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Buell Motorcycle Forum » XBoard » Buell XBoard Archives » Archive through June 03, 2009 » Adjustable spring rate « Previous Next »

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Preybird1
Posted on Wednesday, May 27, 2009 - 11:58 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Is the front fork spring rate adjustable. The guy we bought the bike from said he unscrewed the top caps to the #4 line to adjust the spring rate. Is this true?
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Hughlysses
Posted on Wednesday, May 27, 2009 - 12:07 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Yes, they're adjustable, but you're not adjusting the spring rate, you're adjusting the spring pre-load. Your owner's manual has detailed instructions for adjusting the suspension based on your weight; doing it correctly makes a HUGE difference in how the bike handles, at least on an XB. If you don't have an owner's manual you can download one at buell.com.
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M1combat
Posted on Thursday, May 28, 2009 - 03:39 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

You're not adjusting the preload... You're adjusting the mis-named pre-load adjuster : ).


The "pre-load" adjustment ONLY adjusts ride height.

That said... Once you raise the front with the "pre-load" adjuster you are in effect (very small effect...) reducing the static load at the front and increasing the static load at the rear due to the weight transfer.



The only way that you could adjust the pre-load would be if the damper was topped out and you kept cranking in "pre-load". That would then pre-load the spring.


As it is... the weight of the motorcycle overcomes the pre-loaded state of the spring, and the adjustment in effect becomes only a ride height adjustment.
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Hughlysses
Posted on Thursday, May 28, 2009 - 03:50 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

Damn, a computer geek would have to one-up a mechanical engineer on technical correctness!
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Rhun
Posted on Thursday, May 28, 2009 - 04:56 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

That said, screw the hex shaped thing down and the spring gets confused and thinks it is stronger, screw it out and it thinks it is weaker. Want to confuse the spring more? Play with the compression and rebound knobs. Go figure : )
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M1combat
Posted on Friday, May 29, 2009 - 12:52 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Custodian/Admin Only)

"screw the hex shaped thing down and the spring gets confused and thinks it is stronger, screw it out and it thinks it is weaker."

Sorry but... Nope.


You are only adjusting the ride height. The amount of force needed to compress the spring one inch remains the same.


The pre-load adjuster only adjusts pre-load when the fork assembly is fully extended.



It's not named TOO entirely incorrectly : ), because when the forks are laying on a table it is indeed a pre-load adjuster. It's just that the moment you put enough weight on the fork to compress it at all (the situation in which we ride) it only can adjust ride height.


I like to set the story straight just because too many people think that when you add/remove preload you're changing the spring rate. You are not.
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