| Author | Message | ||
     Malott442 |
okay, the official results are in. My converted front mount results in a 3 1/2 lowering of the bike at the seat. Barely holds weight on stock kickstand. Careful parking, keeping something around to stuff under the rear tire when parking, or cutting of the kickstand would be required. My aluminum design would only be good at 3" or more. UNLESS:::: You have a new style shock and an old style mount. That gives 2" of clearance extra, and I could manipulate the link to provide stock, 2" and 4" lowering slots on one link. I have come up with yet another design for the lowering link, similar to my design from 2 years ago with a small improvement. I'm going to decide if it is worth building by hand, or if it should be milled. This will be a steel link, and will provide the ability to lower the bike by as little as 1 38" to as low as you want, made to order with 1 or 2 holes i.e 1 1/2" and 3" , or 1 3/8 with 2 1/2"......... FYI This is all for steel swingarm. Aluminum swingarm measurements will be tomorrow. | ||
| Malott442 |
Steel ROM hopefully 60 buck range..... | ||
| Mm128 |
Is there a way that this brace could RAISE the bike up a few inches in the rear??? Or could a brace be made that would do that...??? Thanks, Matt. | ||
| Malott442 |
ummm, let me double check, but most likely no..... | ||
| Malott442 |
I'm pretty sure the swingarm is pretty close to being locked up at stock height. You might get a inch, but I doubt it. When sun comes up I'll check it out. Okay, so to everyone that is interested in the lowering kits, I need to know how far you want to go. Just list whether you have steel or aluminum swingarm and how low you want to go, or if you have more than one pref. list all the heights you want to see. | ||
| Malott442 |
Ummm, guys! I need to know how low people would want to go..... I already have a request for 2", what else would be wanted? | ||
| Buellsrule |
Update Matt? | ||
| Malott442 |
Just got parts about an hour ago...... Can't go to pick up nuts and bolts because snow on ground and only means of transport are a 955i daytona and a 99 camaro ss. They don't like snow! LOL Hopefully tonight I will be done after utilizing my girlfriend's FWD car. | ||
| Malott442 |
Bad news, the final prototype has to be put on hold for at least a few days. After getting everything together, I saw a potential weak spot that must be changed in order to ensure the integrity of the kit is greater than any abuse that could be thrown at it. The main link that connects the swingarm to the swivel linkage is now being doubled in construction. This will eliminate the lateral strain on the fastener that secures the linkages together. From the beginning my focus has been on safety, and I am not about to start taking shortcuts! I the meantime the working prototype is ready minus the fasteners, which I will pick up in the morning. Expect pictures, but a video is unlikely due to the bike being so taken apart for the restoration....... | ||
| Malott442 |
Umm, I am missing a few posts...... That is wierd. I am still waiting on parts, I am still waiting for preferences for lowering distances so I know what design to employ The prototype works, but a bit soft. Making new pivot links with different parameters. | ||
| Phelan |
Pics pics pics pics pics pics pics! | ||
| Malott442 |
my camera needs light! | ||
| Buellsnbeer |
G'day mate, hope you are having success with your shock conversion. I'm gonna hold off on a new shock to see how you go first. All credit to you  | ||
| Malott442 |
Still waiting on hardware to show up, and also still waiting to hear if anyone wants a lowering kit for a buell. And if they do, how low do they want it? I will make em for 50 shipped.... Cold rolled steel, and I guarantee the rest of the bike will break before it! | ||
| Malott442 |
To raise a buell, the only options I see are finding a way to drop the forks slightly down into the triples, and setting the preload to max on the swingarm. When the bike is on the kickstand, it is pretty much at it's limits on how far the swingarm will move in it's mount. The only option would be to machine the swingarm mount, and then make a reverse bracket. It would cost a bit due to labor, but if someone is local, I could do it....... | ||
| Malott442 |
