your car is slow
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posted September 29, 2003 06:56 PM
 Edited By: your car is slow on 29 Sep 2003 19:57
Ok lets talk about the rear suspension
So I broke out the service manual (I feel like less of a man...I didnt even try to fuck it up before I read the directions) about adjusting the rear suspension for better launches.
It occoured to me recently that id never touched the rear suspension settings on the bike since ive owned it...and since im sure its set for a nice average(yea right..KMA BA) 150lb guy.
So..since I dont do any ridin in the "twiStIeZ"...and pretty much only race the bike....id like to soften up the rear to help get those last 2 tenths I need to break into the 9s on motor.
So...lets start at the top
Rebound Dampening:
This (from what I understand anyway) is the rate at which the rear suspension EXTENDS back after its compressed down...meaning..this is the rate at which the tail of the bike is pushed back up after force is applied to the rear suspension.
Im ASSUMING this should be set to "Uber soft"...but since im a fat fuck....is it possible to be TOO soft?
According to the book...to adjust the rebound dampening...you turn the INNER adjuster screw with a flathead screwdriver (or butterknife if its convenient).
Here is where my first question starts....and im sure just going out and doing it will bring enlightenment...but the ballgame is on..and I dont want to get off the couch 
Im assuming "soft" dampening (turned all the way counterclockwise) mean it would be slower to return to its normal setting when compressed? Or would that be the opposite? Max Hard (all the way clockwise) would mean it returns to normal slower?
Compression Dampening:
This (by my own understanding) is the rate at which the rear suspension compresses under load (my fat ass sitting on it....launching etc).
Book says this is adjusted by turning the outside adjuster on the gas cartridge (guess you just put a socket end in there or somethin). Clockwise is stiffer... counterclockwise is softer. Im assuming softer is also better here...but not so soft that the rear tire starts rubbin the tail. Am I looking for as soft as possible without letting the tire come in contact?
Since this is manipulating a gas cartridge...does it let the gas out? Can I readjust it back to stiff without any problems when I need to ride 2 up?
Spring Preload:
By my own definition...Im assuming this is the amount of "squish" applied to the spring with noone on the bike at all. I dont have the foggiest idea if this should be set to very stiff (lot of preload on the shock)...or very loose (little preload on the shock)...which is better? Why?
It says to adjust spring preload you have to disconnect the shock from the bike? Cant you just unload the rear tire (like putting on dogbones) and adjust it? And where the fuck do you get a wrench to do that? I dont recall anything like that in my toolkit
Ok....ill sit back and let the answers flow in now....hopefully some of you are a bit less clueless than me 
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wannabe
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Posts: 1931
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posted September 29, 2003 07:39 PM
Edited By: wannabe on 29 Sep 2003 20:44
Here's something that might help. Frank Adams posted this on SuzukiHayabusa.org back in March 2001. I'm running a bar and slick, but I had this filed away for future reference just in case I decided to run the 60" class.
Frank Adams wrote:
The weight transition is a big factor!
For the rear susp/shock:
Too soft= wheelie
Too stiff= wheel spin
If it's too soft, the weight will transfer too fast and cause it to wheelie. The momentum of the weight going to the rear tire has to be slowed down in this case.
If it's too stiff, it will not allow enough weight to handle your hp and end up in wheel spin.
The top of your shock has a rebound dampener. That setting should always be set to the stiffest. This will somewhat help keep the bike planted and not unload the tire in between shifts. Big hp streetbikes will probably need the help of an aftermarket shock to help with that cause.
The bottom of the shock has a compression dampener. This setting will get the most attenion. The stiffer the setting, the harder it will be to compress the shock.
If your not spinning the tire,but your frontend is coming up, you'll need to go with a stiffer setting.
Wheel spin-softer setting.
*Note- if you get to the point that your on the softest setting, and you got your air pressure in the rear tire down close 12pds,...you may have to loosen the shock collar a few threads to gain an even softer suspenion.
Or just the opposite for wheelie problems.
Front forks, two dampeners...top & bottom.
Bottom dampener: compression- adjust this to determine how fast the frontend dives when braking. Wont need to use this dampener for dragracing.
Top dampener: rebound- use this dampener to slow down the rate of speed that the forks want to extend. I usually set this dampener at it's stiffest setting on all Busas.
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your car is slow
Needs a job
Fuck Nitrous...Got Boost?
Posts: 4089
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posted September 29, 2003 07:49 PM
ok...so "harder/stiffer rebound" = Less return rate of the spring after being compressed?
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wannabe
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Posts: 1931
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posted September 29, 2003 08:01 PM
yes.
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your car is slow
Needs a job
Fuck Nitrous...Got Boost?
Posts: 4089
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posted September 29, 2003 08:06 PM
So in putting this all together...I want to turn the INNER adjuster (one you adjust with the screwdriver) all the way clockwise (hard/stiff as possible)....and I should adjust the compression dampning depending on whether im wheeling (I am..with stock wheelbase) and spinning?
and the spring preload adjustment shouldnt be touched until the other two have been dialed in?
