sag

[kdxmann]

the previsous owner of my 00 kawasaki kdx200 was a midget and had it lowered around 1 1/2" how do i get this back in the rear i already did the front what do i do??

 

[canyncarvr]

Depends on how it was lowered.

1. Pull rod change?

Change 'em back.

2. Cranked down the shock spring?

Set your sag.

3. Internal (to the shock) suspension modification?

Undo it. Will require disassembly of the shock.

4. Cut the seat foam?

Buy a new seat.

The point is, you need to know how it was lowered before you know how to fix it.

 

[kdxmann]

i think he crank the spring down is there like a ring that will compress it and raise the rear right what is sag? is there a ring that will compress the spring

 

[canyncarvr]

Go to <google.com>
Search for <"motorcycle suspension" sag>

You will get 70-some responses, the first of which is:

http://cgi.motorcycle.com/mo/mcmail/interviews/rathwell.html

Which gives you a number of points on suspension tuning, including what sag is and how to set it.

The search function on this forum isn't working very well. Don't hesitate to use a search engine like google to find answers to your questions.

Yes, there are two spanner rings on the shock body. One is holding the spring, the other is a lock ring. Loosen the locking ring (a drift and a hammer can be used...you don't have to have a spanner wrench. Wouldn't fit anyway.) To change the installed length of the spring, have the bike on a stand, grab the spring with your hands and turn it.

It helps if the bottom of the spring is either wet or has a detergent solution on it..as you use when changing a tire. Makes it slip better.

Different rider's like different sag levels...but 100mm (4") is a good place to start.

BTW...I kind'a hate to ask...but 'I already did the front..' means what, exactly?

 

[kdxmann]

i ment im in the process of i so stuck its not funny. i think i need to cut a spacer size a little bigger then the space between the top of the spring and the bottom of the fork cap but im still stuck i no im makin u repeatit a lot but i dont get what ur tryin to say

 

[canyncarvr]

re: "i need to cut a spacer size a little bigger then the space between the top of the spring and the bottom of the fork cap "

Correct.

Best done with the fork out. Easier to handle it that way.

This is it! (We may be here now. Read on.)

With any spacer and washers off the assembly, put your new spring (with the clip attached to the bottom of the spring) in the fork. Thread the cap back on. Make sure the cap is all the way on the rod...as far as it will go, not stopping because it's jamming against the rod nut. This does not require any wrenching. You can thread it far enough easily by hand.

While holding the fork tube fully extended (the spring will be flopping around..that's ok), measure the distance between the top of the spring and the bottom of the cap. For an example, we'll say it's 50mm. The washers that were originally on either side of the oem metal spacer meausure about 3mm in thickness. Seeing as they will take up some of the space you measured, subtract them from that measurement. So...50-3=47mm (again..this is just an example).

To have a 10mm preload, you would cut a piece of 1" PVC 57mm in length (10mm longer than the 'space').

Take the cap off, place one of the oem washers on either end of the cut PVC piece, place it over the rod and attach the cap to the rod. Thread it on as far as it will go. Tighten the jam nut against the cap only snug...about 8ft/lbs.

It helps to have a spring 'holder' to keep the spring out of the way during this process. You can use a wrench placed under the nut to hold the spring. I've found it works better to take a piece of sheet metal and cut a slot in it just a hair wider than the diameter of the rod (so the rod will fit in the slot), and cut it deep enough that the sheet metal piece fits over the spring. Place your 'holder' under the jam nut, on top of the spacer/washer combo.

This fabricated 'holder' will keep you from having to mess with holding the spring by hand while you are threading the cap and tightening the nut.

A piece of hose that fits snugly over the rod will help you get hold of it when it sinks down into the fork. Or, you can place a wrench on the jam nut and rotate the spring to 'thread' the rod back up to where you can reach it with your fingers.

If you don't have a sense of what you want to accomplish, so are following only step by step by step instructions, you should be able to get the job done by following the above.

Hope so.

Good luck!

If you have a further question, please do take the time to fashion your query into sentences with some effort put into proper spelling and grammar.

There may well be an upcoming point at which time it will be obvious that I can be of no (further) help to you. Some attention to detail on your part will delay that happening.

Else (goto: This is it!)

Cheers!

BTW...there are 25.4mm in an inch. If you measure a space of 2 inches, that is almost 51mm.