (which is easy to do when talking about suspension), the bottom line to the OP's question is "Yes". You should change the shock setting based on the load...
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 683
Likes: 3
From: Florida
So then you are referring to ride height with the passengers on. Yes I agree with that. I thought you meant that it changed the height of the bike just by adjusting the shock. So there is no disagreement from me there. I just never really thought of it expressed that way. But again adjusting the shock does not change the length of the shock. I agree that it will cause the compression travel distance to decrease as the shock spring reaches it's compression limit in less distance. But to me this is kinda overcomplicating the viewpoint. Even though technically I admit that the springs stiffness does not change, by decreasing it's available compression travel distance it's about the same effect.
Always ready to expand my perception though.
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180, adjust, adjustment, adjustments, bob, dyna, fat, glide, passengers, preload, rod, setting, shock, shocks, super
