Front suspension upgrade
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2012
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Likes: 11
From: The Whale's Vagina
Understand feet OFF the ground, thanks.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,291
Likes: 11
From: The Whale's Vagina
So, I put some shoes on and went out to the garage. Measuring your way with the zip tie on the fork, I'm only getting 3/8" of sag. Of course I proceeded with pulling out the jack, putting the bike in the air and taking everything apart. I cut a whole inch off the spacers, which obviously put them an inch below the top of the tube. When I put the adjusters on, they screwed right down with no resistance, so I put 8 full turns on each (8 turns = 1 inch).
I buttoned everything up, torqued the pinch bolts, cleaned up the spacer shavings and oil, stowed the jack and put all my tools away just in case my wife busted me out of bed. I took another couple measurements. Both were 3/4", so I backed the adjusters all the way off and got 1 1/8". I'm not comfortable having them that soft, so I put 4 turns on and remeasured...1". I got it all done in less than an hour, whew.
That's where I'm going to leave it for now (I know...said that before). I'm going to bring a hex with me to add more resistance to the adjusters if the ride is too soft tomorrow.
I'll post an update after my morning commute...assuming I don't still have a fever when I get up.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 5,477
Likes: 5
From: New Braunfels, Texas
Wow! I'm really starting to think you need the .90 springs unless you like your suspension on the stiff side.
Crap I couldn't do that in an hour on a good day. Glad the wife didn't catch you playing.
It wouldn't hurt to call traxion...maybe you needed a slightly longer spring? Those caps should be a real bitch to get on with those springs...
Crap I couldn't do that in an hour on a good day. Glad the wife didn't catch you playing.
It wouldn't hurt to call traxion...maybe you needed a slightly longer spring? Those caps should be a real bitch to get on with those springs...
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,291
Likes: 11
From: The Whale's Vagina
I got a PM from fabrik8r. He says measuring sag by just using the difference of the bike with and without rider on the ground isn't right.
He recommends calculating total travel of the forks first, with the springs and spacer removed, fully compressed to wheel fully off the ground. Then get sag by measuring the travel with springs and spacers installed with rider weight on the bike. That sag should be 1/3 of the total travel for the Intiminators and single rate springs to do their thing.
I owe SC-Longhair a shot of the Traxxions compared to the stock springs anyway, so I'm going to take it all apart again this weekend and measure everything. I've gotten pretty good at taking it all apart and putting it together now. In the meantime, I'll keep stress testing it on the freeway and take notes.
He recommends calculating total travel of the forks first, with the springs and spacer removed, fully compressed to wheel fully off the ground. Then get sag by measuring the travel with springs and spacers installed with rider weight on the bike. That sag should be 1/3 of the total travel for the Intiminators and single rate springs to do their thing.
I owe SC-Longhair a shot of the Traxxions compared to the stock springs anyway, so I'm going to take it all apart again this weekend and measure everything. I've gotten pretty good at taking it all apart and putting it together now. In the meantime, I'll keep stress testing it on the freeway and take notes.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 3,791
Likes: 57
From: N Texas
Had to pull out some of my old notes on this subject from when I installed my Intiminators, but you need the total fork travel and the only way to get that measurement is with the fork(s) off the bike disassembled. Now if somebody else has already done it for a bike the same as yours, then you can use that measurement so you don't have to take the fork(s) off. After you have that measurement, measure how much you compress the forks when you are on the bike compared to with the front tire off the ground(on a lift) - different ways to take the measurement like rootis' method or having a helper.
The second measurement is the sag but you need to know what what % that is when compared to the first measurement - most people recommend it should be anywhere from 25% to 33 %. If you like it a little stiffer shoot for 25%, plusher 33%.
For my Fat Bob the total travel was 4 5/8" and the sag was 1 5/16" for a % of 28.4%.
The second measurement is the sag but you need to know what what % that is when compared to the first measurement - most people recommend it should be anywhere from 25% to 33 %. If you like it a little stiffer shoot for 25%, plusher 33%.
For my Fat Bob the total travel was 4 5/8" and the sag was 1 5/16" for a % of 28.4%.
Last edited by HD Pilot; Oct 2, 2013 at 10:08 AM.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,291
Likes: 11
From: The Whale's Vagina
Had to pull out some of my old notes on this subject from when I installed my Intiminators, but you need the total fork travel and the only way to get that measurement is with the fork(s) off the bike disassembled. Now if somebody else has already done it for a bike the same as yours, then you can use that measurement so you don't have to take the fork(s) off. After you have that measurement, measure how much you compress the forks when you are on the bike compared to with the front tire off the ground(on a lift) - different ways to take the measurements like rootis' method or having a helper.
The second measurement is the sag but you need to know what what % that is when compared to the first measurement - most people recommend it should be anywhere from 25% to 33 %. if you like it a little stiffer then 25%, plusher 33%.
For my Fat Bob the total travel was 4 5/8" and the sag was 1 5/16" for a % of 28.4%.
The second measurement is the sag but you need to know what what % that is when compared to the first measurement - most people recommend it should be anywhere from 25% to 33 %. if you like it a little stiffer then 25%, plusher 33%.
For my Fat Bob the total travel was 4 5/8" and the sag was 1 5/16" for a % of 28.4%.
I'm heading out shortly to road test the feel of the shorter spacer. Like Rooti, fabrik8r things that 1.0 spring is too stiff for my body weight. We'll see.
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 849
Likes: 13
From: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
[QUOTE=619bob;11825764][quote=El Chiguete;11825543]Ohh **** so it comes with a top tripe tree for it to fit... so I guess it wont work on my '93 FXDWG.
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 204
Likes: 0
From: Santa Clara, CA
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2011
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From: New Braunfels, Texas
fabrik8r and Alan are exactly right....Brian at Ricor use to have a dyna set up exactly like mine and had already done the math and that is where I got the measurement.
I suppose it would always be better to do your own math on your actual bike but Alans measurement shows that Brians math worked out pretty much the same in the end.
I suppose it would always be better to do your own math on your actual bike but Alans measurement shows that Brians math worked out pretty much the same in the end.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,291
Likes: 11
From: The Whale's Vagina
I did a half day today...still not feeling well.
The ride in wasn't as good as my previous ride with the longer spacer. It felt kinda mushy in places. It wasn't bouncy or anything, just not as smooth and tight as before. Rain grooves and seams were more noticeable, and the 3 big "jumps" on the 5/805 split weren't as dampened as before. Still better than before the mod, but not as nice as it was with the longer spacer. I put 2 full turns (1/4" more preload) on the adjusters for the ride home, and that tightened things up.
That's 60 miles of road test for today. I'm taking the train tomorrow, so I'll post another road test update on Friday before I take it all apart again this weekend. I'm gonna add 2 more turns (1/4") of preload and see how that 5/805 split feels.
The ride in wasn't as good as my previous ride with the longer spacer. It felt kinda mushy in places. It wasn't bouncy or anything, just not as smooth and tight as before. Rain grooves and seams were more noticeable, and the 3 big "jumps" on the 5/805 split weren't as dampened as before. Still better than before the mod, but not as nice as it was with the longer spacer. I put 2 full turns (1/4" more preload) on the adjusters for the ride home, and that tightened things up.
That's 60 miles of road test for today. I'm taking the train tomorrow, so I'll post another road test update on Friday before I take it all apart again this weekend. I'm gonna add 2 more turns (1/4") of preload and see how that 5/805 split feels.