SuzukiSavage.com - Print Page

SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl
General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Easy HD riser install mod
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1233443946

Message started by diamond jim on 01/31/09 at 15:19:06

Title: Easy HD riser install mod
Post by diamond jim on 01/31/09 at 15:19:06

I think I saw a brief mention of how to do this in one of the past posts. I was bored last week so I scanned through all 300+ pages of great posts so far. However, I don't remember seeing a detailed post on this. Since I was doing this mod today in prep for ape hangers I thought I'd take some pics and post a how to.

As most if not all of you already know the standard 1/2" bolt used for HD risers is a slight bit too big for our bikes. That stinks because there are so many cool HD risers, many of them costing a fraction of what metric risers cost. For instance, the ones I used for this mod, although they have been laying around in my garage for at least 2 years, were gotten off of ebay along with a slightly used drag bar for only $35 bucks total. I will use HD risers for the apes but not necessarily these. I'll be ready for them though with this mod.

These mod pics start from the point where the bars and risers have been removed. An allen head wrench for the riser clamps and a 14mm wrench for the nuts holding the risers, located underneath the top triple clamp, will get you to this point. Be careful removing the chrome plastic caps (if you got 'em) that decorate the riser clamp allen heads. Protect your tank, headlight and forks with a towel or other soft material when doing any bar or riser removal.

What you end up with is this:
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh128/russ_diamond_jim/S4021273.jpg
The two holes where the stock riser bolts go through have what is essentially made up of metal cup on top and bottom, encapsulating rubber that dampens vibration. Twist one of the top metal cups with your fingers and it will pop out. You'll discover a metal sleeve running through the middle.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh128/russ_diamond_jim/S4021275.jpg
That metal sleeve will pop right out.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh128/russ_diamond_jim/S4021281.jpg
You can see on the next pic below that the 1/2" HD riser bolt will fit through the rubber with the sleeve removed. However, the holes in the metal caps, both top and bottom, are a little bit too small.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh128/russ_diamond_jim/S4021286.jpg
You need to make these holes bigger. Get a drill and a 1/2" drill bit made for drilling metal to open these holes enough for the HD riser bolts to fit through. You can drill these on your workbench, but I found that setting them back the triple clamp to drill them helped me hold them and kept them from spinning. Again, be sure to have your tank covered in case you slip up somehow.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh128/russ_diamond_jim/S4021289.jpg
After drilling the two top ones, I pulled them out and put the two bottom ones in the top holes, again to help hold them, and drilled them.

At this point the modding was done. I put the top and bottom metal cups back in place (remember that the chrome ones go on top) and installed the HD risers with 1/2" bolts.
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh128/russ_diamond_jim/S4021290.jpg
http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh128/russ_diamond_jim/S4021295.jpg

If you ever want to put the stock risers back on, just put the metal sleeves back in the rubber mounts and you'll be set.

Title: Re: Easy HD riser install mod
Post by eanon on 01/31/09 at 17:17:28

nice work and good pics. Thanks for the info!

Title: Re: Easy HD riser install mod
Post by serowbot on 01/31/09 at 18:34:10

Nice tutorial.... ;)

Title: Re: Easy HD riser install mod
Post by flcruzr on 01/31/09 at 20:41:48

Diamond Jim, comes through once more! Keep em' coming! :D

Title: Re: Easy HD riser install mod
Post by Bobbert on 02/01/09 at 03:09:02

nice job! this should move to the tech docs/reference category

Title: Re: Easy HD riser install mod
Post by Mr. Hyde on 02/01/09 at 10:13:50

Hey DJ - that was really a good tip. Even I could do that using your instructions and pics. Thanks

Title: Re: Easy HD riser install mod
Post by srinath on 02/01/09 at 20:08:17

I've posted this in text - no pics though. The risers - yours being that short 4-5 inches are fine, any taller and its gonna flex like crazy. I put 9 inch on mine couples with 36 wide bar, I had to put delrin donuts inplace of stock rubber and freaking hell it still flexes.
That high ones need a cross brace between the 2 risers too I think.
Shorties, yea the sleeve removal and drill idea works.
Cool.
Srinath.

Title: Re: Easy HD riser install mod
Post by srinath on 02/01/09 at 20:10:33

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1224700167

Somewhere in that post its there. In a few more too I have rattled on, about crap about risers.
Cool.
Srinath.

Title: Re: Easy HD riser install mod
Post by diamond jim on 02/01/09 at 20:25:30

Yep, that's where I read it. Do you think that boring out the rubber to accept metal sleeves for 1/2" bolts, making it similar to the stock setup design, would help with taller risers?

Title: Re: Easy HD riser install mod
Post by sluggo on 02/01/09 at 21:51:39

a set of 19mm long sockets makes a great looking set. proto, craftsman. what ever style you like. it doesnt have to be a abike part to work on the bike. i use bicycle stunt pegs as matching pegs, and grips. A Fifty year old tail light off a international pickup. and a leather jacket at least that old as the chopper seat cover.

all it takes is a little ingenuity.

Title: Re: Easy HD riser install mod
Post by srinath on 02/02/09 at 18:12:08

323F373B3938323C3F3B560 wrote:

Yep, that's where I read it. Do you think that boring out the rubber to accept metal sleeves for 1/2" bolts, making it similar to the stock setup design, would help with taller risers?

OK I bored the caps, not the rubber. The sleeve inside the rubber is just removed. The HD risers use a 1/2 inch bolt. So taller HD risers will need the 1/2 inch bolt and yes its that simple. However do not buy HD risers that have a 1 piece top plate. Those are not gonna fit, HD risers are not wide enough. Buy HD risers that are standalone with individual top caps.
I am making a top plate that will use the HD risers. The advantage of the 1 piece top is that the tall risers (5-6 in+) will wiggle like crazy without that 1 piece bracing the 2 risers.
Anyway you're riser fit is good, getting much taller will be a bad though. Else its OK.
Cool.
Srinath.

Title: Re: Easy HD riser install mod
Post by diamond jim on 02/02/09 at 18:58:05

Oh yeah, I forgot about the HD 1 piece top thing. There's a lot that I realize I take for granted as common knowledge. But then I realize I didn't know it til I read or learned about myself somewhere in the past. Thanks for catching that.

Title: Re: Easy HD riser install mod
Post by Educatedredneck on 02/05/09 at 22:30:57

Thanks for the tip, now I know what to do when I get rid of my buckhorn handlebar.

One question thou, is there a "minimum" rise height that we need for our Savages, to clear the gas tank?

Title: Re: Easy HD riser install mod
Post by verslagen1 on 02/05/09 at 23:12:53

With stock drags, I put on 2 1/2" long sockets. I'd say that was minimum unless you want to point the handle bar up.