I want new fork springs/front suspension tune... Who's done it???????????????

[tomatocity]

Let me ask this again.

What are the lengths of the Stoltec and SPS fork springs? Phil, what is the length of your fork springs?

 

[avc8130]

I've answered you on the Stoltec springs...STOCK. They are the same length as stock.

ac

 

[YamaPA]

For the record, Traxxion uses 355 mm x 38 mm springs and there is a 95 mm preload spacer in their AK20 setup. Now, does that help you guys running stock internals....beats me.

 

[3putt]

Let me ask this again.

What are the lengths of the Stoltec and SPS fork springs? Phil, what is the length of your fork springs?

I just put in .90 fork springs from Stoltec, set them up against the OEM springs, same height. I did not measure them tho.

 

[tomatocity]

For the record, Traxxion uses 355 mm x 38 mm springs and there is a 95 mm preload spacer in their AK20 setup. Now, does that help you guys running stock internals....beats me.

What I am looking for is a comparison of the aftermarket springs. I don't believe all of the aftermarket springs are the same length as the OEM springs. Would a shorter spring be less or more effective?

 

[Firefight911]

What I am looking for is a comparison of the aftermarket springs. I don't believe all of the aftermarket springs are the same length as the OEM springs. Would a shorter spring be less or more effective?

My springs are shorter than the OEM. I fab'd a spacer top match the length of the OEM.

As for longer or shorter springs, you'll never know the difference, after all, adjusting the preload effectively shortens and lengthens the spring. The issue would be if you compressed the spring to the point that you were getting coil bond before the stroke was used up. This is not the case with the springs I am running. And don't get wound up (bah dum dum dum) on coil bind as it is specifically how progressive springs work. In linear rates it only matters as I descrfbed before.

Ya know Tim, you might be getting a little senile or you have been saucing it up. ::003:: ::005:: You have been to my place, you have been with me when I have fielded calls from SPS, we've discussed all of this over breakfast, we've had some extensive conversations on the topic of both front and rear suspension. Why not come on over, as I've offered many a time, and take mine for a spin. ::001::

And, to all, I will be posting up a tech day at my place for November 10th this week. It's time we get together and lie, eat, and wrench! Stay tuned.

 

[Firefight911]

Thanks for the input, Phil

I have to say I did not know that this bike comes with two stage springs. Nice to know.
As I ride the 8GS whit progressisve springs, I know what you mean when say compression end harshness.
But at the other side of the coin, whit the bike loaded in bump roads was almost impossible to have bottom impact due to end of travel, and minus diving under strong brakening.
More stable too, turns or straight road, bike was just better.
But each bike is a different animal so what works here may work there.
Sorry if my english is not that good.

Your English is fine.

If you are not getting full travel on your current set up but are, otherwise, relatively happy with what you have try increasing your air gap. Increasing air gap = lowering fork oil height. Air has an exponentially rising spring rate and can be used very effectively to control suspension under compression.

 

[3putt]

What I am looking for is a comparison of the aftermarket springs. I don't believe all of the aftermarket springs are the same length as the OEM springs. Would a shorter spring be less or more effective?

I replaced my OEM springs with .95 custom wound via Traxxion last summer, they were shorter than OEM, and required a 75mm spacer (PVC). They worked excellant with no coil binding as Phil mentioned. They provide the stated rate .95 kg/mm most of their travel I would suspect, but I have never seen a dyno chart on the actual spring force during compression. Being linear, they are for practical purposes, the same rate till they begin to loose coils to binding.

 

[Rasher]

I replaced my OEM springs with .95 custom wound via Traxxion last summer, they were shorter than OEM, and required a 75mm spacer (PVC). They worked excellant with no coil binding as Phil mentioned. They provide the stated rate .95 kg/mm most of their travel I would suspect, but I have never seen a dyno chart on the actual spring force during compression. Being linear, they are for practical purposes, the same rate till they begin to loose coils to binding.

Same for me but with 0.9's, can't remember spacer length, but one was needed and I was assured they won't go coilbound before the travel is used.

The stiffer part of the OEM spring is only for about the last 25% so my spring is slightly harder for the first 75% of travel and then quite a bit softer in the last part of the travel - this gives a much better response braking over bumps where the OE spring is way too harsh.

In theory the total weight required to use up the travel is almost identical - but this is only for the spring out of the forks, the air gap gives a exponential rising rate so the forks overall rate will still stiffen quite a bit towards the end of travel (as they would have with OEM springs)

 

[avc8130]

Same for me but with 0.9's, can't remember spacer length, but one was needed and I was assured they won't go coilbound before the travel is used.

The stiffer part of the OEM spring is only for about the last 25% so my spring is slightly harder for the first 75% of travel and then quite a bit softer in the last part of the travel - this gives a much better response braking over bumps where the OE spring is way too harsh.

In theory the total weight required to use up the travel is almost identical - but this is only for the spring out of the forks, the air gap gives a exponential rising rate so the forks overall rate will still stiffen quite a bit towards the end of travel (as they would have with OEM springs)

You actually have that backwards. The SOFTER part of the OEM spring was the shorter part of the travel. The OEM spring was "harsh" because it was past the "soft" rate by preload and rider sag alone and were into the "firm" rate of the spring.

ac

 

[Rasher]

You actually have that backwards. The SOFTER part of the OEM spring was the shorter part of the travel. The OEM spring was "harsh" because it was past the "soft" rate by preload and rider sag alone and were into the "firm" rate of the spring.

Bloody hell :exclaim: I did not really pay much attention to it and assumed it had a hard bit at the end to stop bottoming out on rough stuff, I thought I was just shooting through the soft part and stopping at the stiff part.

That will be why it never got anywhere near bottoming before, even now the hardest braking on the bumpiest road still shows me having a good 20mm of travel to go.


So from the crate the front is sprung for King Kong giving Godzilla a pillion ride and the rear sprung for a naked Danny Pedrosa riding solo ???