This is a picture of the shock mounted backwards, with a 2" lowering position. The parts represented do not reflect the finished product. The swivel linkage will be rounded and painted, the heim joints as well. The 2" drop is facilitated using just a piece of steel, instead of the secondary heim joints that I am waiting for. The angle represented on the swivel is with all my weight on it. The ratio is just about right for a 250lb rider. Now I need to go ahead and start plugging numbers and getting ratios for anyone skinnier or fatter.... Also, I need to know what bike the kits are wanted for. This shock will NOT fit in a newer front shock mount setup, you will need to replace it with an older style 16.5 style front mount. At least, until I get the new shock in, which is a bit shorter, and will allow for closer clearances..... So, to put it shortly, I am still a little way off from the finale, just waiting for $$$ as this is an unfunded experiment. If you want to see this together quickly, then go buy my stuff in the Classifieds hehe. There is OEM X1 parts for sale, including an engine minus heads and tranny. I wish I had the audacity to ask for loans from my friends, but it is what it is.... Here is what is on there as a prototype, looking rough but it works like a charm. The reservoir will fit in OEM location when the shock is flipped, when of course I receive the remainder of the parts.....  | ||
| Malott442 |
ground clearance sitting on the seat 2" lowered is right at 4.5" with a 180/55 rear tire. | ||
| Malott442 |
Parts are in! Time to get cracking, I would've been done today but I was shoveling snow all day. Got over a foot. Will get cracking in the morning. Don't want to make too much noise this late. | ||
| Impala |
Hope everything works out well. When I returned from a ride last week I noticed my factory rear shock threw up all over the parking lot. That can't be good.... | ||
| Eshardball |
Matt, Did you consider putting in sealed bearings for the linkage to pivot on or maybe bronze bushings so that the parts would move freely without binding or twisting? Keep us posted. | ||
| Malott442 |
All pivot points are either bearing or bushing...... Will post pictures of the actual kit prob. after xmas. Its a busy week. | ||
| Eshardball |
Great. We look forward to seeing it. | ||
| Malott442 |
Okay, finished everything up, just need to paint tonight, and make spacers in the morning, pictures tomorrow...... Plus, I already have an upgraded system under works, it will cost twice as much but look slimmer and slicker, completely different concept. | ||
| Malott442 |
FINALLY~! It's too dark to mount and get some good pictures, so I will put it up in the AM........ I am going to offer up 2 kits as mule test kits, to people as local as possible. I will change ratio depending on several factors: Riding style Bike Weight Passengers? It's been a lot of trials, a lot of headaches, but this thing is very functional, light, and extremely durable. I'll crunch up some numbers, and come up with a intro mule price..... Expect it to be cheaper than rebuilding a stock..... Pictures are from phone, will have better ones mounted in the AM.   [IMGhttp://i327.photobucket.com/albums/k479/malott442/ 12-30-08_1702.jpg][/IMG] | ||
| Brinnutz |
I have that blanket! Did u get my email on the cams and stuff? Oh, and how's it hold up during a stoppie?? That's what I was meaning to ask... | ||
| Eshardball |
Ugh! Stoppies are major ugly when they happen unintentionally. My first one scared the piss out of me. I did learn not to grab the front brake with more than two fingers though. | ||
| Malott442 |
That blanket has been mine since I was 12 I think..... Like I said, I was born into bikes! I got your email.... And stoppies are extremely bad for the bike everywhere (swingarm, shock, isolators, motor mounts) Intentionally stoppies that land hard will eventually break something, its just a roll of the dice to find out what gives first. The test mule kits will come with a fail safe strap (THANKS CHASE FOR THE IDEA) Basically a doubled seat belt strap with two eye ends that will stop the suspension from completely dropping in the event of a failure...... My only problem right now is $$$. When I sell the first two kits, that $ will pay for the ordering of those parts as well, and I will have a shop stitch it up........ | ||
| Malott442 |
Here it is without any further delay....     | ||
| Malott442 |
(Message edited by malott442 on January 01, 2009) | ||
| Buellsrule |
Matt, can a different spring color be found? Looks good. How much is the kit? Thanks, Frank |
