How bad IS stock suspension?!

[coffee_brake]

Picked up the '02 with 31k miles on it in December, it handled about as poorly as I thought it would. I got some Progressive brand springs during the winter and yesterday I opened it up to install them...it already had Progressives in it! Same springs! (So now I have a new set of Progressive springs for sale...)

I was very disappointed as I thought adding Progressives would improve the handling. I can't imagine how bad this thing must be stock.
The fork oil was really dirty (but not obscene) and I cut the spacers down about 5/8" and raised the fork legs about 3/4" in the triples. It does handle a bit better now but the rebound is atrocious! It is just as bad now as it was before I changed the oil. I swear the front wheel comes up off the ground when riding 35-45 mph through any little bumps. That's very uncomfortable always, but terrifying when leaned over in a turn! When I cross the RR trackes or hit even a small pothole, the front end CLUNKS against the top of its travel, it rebounds so hard.

I can't afford any more components for this front end right now (until I sell my new Progressives that I never installed). Is it possible to cut down the rebound spring? Will removing a few ounces of fork oil (I used 10 weight) help? I'd appreciate any suggestions, as always...

 

[RazoR333]

Are you sure the clunk you hear is the suspension?
I was hearing something like that after installing the solid motor mounts.
Turned out to be the fan blade ,...dont know if it is supposed to be that loose , but if you knock on your rad with your hand , it makes a heavy vibration noise ....hold the fan while doing this ,..no noise ...
Still trying to think of a fix for this.

 

[one2dmax]

If you have clunking in the front end you have it assembled wrong. Which spacers did you cut down?? You shouldn't be cutting down anything unless the preload is more then 1". To lower you actually add length to the lower spacers.

Use thicker oil for more resistance and firmer suspension.

Sean

 

[coffee_brake]

If it's assembled wrong then I bought it that way. I just put it back the way I found it, with fresh oil. I cut the top spacer (the only one that come out without further disassembly) according to what I read in the Progressive install instructions.
The spacer I cut was the stock metal one. The Progressives came with PVC spacers, which I didn't use because I need to sell the unused springs complete in the box.

My radiator doesn't clunk, I just checked...when the front end clunks it is different than when the steering head bearings are worn, I can feel it in the bars and it doesn't clunk when the front suspension goes into the hole or over the bump, it clunks on the way back up.

I was looking at the diagram of the front end in the manual and I saw there's a rebound spring. I was just wondering why I have such a harsh rebound, enough to unsettle the bike at speed in turns.

I'm not a heavy rider, I don't need heavy-duty suspension. Maybe the Progressives are TOO stiff for me?

 

[maxcruiser]

CB - First I would say that the fork oil is too light - would go with 15wt oil.

Second, the steel spacer, lift the bike or atleast the front end off the ground, remove the top fork tube cap, the spacer should be atleast level to the top of the fork tube, mine set a 1/8" higher - this will set your preload and sag - sag should be about 1/4 to 1/3 of total fork travel - so about 1 1/2" when the bike is on the ground.

Mike

 

[coffee_brake]

Maybe that's it then. The spacer was sticking up out of the tube almost an inch, after I cut it down.
Dang are these the right springs?! They're identical to the 1144's I bought in length and size of coils....

 

[ghostntheshell]

post your progressives in the 4 sale area They'll sell I'm sure
________
Lamborghini Jalpa specifications

 

[4gasem]

Ok how do you KNOW they are not OEM springs? Did you actually see somewhere on them that said Progressive brand?

The stockers ARE Progressive rate springs and SUCK! With Progressive brand springs and 15wt oil the Vmax is pretty dang good! I like straight rate springs but have ridden both.

It sounds like spring is bouncing around in the fork tube. Why did you cut the upper preload tube?

Chris

 

[one2dmax]

As noted, you want approx 1" of preload. Meaning, with no weight on the front end (front off the ground), you want the whole thing compressed 1" when the cap is screwed in place. You measure the cap height, washer thickness (did you have a washer on top of the spring), and compare to where the seating surface of the cap is. Usually the final length of the spacer will be close to the top or just above. It takes a bit of pushing down to get the threads of the cab to start into the tube.

The OEM springs are indeed progressive and very difficult to identify the difference from pogressive brand springs. I think the coil is just barely larger on the progressives.

Sean

 

[coffee_brake]

I think the springs in there are Progressives because in the sticky showing the install there's a pic showing the two different springs, stock and Progressive brand, and my springs are EXACTLY the same, mm to mm and coil to coil as the new Progressives in the box. Same coil size, same everything, laid out side by side. And somebody's been in those forks before...with an impact...grrrrr.....

My top spacer is a metal one, the stock one I think, and it was sticking WAY out the top of the tube when I took off the fork cap, well over an inch. When I cut it down (I cut it because I was following the suggestions on the instructions in the Progressive box on how to handle a harsh ride), it was not sticking out so far, but it was over the top of the tube, it was not flush with the top. There was a washer on top of the springs, also likely the stock one, it was thinner than the one that comes with the Progressives. I put it back in. Should I cut something else, or cut the stocker down a bit more to make it flush with the top of the tube? I don't mind messing around with cutting spacers, as I can just replace it with PVC if it gets too short.

I'm really glad to hear what you folks think about this...the Progressives are already sold and shipped, I'm *that* sure my Vmax already has Progressives in it. And the ride is better than it was, but I was hoping for more improvement. I'm just trying to get it to stop rebounding quite so hard, I've never tackled this problem and I'm glad for any advice or experience you folks offer....

 

[Thevmaxrider]

If you have the money I would recommend the Ricor emulators if you can afford them From the feedback I am hearing, I run a COO USD front end so I have not ridden with this upgrade, they are the cats ass as it were with the stock forks. Ricor did have a deal going on them here on the forum. Might be worth while to see if that deal is still going! Good luck with your upgrades!

 

[coffee_brake]

Hey thanks, that Ricor upgrade can't happen for a long time....but I know I can work with what I have to get a good ride, I'm a lot happier with the Vmax now.