Front suspension height?

[PogeyBait]

I replaced my 2010 1300's front forks after encountering Bambi's grandson last February. All went well and was straightforward. My wife's 05 1300 had a leaking seal so I rebuilt hers too. Test rode it and all seemed good. We are on a trip now and after about 1600 miles so far with at least that to go, she started complaining of a harder ride. I rode it and sure enough...it's firmer than mine. I parked them tonite at the hotel and started to walk away but turned to give them that final check for the night, and noticed her headlight is almost 3" lower than mine! (And the parking lot is level too...)

We bought her 05 used but the excellent records from previous owner show no spring change or other front end work except seals. No oil has been leaking, I filled them both to spec'd level and I am not at home with my larger tool choices. She says it rides ok and is willing to finish the trip like this but I am just wondering how this can happen unless shorter/ weaker springs we're put in. Just turned 20K on this bike. No parts left on the bench after rebuild either...lol! Any thoughts?

Thanks, PogeyBait

 

[Byron]

You mention that you are on a trip. When you checked the height of the nose was either bike loaded? Are the rear shock preloads set the same as more preload in the rear would lower the nose. Are they both running the same tires and pressures as again taller rear tire would lower the nose. Since your forks were replaced from accident it is possible that the springs haven't sagged yet and thus yours might be higher. It may also be possible that her softer/older springs may be sagging more and thus created more air pressure in the fork which could stiffen it up.

I'm out of ideas, let us know what you find when you get home.

 

[Silver Bullet]

3 inches lower? I think I would check the actual fork diff, by checking at the triple trees to the top of the slider, and taking all formentioned variables to account ! Then report back !

MIKE

 

[PogeyBait]

Both bike unloaded. Rear preloads the same, older rear tire on newer bike but not significantly different. Pressures the same. I will swap positions of bikes in the parking lot tomorrow to verify level, but it sure looks level by eye. I usually don't bring a level with me on vacation! Lol! I will check the measurements as soon as I can borrow a tape measure...good suggestions! At home I will pull her forks and springs again and investigate the internals again. Things could be much worse...the bike is running great and I'm getting 52-56mpg with both of them. Thanks for the suggestions. PB

 

[nhdiesel]

You don't need a tape measure- since you are looking for the difference between two identical bikes, use anything you have available- a string, a sheet of notebook paper and a pen, anything- to compare the heights of both. Check the distance from the top of the fork seals to the bottom of the triple clamp first- this will tell you if the forks themselves are different. If that distance is the same, move on to checking if the forks on one bike are higher in the tree than the other (although this should be readily visible just by eye- looking at the very tops of the forks). Any chance you forgot the spacers out of your wife's bike during the rebuild? A height difference would have to be a "hard part", such as springs or spacers. Oil level will affect the ride, but not the static height of the forks.

If it comes down to having to check the internals, just stop by the closest auto part's store and buy the correct size allen socket and remove the fork caps while the forks are still on the bike. Just put it on the center stand, and make sure there is enough weight on the rear to keep the front tire off the ground. Being loaded for a trip, you shouldn't have any problem there. At least this way you can check spring heights and be sure the spacers are in place, and intact.

 

[PogeyBait]

No parts left out, but as I remember...her caps took very little pressure to reinstall as opposed to mine. Thinking about that now leads me to suspect her springs are compressed or worn out. I ordered a new set of Sonic 1.2 springs last night so when we get home, I will replace them. I brought the correct Allen socket for the forks but as I was starting to remove the caps in the parking lot...I suspected the job may go south quickly in a vacation environment so I put it all away and sought the advice of my fellow ST owners before proceeding. Good ideas...thanks! PB

 

[Scooter]

I ordered a new set of Sonic 1.2 springs last night so when we get home, I will replace them.

Did you use the spring rate calculator over at Sonic's website? I don't know how much your wife weighs but her ride might not improve much if you get her a too stiff spring...

 

[dduelin]

Shouldn't you measure the OEM ones first before you trash them? Or measure the sag? I check mine every 15 to 20,000 miles when I change the fork oil and the OEM ones still measure spec length. It is a myth that springs wear out, at least at the mileages most bikes rack up.

 

[TomD]

Does the front end have any suspension left? An emergency stop with the fork fully compressed could get real interesting at the first bump. It really sounds like the spacers are missing.

Tom

 

[billo]

The dealer rebuilt mine when I had the Racetech upgrade done. He forgot the washers between the spring and spacer. I tore down the forks and found one spring had slid inside the spacer so the bike was not supported on that side. Could you be missing the washers also?

Bill

 

[PogeyBait]

I remember installing the washers. As a habit... I clear my work area before disassembly and inspect it carefully before final torquing, looking for any "extra" parts left over. Also, I had the service manual open as I worked, even noticing the taper of the springs was reversed according to the manual. When replacing my new bike's forks after the deer crash, the shorter springs were reversed as well. Several posts on this board say direction doesn't matter, so I put them back as before. Looks like 2 of the 3 inch difference was the unlevel parking lot, but after measurement, that still leaves an inch and an abnormally hard ride. Not sorry I bought the Sonics, and I did use their calculator. Will pull it all apart and compare the lengths again when we get home. Thanks for the great suggestions! PB

 

[dduelin]

I wonder if Sonic sells any spring with a rate of less than 1.1? Using their calculator you can weigh 80 lbs and it still recommends a 1.1. You only have to weigh 110 lbs to see a recommendation of 1.2. In contrast, Race Tech's calculator recommends much lower rate springs for "normal" rider weights and Honda choose a .86 for OEM.

 

[PogeyBait]

Finally got to this job today. Her '05 nose height on flat garage floor was almost an inch lower than my 2010. My stock fork spacer is flush with top of fork, hers is almost 3/4" lower. Fork spacers same length (stock) so her spring is shorter. Compressed? Not sure, but Sonic's calculator said use the 1.2 spring for our "loading" and I am cutting the spacers to 130mm as suggested in another post. If it rides too firm for her, I may swap the stock springs with my bike. She wants hers to ride like mine. I wouldn't mind a little firmer ride anyway. I will report back when this is done. Hopefully it will cure the "hard ride" she was experiencing on the trip, but I'm still not sure why all this happened from what I see. Thanks for the feedback! PB