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Message started by strang on 01/02/13 at 08:36:27

Title: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by strang on 01/02/13 at 08:36:27

I am looking at lowering my front forks with some spacers and I want to get them made up locally.

I appreciate what the Ryca guys are doing but I am 5500 miles way - I recently had a small part (for my xs650) shipped from the states over here and with all the postage and packing and import taxes and post office fees (oh yes for some reason they want a considerable processing fee!) it was seriously not worth it. >:(

Could someone give me the heads up on the measurements I need for some spacers? Rather not pull my forks apart to measure ;)

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by Gyrobob on 01/02/13 at 08:55:00

747375666960070 wrote:

I'll bet if you post this in the "Official RYCA Updates" section, Ryan or Casey will give you the info. They are pretty good about that kind of thing. Another thing to try would be to ask on the RYCAmotors facebook page.

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by verslagen1 on 01/02/13 at 08:55:22

Besides the RYCA threads, we have 2 HowTo's on fork lowering.
I assume you haven't read thru those...

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1289315334
http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1187872966

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by ohio thumper on 01/02/13 at 09:10:42

I still have my fork internals. will post pics and dimensions when i get home.

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by strang on 01/02/13 at 09:19:12

thanks for replies
verslagen1 - read the 1st before but missed the second. And my girlfriend thinks I've read everything on "that bloody site" ;D

Still it seems a little vague on what O.D and I.D. to go for?
second thread has people guessing and then last post mentions using 25mm handlebars (3/4 inch I.D.?) for making up spacers?
Sorry to be a pain but if someone could definitely confirm the dimensions that would be great - like to avoid bike in bits/half finished job/waiting on right part syndrome ::)

thanks thumper - was cleaning up typos on this message when you posted.

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by ohio thumper on 01/02/13 at 13:08:43

http://https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/282837_4181824063143_1800260853_n.jpghttp://https://fbcdn-photos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/574953_4181824583156_366166706_s.jpg
hope this is what your talking about. if not give me a diagram part number and i will look it up and measure it. these measurements are in inches. length is 5.315, o.d. is 1.250, i.d. is 1.210, and thickness of tube is .025

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by ohio thumper on 01/02/13 at 13:14:36

oh i forgot to say that these are stock length off my bike.

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by strang on 01/02/13 at 13:32:32

thanks so much thumper!
It's actually measurements for an extra spacer that needs to be added to the damper rod as in the picture below.

So the crucial measurements are the diameter of the long thinner section and the diameter for the thicker lip/top section.

Thanks to Hugh for his tutorial and pic. I bought his alternator for my xs650 and it is ace. my attempt as a thankyou plug :D

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by ohio thumper on 01/02/13 at 15:57:44

just got done measuring that up. the skinny section is .785, the top part is 1.235 and the very top is 1.241. hope that helps you out

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by strang on 01/02/13 at 16:07:21

ohio thumper you are true gent - thankyou :)

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by strang on 01/02/13 at 16:10:41

on another point - why is it in some threads/tutorials people take off some material from the spacers at the top of the forks (ie. ohio thumpers photo) and some don't?

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by Dave on 01/03/13 at 06:56:44

6B6C6A79767F180 wrote:

on another point - why is it in some threads/tutorials people take off some material from the spacers at the top of the forks (ie. ohio thumpers photo) and some don't?

When you install the spacers - you are preloading the springs and the ride gets rough. If you then trim the top of the spacers at the top of the forks - you can reduce the preload and get the forks to be a little softer and improve the ride.

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by braveteacher on 01/03/13 at 07:05:45

http://suzuki-s40-ratbrat.weebly.com/page-3.html

Page 3 of my web site shows step by step how I did it...use some schedule 40 PVC pipe...worked fine.

(:

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by strang on 01/03/13 at 10:09:09

so it recommended to take the same off the top spacers?
ie. 50mm damper rod spacer = 50mm off the top fork spacer?
or do people recommend something different?
braveteacher - I don't see where you took any off the top spacers?
are there pros and cons?

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by Dave on 01/03/13 at 13:02:38

strang:

Put it together with the top spacers stock and ride it. If you believe it is too stiff - then take some off and try again until it suits your weight and riding style. If you are changing over to a Cafe style bike you will be shifting some weight forward - so you may not want to cut the full 50mm off as you might need a bit more preload than you had stock.

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by braveteacher on 01/03/13 at 14:13:30

I did not cut any off the top and it seems to be fine...

