Confused about Springs

[dreman]

I changed to the R6 brakes and boy do the shocks suck!!! Big time. I am almost bottoming out under heavy braking.

Therefore I have decided to change the springs. Thats the part that gets me. Whats the difference between racetech springs and Progressive springs when it comes to rideability....

I am using the bike for the road and will almost never go to the track. I would like something a bit stiff. According to the racetech website, I need a spring rate of 1.0. I'm 220 lbs dry. I have heard good things about both springs but I am not sure which way to go. Also is it a must to put the emulators in as well? What are the benefits of it?

Secondly with the front sagging quite a bit as well, its giving me a bloody backache. I hope the new springs will also raise the ride height to a more comfortable height. If not, how d I go about raising the height , say about an inch or two.....

thanks

[reelrazor]

The stock springs are soft in teh first place and get 'sacked' quite quickly.

Going with a stronger(higher rate) spring will do all that you are asking/needing them to do.

I would recommend the stright wound racetechs over the progressive springs. First, I don't think progressive has the range of adjustment to properly spring this bike to your weight and second, I dunno I like straight rate springs myself.

The emulators are not necessary...but boy are they nice.

You can tune the ride height/sag with preload spacers:

http://www.sportrider.com/tech/146_0006_sag/index.html

[ragedigital]

Save your money and just make longer preload spacers.... It will prevent the bike from lowering so much and will stiffen them up.

You can also add a heavier weight oil.

Don't waste your money on springs unless you're taking it to the track.

[dreman]

Thanks guys for the input.

I was under the impression that just adding longer spacers will prevent the bike from sagging too much but the spring rate remains the same. So basically even if i compress the spring more, it would bottom out under heavy braking.. correct? There is already an additional plastic piece in there about an inch in length. . I think the PO tried to compress it a bit or maybe tried to increase the pre-load.

I will try to put in an even longer spacer and see. I will also keep a look out and see if I can score a set of race tech springs.

Thanks again.

[ragedigital]

Put some heavier oil in there like a 20w or a 15/20 blend. Maybe your oil is too thin.

The stocks springs are a progressive type spring. They should become more resistant the harder they are squeezed. I'm really surprised that you are bottoming them out on the street.

I personally prefer a slightly softer spring for the road cause that seat is quite uncomfortable to the "boys".

[the_finch]

Put some heavier oil in there like a 20w or a 15/20 blend. Maybe your oil is too thin.

The stocks springs are a progressive type spring. They should become more resistant the harder they are squeezed. I'm really surprised that you are bottoming them out on the street.

I personally prefer a slightly softer spring for the road cause that seat is quite uncomfortable to the "boys".

My stock forks almost bottom out under heavy braking as well. I weigh about 220lbs as well, and I have EBC HH sinstered pads on the front, so my brakes bite pretty hard.

I personally have Racetech .95 kg/mm springs and emulators I'm gonna use on the front with 20w fork oil, and hopefully I'll have the rebuild done by the end of January so I can let you know how well it works.

I guess I'm probably going about it the expensive way, but for the inexpensive way I'd listen to Rage....he's been around FZR's for a little while...

[sweekster]

Save your money and just make longer preload spacers.... It will prevent the bike from lowering so much and will stiffen them up.

You can also add a heavier weight oil.

Don't waste your money on springs unless you're taking it to the track.

I went the route of of swapping in heavier fork oil when I did the fork seals on the 92 600 I used to have. I weigh 195lbs and went up to 30w oil in the forks with the stock spacers. That alone was a big improvement over stock.

[dreman]

ok.... I am currently using 15 wt oil but I guess I will have to go higher then. I was reading a post by yamaha george, I think, about a friend that did his own preloads and there were some figures on it but I cant seem to find it now. Trying to get the right length for the spacer will be a shot in the dark. Anyone has any suggestions on how long the spacer should roughly be ?

How are the seals holding up with the higher oil, sweekster?

cheers guys

[sweekster]

How are the seals holding up with the higher oil, sweekster?

I replaced the fork seals in early 07 (Same time I filled the forks with the 30w oil) and they held up fine when I had the bike. I'm no stunter or wheelie monger so there was never any worry. I sold the bike to another member here (War2008) a few months ago but I suspect they are still holding up. If I had cut a longer preload spacer I probably would have not gone any heavier then 20w. As far as the preload spacers are concerned, do some testing with different lengths with PVC or ABS pipe since those are so easy to cut and trim-then transfer the one of your liking to a steel or strong aluminum copy.

[shredex]

for a longer spacer, you can use pvc pipe!

this is what slayered found in his forks when he took them apart


heres his thread on it
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2220

[billy_awesome]

When I upgraded my front end this summer I got some great advise from people.

Progressive springs are for the road, they are a great street upgrade and makes the tank slap stop!

Race Tech, are well, for racing. It's going to be a bit bumpy on the road and if you like a tight suspension, your gonna have to deal with feeling every pebble on the road and every pot hole is gonna shock ya pretty good.

Spacers, oil and such will make an improvement over stock. But it wont give you progressive or racetech results....

If your shocks are that bad I bet you have a bad oil seal in yer forks. Happened to me and it sucked big time.

Also, progressive springs are super cheap!

[dreman]

Thanks guys and btw Merry Christmas to those who celebrate.

I am still undecided about either racetechs or progressive but I think I will extend the spacer and change the oil and seals. I didnt notice any oil leaking from but I ll change them anyway as a preventive measure. I 'll let you know how I go and maybe post up how much additional spacing I put in there.

cheers

[shredex]

iv got an idea!

USD FORK CONVERSION!

solves your problem

[dreman]

hey shred,
sounds like a good idea. you buying one for me for christmas.....

they are quite expensive by the time i get it shipped here

shipping alone is about 120 and up

[shredex]

hey shred,
sounds like a good idea. you buying one for me for christmas.....

they are quite expensive by the time i get it shipped here

shipping alone is about 120 and up

120 to ship forks??
...I can ship them for about $30.

I just got a deal on my r1 USD forks...I get to pic them up soon...cant wait!

I got most of the front too...for a trade....so it costs me $0