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Shock/spring dyno? Near western MA?

  1. #1
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    Shock/spring dyno? Near western MA?

    Hi,

    I picked up a set of replacement forks for my SV, they've got emulators and new springs in them but I don't know the rate. Just wondering if someone knows where I can get them tested in Western MA, or how I could go about figuring that out.

    I'd rather not go to all the trouble of mounting up the forks, checking out the sag and then having to pull the springs and maybe having to pull them all apart again. I'd like to know what's in there as a reference.

    Thanks

    Adam

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  2. #2
    Soul Rider Paul_E_D's Avatar
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    Re: Shock/spring dyno? Near western MA?

    Take the springs out and do the math. Google spring rate or something. Taking the springs out on the bike is easy. If the rate is wrong, the valving will be off as well...

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  3. #3
    Just Registered schleppy's Avatar
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    Re: Shock/spring dyno? Near western MA?


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  4. #4

    Re: Shock/spring dyno? Near western MA?

    Jeesuztapdancingrollerskatingchriste. Just install the legs then check the sag. Ensure balanced sag between fork & shock. Go ride.

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  5. #5
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    Re: Shock/spring dyno? Near western MA?

    Quote Originally Posted by ChR1s View Post
    Jeesuztapdancingrollerskatingchriste. Just install the legs then check the sag. Ensure balanced sag between fork & shock. Go ride.
    The guy that had these forks before me was a big guy that raced. I am neither of those things, so i expect them to be too stiff. I bought them because they had emulators installed and the damper rods were all finished. They where cheaper than emulators alone.

    If I could have the forks dynoed for $20 or something it would establish a good base line. I'm very likely to wind up ordering new springs for this bike and would like to know where I am starting from.

    Given the option of numerical data and no numerical data, I will take numerical data every time.

    In the end I'll likely do as you say. Just bolt them on, tune what I can, and see what happens. I'm putting a ZX6 shock out back. It's going to be confusing as hell setting it up. It's really undersprung now but I still wonder if it's worth the trouble setting it up. It's a stock 2000 SV

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  6. #6

    Re: Shock/spring dyno? Near western MA?

    If the ZX shock is sprung more stiffly than OE, you'd want stiffer fork springs. I'd get the shock and forks on there first, to see what you're working with. The ZX shock has the same length & stroke as OE?

    There's a guy in Hatfield that does suspension work, but he'd probably just do as Paul suggested and pull the springs.

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  7. #7
    Soul Rider Paul_E_D's Avatar
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    Re: Shock/spring dyno? Near western MA?

    The guy at motoworx seems knowledgable. I use him when I need something pressed in/out. He does a lot of suspension.

    There' a lot of info on tuning this bike at loudon. I assume you researched a little about the shock. The problem generally with changing shocks between bikes is the linkages are so different, that spring rates and valving tend to be way off.

    Is it worth it? Yes. Can you make it worse than it is? Yes.

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    Re: Shock/spring dyno? Near western MA?

    Quote Originally Posted by Paul_E_D View Post
    The guy at motoworx seems knowledgable. I use him when I need something pressed in/out. He does a lot of suspension.

    There' a lot of info on tuning this bike at loudon. I assume you researched a little about the shock. The problem generally with changing shocks between bikes is the linkages are so different, that spring rates and valving tend to be way off.

    Is it worth it? Yes. Can you make it worse than it is? Yes.
    I've been over this a million times. The 636 shock is pretty close to stock. It's a tenny bit longer and a bit stiffer. SVRider contains a wealth of knowledge and one of the instructors at the Lee Parks school has the same year and model of SV as me. The 636 (ZX6) shock is a direct swap. You must trrim or shim the battery box but it's bolt in and raises ride height a couple of MM, I'm pretty shure the stiffness is close to what race tech would recommend in a new rear spring for me. There's lots and lots of happy riders out there with the 636 out back.

    I'll check motoworx.

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    Soul Rider Paul_E_D's Avatar
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    Re: Shock/spring dyno? Near western MA?

    Cool, sounds good. In that case, I'd whack it all in and see where you're at. Changing the springs up front later is a 10 minute job.

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    Re: Shock/spring dyno? Near western MA?

    Quote Originally Posted by Paul_E_D View Post
    Cool, sounds good. In that case, I'd whack it all in and see where you're at. Changing the springs up front later is a 10 minute job.
    I called GMD Computrack in "Boston", really closer to Worcester.

    They'll dyno the springs and tell me the rate for $10. I put the springs in a priority mail box with return postage. The whole thing will costs me about $20.

    It's worth it. Knowing spring rate will give me a good idea of how Aftershocks (the California suspension people that built the forks) set up the Emulators. I don't have time to work on the bike very soon, so for the $20 it's worth it to know where I am starting from.

    Thanks for the encouragement.

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    Re: Shock/spring dyno? Near western MA?

    Do oyu happen to have the tool to adjust the height of the 636 rear shock? I have the same one in my SV and I need to raise it a bit

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    Re: Shock/spring dyno? Near western MA?

    Quote Originally Posted by schleppy View Post
    Do oyu happen to have the tool to adjust the height of the 636 rear shock? I have the same one in my SV and I need to raise it a bit
    I have the one from my old VFR and I think it should work, but have not checked yet.

    Ask me in a couple of weeks if you remember. If you're local to westen MA would you be willing to come by when i do the install? I buy lunch.

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    Re: Shock/spring dyno? Near western MA?

    Quote Originally Posted by taxonomy View Post
    I have the one from my old VFR and I think it should work, but have not checked yet.

    Ask me in a couple of weeks if you remember. If you're local to westen MA would you be willing to come by when i do the install? I buy lunch.
    I'm not local, but let me know when you do it. I may be able to come.

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    Re: Shock/spring dyno? Near western MA?

    It will prolly be the first weekend in June, I don't think I will have time before that. I'll PM you when I get around to it.

    If the tool I have works and you can't make it I'll see what I can do about mailing it to you so you can use it and send it back. Those things are pretty generic though. You may want to look on eBay for one.

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  15. #15
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    Re: Shock/spring dyno? Near western MA?

    Quote Originally Posted by taxonomy View Post
    It will prolly be the first weekend in June, I don't think I will have time before that. I'll PM you when I get around to it.

    If the tool I have works and you can't make it I'll see what I can do about mailing it to you so you can use it and send it back. Those things are pretty generic though. You may want to look on eBay for one.
    Someone local must have one. I should really ride out to GMD and have PK work his magic on the whole bike.

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