Suspension Help

[A_morti]

Could also be that something is broken or worn out. Parked it up wet and water got in the head bearings or linkage bearings, shock has let the gas out, etc.

Is it ok if you load it up again?

[Pgm]

How old, many miles has the suspension done might need a refresh ? As A_morti has already suggested.

[Trinity765]

How old, many miles has the suspension done might need a refresh ? As A_morti has already suggested.

33.5k, 3 years old.

[Trinity765]

I put the tyres down to 33f 36r but not ridden it yet as it looked like it was going to rain but stayed dry . I'm out all day on it tomorrow on a varied route so I'll have some feedback then.

[Pgm]

How old, many miles has the suspension done might need a refresh ? As A_morti has already suggested.

33.5k, 3 years old.

I’d be looking at having a suspension refresh with that sort of mileage, guy who does mine suggests 2 years or 10k miles.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

How old, many miles has the suspension done might need a refresh ? As A_morti has already suggested.

33.5k, 3 years old.

I’d be looking at having a suspension refresh with that sort of mileage, guy who does mine suggests 2 years or 10k miles.

I'm sure he does, it's business for him

[Pgm]

33.5k, 3 years old.

I’d be looking at having a suspension refresh with that sort of mileage, guy who does mine suggests 2 years or 10k miles.

I'm sure he does, it's business for him

It is yes. What’s your take on it carry on till it fails through lack of servicing? The mileage some people do he’d never see their business lol.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I think you'd have to do a massive distance for suspension to actually fail, it more slowly degrades.

My personal feeling is that you should be getting suspension serviced every 15000 miles, forks should just need an oil change, and the bushes replacing at 45000, rear shock will need a rebuild, so new oil, seals and bushes, but if there's any damage on the chrome parts will need rechroming.

[mangocrazy]

I think you'd have to do a massive distance for suspension to actually fail, it more slowly degrades.

My personal feeling is that you should be getting suspension serviced every 15000 miles, forks should just need an oil change, and the bushes replacing at 45000, rear shock will need a rebuild, so new oil, seals and bushes, but if there's any damage on the chrome parts will need rechroming.

If you're only changing fork oil at 15k then the oil will be totally shagged and offering very little protection to the bushes. I'd change fork oil at 10k absolute max. You wouldn't go for 15k engine oil change intervals, would you?

When changing oil I'd also completely strip the forks to clean out all the nasty black gunge that accumulates over time. Just changing the oil does not get rid of this.

I'm always surprised when people who do regular engine oil changes are happy to leave suspension untouched for much longer intervals.

[wull]

I think you'd have to do a massive distance for suspension to actually fail, it more slowly degrades.

My personal feeling is that you should be getting suspension serviced every 15000 miles, forks should just need an oil change, and the bushes replacing at 45000, rear shock will need a rebuild, so new oil, seals and bushes, but if there's any damage on the chrome parts will need rechroming.

If you're only changing fork oil at 15k then the oil will be totally shagged and offering very little protection to the bushes. I'd change fork oil at 10k absolute max. You wouldn't go for 15k engine oil change intervals, would you?

When changing oil I'd also completely strip the forks to clean out all the nasty black gunge that accumulates over time. Just changing the oil does not get rid of this.

I'm always surprised when people who do regular engine oil changes are happy to leave suspension untouched for much longer intervals.

This is why it’s worth while learning to do it yourself, it’s one of my favourite jobs to do. Obviously depending on mileage but I usually do mine once a year, it gives me something to do in the winter and gets me out the house away from the family hiding in the garage.

[mangocrazy]

Yeah, forks are not that complex and something you can do in a shed/garage. Not the case with a rear shock, though. I do my fork every other year, but my mileages are not big.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I've used forks with 60000 mile old fork oil in them, bushes were fine, it still damped, the forks were nicer after an oil change, but not a huge improvement, the oil that came out stank, but it was by no means shagged.

Are you stripping and cleaning the damping cartridge yourself, I've not taken one apart.

[mangocrazy]

I've stripped the cratridges on my Falco and RC30 Showas and also the KTM WPs and not had too much of a problem. The manufactureres are sneaky and tend to peen the threads over, so you have to remove that before continuing. I normally use a die grinder with a choice of bits. A lot of the gunge accumulates in the shim stacks in the cartridges, so I think it's quite important to clean them out, otherwise you don't get full benefit of an oil change.

[Trinity765]

After dropping my tyres from 42r to 36r and 36f to 33f and riding a day's worth of varied roads, I'd probably cope with a trip to Wales. I know it can be better though, so I'd like to have it set up again by a specialist as I'm sure it would be an improvement.

[Skub]

After dropping my tyres from 42r to 36r and 36f to 33f and riding a day's worth of varied roads, I'd probably cope with a trip to Wales. I know it can be better though, so I'd like to have it set up again by a specialist as I'm sure it would be an improvement.

Did the suspension seem less harsh with the pressures dropped?

[Mr. Dazzle]

If you know how it was set up before why would it need setting up again?

The obvious answer is something is worn out/broken?

[Trinity765]

After dropping my tyres from 42r to 36r and 36f to 33f and riding a day's worth of varied roads, I'd probably cope with a trip to Wales. I know it can be better though, so I'd like to have it set up again by a specialist as I'm sure it would be an improvement.

Did the suspension seem less harsh with the pressures dropped?

Yes but more wallowy at speed.

[Trinity765]

If you know how it was set up before why would it need setting up again?

The obvious answer is something is worn out/broken?

I thought that there might be a set up solution that compensated for age/miles before I'd have to renew things. If I have to renew things - I will.

[Scootabout]

If it's a weight change issue, and you're using standard pressures, I'd check the preload, as Count Steer said, first. Then, as Couchy said, trial and error on the damping adjusters. (Edit, just realised I missed the second page, so there might be more to it than that, and I'll admit I'm far from being an expert, but tweaking the damping on the Tracer (Nitron R1 shock, single compression/rebound adjuster) has made a difference for me - one click matters).

[Skub]

I think you need a firm datum point before progesssing. Your idea of getting the bike suspension set up and then do your own experimenting with tyres pressures,is a good one.

It's easy to get lost when dealing with more than one variable at a time.