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by uigiroux on 09/15/13 at 00:27:32

Braveteacher,
I am trying to lower my front forks currently with pvc pipe as well but I am not sure what dimensins i'm supposed to use. 3/4", 1", 1 1/4"? Please advise as I have already built my damper removal tool and have everything else set I just need to know the dimensions of the spacers or rather the pvc that you used.

Thanks!

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by maxtowers on 09/15/13 at 01:31:36

This summer i lowered the front fork... this are my two cents:
If you are able to put back the original top spacer then do it, i' ve cut it at 3/4 (i had a very hard time trying to put back the non modified spacer, so much hard that i wasn't able to, even with a friend helping) and the fork bottoms out even on mildly rough roads... i guess i will try to solve it with a much more dense oil, and if it doesn't work i will have to replace the modified top spacer with some of the original length... another way to fix it might be replace the spring, but seems to me way too complicated.
Anyway, here's a picture...
I like the way it looks, but i have to fix the bottoming problem...

http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa448/maxtowers/Suzuki%20Savage/20130801_201208_zpsf3ca7146.jpg

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by braveteacher on 09/15/13 at 07:33:38

Easy...no cutting...2inch 3/4scedule 40 pipe...have 800 miles do far with no problems

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by braveteacher on 09/15/13 at 09:43:50

http://https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-WLa-EeFjFyU/UjXis-9NeuI/AAAAAAAABVg/MnmJbXj3mAE/w512-h685-no/BW+S40.jpg

http://https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-70rPMhExnRo/UjXi6EiklzI/AAAAAAAABVo/qK-smPNfkDI/w917-h685-no/BW+S40+2.jpg

800 miles on all the modifications...no problems. I ride it 6 miles almost every day to work.

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by braveteacher on 09/15/13 at 09:45:24

http://suzuki-s40-ratbrat.weebly.com/page-3.html

All the fork modification are on Page 3 of my web site...easy!

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by strang on 09/16/13 at 05:34:04

I tried a half spacer as I couldn't get the stock ones back in. But had the same results as maxtowers - bottoming out on speed bumps even at low speeds. Got a friend to help get some stock size ones back in and it was quite a job but got it done and it rides well. My tip is make sure you have a short extension on the socket wrench so that you have more space to put your hands for downward pressure. pregnant dog of a job - don't look forward to replacing my fork oil ;D

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by braveteacher on 09/16/13 at 07:42:27

And dont lean over with you face over the shock cap screw just in case it slips and springs up...You would have a hard time explaining the black eye if it didn't kill you. I used a large socket and put a rag over the entire thing and got my body into it...took a bit but I got it.

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by old_rider on 09/16/13 at 07:47:11

5040534457465753515A5740320 wrote:

THAT is one CLEAN build! You have a link to the build? wow.....

Sorry had to comment on the bike....back to the original post.... :)

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by Dave on 09/16/13 at 07:47:34

I am gonna offer this up as an option....but not one I have tried.

Some dirt bikes have Schraeder valves (valve stems) installed in the fork caps. You and add or subtract a bit of air pressure to adjust the suspension of the forks. I am not sure if seals on those forks are built any differently than the seals on the Savage.....but it might/could work?

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by braveteacher on 09/16/13 at 07:48:47

http://suzuki-s40-ratbrat.weebly.com/

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by braveteacher on 09/16/13 at 08:20:24

Thought you guys would get a kick out of my covered parking. I park under this flat bed truck everyday...keeps her out of the sun and rain.

http://https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-krTjJDwyHNM/UjchYFeAB7I/AAAAAAAABWw/RCKa-Ul08KM/w669-h895-no/S40.jpg

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by Arnold on 09/16/13 at 08:31:15

You mean trailer.

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by Dave on 09/16/13 at 08:50:16

332330273425343032393423510 wrote:

Will you be notified when they decide to move the trailer?

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by uigiroux on 09/17/13 at 11:35:17

So after an absurd amount of effort I finally got the darn fork caps back on. I removed the handlebars while doing the mod so they were hanging upside down over my front light. Anyways, now I have everything all put back together and my front brakes barely work. I didn't open any valves or notice any fluids leaking from my brake lines... Any suggestions on how I can get them working again? I really want to go riding already!!!

Title: Re: heads up on front fork lowering spacers?
Post by Dave on 09/17/13 at 12:04:02

With the master cylinder upside down....the air space inside the reservoir probably allowed air to enter the piston.

You need to bleed your brake system.