Rear Shock/suspension Adjustment Problem

[hammer5]

(Me again)

I tried to adjust the rear shock today following some instructions downloaded from the www as i never got the actual manual when i bought it. And apologies for the explanation but I will try!

I have attached two images one is the rear screw (A) the other is the other side (technical eh?) call them adjuster (B) & Locking nut (A)

 

 

The problem as I see it is the top two rings one is the adjuster (B) the other is the locking mechanism (A), when I tried to loosen the locking nut (A) the adjuster & the whole shock absorber rotated with it resulting in the whole shock spinning around at its connection point to the rear screw (A). It did actually move and the actual coil (A+B) moved one 360 rotation up the thread.

Also what is the screw (A) for?

What am I doing wrong?

[Guest]

Did you try holding the adjuster nut still? Whilst you tried to undo the locker?

If they stuck together, try turning the adjuster away from the locker, if that makes sense? to seperate the two ... You may need to give them some gentle persuasion to seperate ...

As for the screw at the bottom .. no idea, but i'm gonna guess it might be a bleed screw?

*waits for someone more knowledgable than me*

[Phill_vtr]

Is it not a rebound adjuster?

[hammer5]

I need to go buy another adjuster tool thing then, yikes more ** money...

[Guest]

Is it not a rebound adjuster?

 

Thats the kiddie, the spring controls the compression, the screw thingy controls the rebound!!

And BB, not necessarily, would be far easier of course, but other methods are available ... like a bit of wood and a hammer

[hammer5]

Hmmmm.

I'll tell you the problem them maybe you could offer some advice.

I found the ride to be bumpy at the rear insofar as my posterior (not sure on the swearing filter) would bounce out of the seat. So reading up i read to adjust the rear shock a couple of turns and give it a test ride.

From what you say about the rebound adjustment, would it be better to just turn that more to S?

[Guest]

bb, might be better if you take the load of the spring whilst turning the adjuster, as its locked into the spring due to the compression.,..

centre stand?

or try to stop the spring turning..

enjoy..

[hammer5]

Centre stand not an option but i see where your going with it...

Might be best for me not to play around with it! Will have a youtube video scan for help on what does what and why!

BB

[Stu]

the screw at the bottom is for compression and rebound looks like yours is a combined one

ie you adjust it and it adjusts compression and rebound where as other shock have separate for compression and rebound

[hammer5]

the screw at the bottom is for compression and rebound looks like yours is a combined one

ie you adjust it and it adjusts compression and rebound where as other shock have separate for compression and rebound

 

Idiots guide?

[Stu]

controls how much damping you get on the up and down movement

if you back it off it will spring around like a pogo stick screw it all the way in it will slow right down and not be as springy

im sure theres a suspension guide in the Guides, Manuals, & Riding Advice section!

edit here it is http://www.themotorbikeforum.co.uk/view ... =27&t=2763

[hammer5]

Well i opened the spring all the way so there were no rings visable and took it out tonight and i bounced around like Tigger on a spring board, stopped and put it back to where it was originally and thought i don't know enough to be safe and left it as it is.

More research required..

Fun?!!!?

[Guest]

lol

Its a learning curve all right !! Is why I have never fiddled with the settings on mine

[dex]

The two slotted collars control the spring preload (the amount by which the spring is compressed with no load on it)

That is used to control Sag.

Sag is the amount the suspension compresses with just the weight of the bike (static sag) or with the weight of the bike and the rider (rider sag)

put bike on it's wheels, lift rear of bike so that rear shock is fully extended, measure vertically up from the centre of rear hub to a point on the tail of the bike. Then allow the weight of bike to compress shock, and re-measure the distance. *About* 20mm difference between the two numbers is a good starting point. Once you've got that, leave those adjusters alone.

Then you want to play with damping - look all over shock (top and bottom) and see if you have one or two adjusters, they are normally small flat blade screws, often a brass colour. If you have one it control compression and rebound, if you have two then they control one each. *CAREFUL* - there is often a large flat blade screw at the bottom of a shock that is used to dismantle the shock - leave that one alone!

Compression Damping - controls the rate at which the suspension compresses - hard means slower, soft means faster.

Rebound Damping - controls the rate at which the suspension extends after compression - again hard damping=slower rebound.

Most "kicked out of seat" issues are either due to rock hard compression damping or overly hard rear spring (you'll feel one short big thump when you first hit a bump) or down to insufficient rebound damping (you'll feel more of a Booooinnng" as you get launched upwards.)

So is your problem a bang, or a boooooiiiiing?

[hammer5]

So is your problem a bang, or a boooooiiiiing?

 

edit::::: it's a bang everytime i go over a bump i get jolted out of the seat.

When i turned the screws al the way to the end i.e. to as close to the yellow warning label as possible it was horrible it felt like the bike was lower too and then it was a boooooiiinnnggggg everytime i went over anything...

So turning them back to where the picture shows made it still bang but no where bad as where i adjusted it.

http://themotorbikeforum.co.uk/download/file.php?id=6546

Ref the screw i turned it 4 clicks to 'S' should i adjust that more ?

..

Ref your write up, sincere apologies but i cannot learn from reading i have to learn from physically doing, there is terminology for it but....

BB

[Stu]

first set your riders sag look it up on google theres loads of info out there

then controll the boooiiiing with the screw

[hammer5]

Stu,

Sorry mate, did you post before or after i edited my post? I had to visualize what responses i had actually got!

[Stu]

Stu,

Sorry mate, did you post before or after i edited my post? I had to visualize what responses i had actually got!

 

after

right your bang is because you have too much pre load on the spring ( collers wound down away from label ) the spring is reaching its stop when it extends you need to adjust it so it more towards the label so the bike site down more when you sit on it

do a google search on setting the sag you will need two people to do it though

[hammer5]

right your bang is because you have too much pre load on the spring ( collers wound down away from label ) the spring is reaching its stop when it extends you need to adjust it so it more towards the label so the bike site down more when you sit on it

do a google search on setting the sag you will need two people to do it though

 

Hmmm so when its towards the label the bike sits lower? I had it pretty much 3 rings towards the label, felt lower and went over some rough road and if i hadn't of chilled out i would of been bounced off..

Two people, that will require friends won't it?

Cheer's Stu!

BB

[Stu]

yeah it will sit a bit lower when you sit on it cos the spring isnt under as much compression

when you wind it the other way you making the shock reach full extension and putting more compression on before your weight which means it will need more weight to move it hence why it goes back to full extension giving the bang

once you set your sag you controll the springyness with the damping screw too little damping and it will spring about uncontrollably too much and it will move really slow not soaking up the bumps properly

set sag stick screw driver in pocket go for a ride stop and adjust till it feels right