Fork springs without additional bottom springs?

[Remeber Me]

Has anyone installed just the top Progressive (brand) springs and not the additional bottom one or two springs under the dampner?

I know I'm being lazy but from what I think I've read not everyone seems to add them.

If this is OK to do how long should the spacers be for a 2" drop?

 

[Rusty McNeil]

Has anyone installed just the top Progressive (brand) springs and not the additional bottom one or two springs under the dampner?

I know I'm being lazy but from what I think I've read not everyone seems to add them.

If this is OK to do how long should the spacers be for a 2" drop?

I dropped mine using the regular springs, the amount I deducted from the top preload spacer is the amount that I added to the bottom rebound spring using the same spacer tubing supplied with the springs.

I have NO idea if I did this right; I just spent some time looking at how the forks work and are put together and decided that was how to gett'er done.

In reality the bottom spacer doesn't really "pull" the forks down any it just keeps the rebound from being excessive under decompression. I came to this conclusion because when you are sitting on the bike the forks are compressed which should unload the bottom rebound spring.........unloading the rebound spring takes it out of the equation as far as ride hieght is concerned....I think.

All this is only my best guess as these are the first forks I've ever worked on except for seal jobs.

Rusty

 

[Remeber Me]

Sounds like you used all stock springs and just changed the spacers.

I have the Progressive kit already with springs that go under the dampner and not just a spacer. Unless someone states otherwise I'll just have to get the dampner out to put the additional springs in. I guess it's a constant pressure set up so removing space from one end requires it being added to the other.

My forks don't have drain plugs. I guess I have to take them off the tree and dump them out?

 

[Remeber Me]

I think I figured out my quick fix. I'll use the Progressive springs and cut the spacers for normal length and just leave the tubes up 2" in the forks for now.

 

[Rusty McNeil]

Sounds like you used all stock springs and just changed the spacers.

I have the Progressive kit already with springs that go under the dampner and not just a spacer. Unless someone states otherwise I'll just have to get the dampner out to put the additional springs in. I guess it's a constant pressure set up so removing space from one end requires it being added to the other.

My forks don't have drain plugs. I guess I have to take them off the tree and dump them out?

My bad, when I said regular springs I meant the aftermarket racetech springs not designed for lowering. They did not come with anything but the top springs and the spacer tubing.

I'm not sure exactly what all is involved in lowering to do it right but racetech says if you want them lowered you have to send them the forks as they don't sell the kit for self install. I guess Progressive does?

Mine don't have drain plugs either, I left mine clamped in the triples and used an impact with an allen/hex drive socket to loosen the damper bolt hidden by the axle at the bottom of the fork. You want to do this while the top spring is still in place to keep pressure on the other end of the damper so it doesn't rotate. When you pull this bolt out all the oil will come out so be ready. You can also pull one fork at a time and do the same thing on a vise but I found it easier to just use the triple as a vise and then pull the whole assembly and get them out on the floor and take them apart one at a time.

I dissasembled them in an orderly fashion and layed them out that way and then modified them one at a time so I could use the other one as a reference for how things went back together.

Rusty

 

[Remeber Me]

I don't understand. I thought to get the top springs and spacers out you don't have to take the dampner off? Are the springs attached to the dampner or something?

 

[maleko89]

No. Just remove the top fork cap and you can take out the fork spring and spacer.

Mark
#1098

 

[maleko89]

You need to remove damper only if you're changing fork seals or using gold valve emulators.

Mark
#1098

 

[Remeber Me]

You need to remove damper only if you're changing fork seals or using gold valve emulators.

Mark
#1098

Or adding lowering springs, right? I'm sorry if I am making this painful, I haven't started and would like to know what I am getting into or can do with as little work as possible.

 

[maleko89]

Correct. The rebound spring is below the damper rod.

I'm going to scan in the fork picture from the Clymer manual. That should help.

Mark
#1098

 

[Remeber Me]

Correct. The rebound spring is below the damper rod.

I'm going to scan in the fork picture from the Clymer manual. That should help.

Mark
#1098

I have the manual but it doesn't make it completely obvious why but I'll know when I go to do that portion.

 

[Buster Hymen]

This picture may help.

 

[Remeber Me]

Thanks for the picture. That's what I finally conceptualized how it must all work. The bottom of the sanction tube must have a lip on it that the lower dampening springs push against.

 

[Remeber Me]

Well just to stop my inaccurate suggestion (and because I can't delete this post) I'll mention the forks top cap nut can take either a 22mm or 7/8 socket.