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wannabe
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Posts: 1931
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posted September 29, 2003 08:18 PM
Yep, but remember that tire pressure also comes into play, an it's the easiest to adjust. You say that you're wheelying. What tire pressure are you running? Have you tried adding more pressure in the rear tire?
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your car is slow
Needs a job
Fuck Nitrous...Got Boost?
Posts: 4089
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posted September 29, 2003 08:34 PM
I usually run 25 - 30psi in the rear...its a BT010....I can spin it at times (dumping the clutch) but generally the front end just comes up at the track.
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TurboBlew
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posted September 30, 2003 02:28 AM
You might wanna crank up the preload on the spring another 5-10mm and then start toying with the rebound and compression settings.
You may also need to recharge the shock with nitrogen to keep it feeling like a strut. 
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Also a BadAss Internet Forum Moderator 4 Hire!! Come at me brah!
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your car is slow
Needs a job
Fuck Nitrous...Got Boost?
Posts: 4089
|
posted September 30, 2003 05:32 AM
Edited By: your car is slow on 30 Sep 2003 06:33
Apparently you need a tool that wasnt provided to me in the toolkit to adjust the spring?
200lbs of nitrous in my garage and you want me to fill it with nitrogen?? HA I say!
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entropy
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Posts: 8671
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posted September 30, 2003 08:05 AM
quote:
You might wanna crank up the preload on the spring another 5-10mm and then start toying with the rebound and compression settings.
Bingo, start w/preload ESPECIALLY if you are a TFA member and/or you have an extended arm. 20mm sag w/you in the saddle feet of the ground
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your car is slow
Needs a job
Fuck Nitrous...Got Boost?
Posts: 4089
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posted September 30, 2003 09:41 AM
Stock arm here....
again...what do you guys use to adjust the spring? Do you really have to detach the spring from the bike to do this? or can it be done on the fly? (say at the track perhaps?)
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wannabe
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Posts: 1931
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posted September 30, 2003 09:49 AM
You can do it on the bike. You just need a spanner wrench.
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your car is slow
Needs a job
Fuck Nitrous...Got Boost?
Posts: 4089
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posted September 30, 2003 10:15 AM
Looks like a damn walnut cracker there on the left
Have to go hunt around in the garage for oneadem...or its a perfect excuse to go to harbor freight!
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wannabe
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Posts: 1931
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posted September 30, 2003 10:24 AM
Yup, it's $14.99 from Harbor Freight for that set pictured. You don't need the walnut cracker...just one of the spanner wrenches.
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BA
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Posts: 1592
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posted September 30, 2003 10:45 AM
WHOA Players!!
"ok...so "harder/stiffer rebound" = Less return rate of the spring after being compressed? "
I'm at work, a little discombobulated, but I think I have to disagree here.
I could be wrong, but lets think about this a sec.
First, let's not use harder and stiffer in the same light. (sorry B, I know you like it that way) (that's for the 'KMA' up above!! )
Harder, yes. A "Harder" rebound actually pushes back up with more force than a "Soft" rebound.
I'm fairly certain about that.
The "Soft" rebound has very little pressure behind it, THUS when the rear end squats under acceleration it is MORE LIKELY to stay down longer.
That is what you are after isn't it Brian? Have the rear end of the bike go down and stay there as long as possible?
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your car is slow
Needs a job
Fuck Nitrous...Got Boost?
Posts: 4089
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posted September 30, 2003 10:48 AM
Edited By: your car is slow on 30 Sep 2003 11:49
but its not "rebound" its "rebound dampening"
This is why readin the fuckin manual and actually understanding what happens are two VERY different things
I read "soft rebound dampening" as "not as much dampening as hard rebound dampening"
Now without the term dampening....I agree with you 100%....soft means it wont come up as fast.....blah.....at least I dont feel totally stupid anymore.....noone is sure...LOL
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wannabe
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posted September 30, 2003 11:42 AM
quote:
This is why readin the fuckin manual and actually understanding what happens are two VERY different things
Hahahahaha!!
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BA
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posted September 30, 2003 12:13 PM
I hear ya on the "dampening" verbage.......
It's fairly easy to test, I do it all the time at the track it seems like. (just to verify the shock settings)
I have a buddy either standing behind the bike, or sitting on my bike.
I have him push down on the bike with a lot of weight, let it bounce back up, and repeat several times.
Then I make the shock change for rebound (bottem of shock) and have them do it again. You can actually see that there is a slight difference in the 'response time'.
personally, I set my compression and rebound to full soft. works for me, but maybe not for everyone naturally.
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your car is slow
Needs a job
Fuck Nitrous...Got Boost?
Posts: 4089
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posted September 30, 2003 12:58 PM
ok....now you have confused me even more.
The adjustment you speak of "at the bottom" is spring preload...and not rebound at all.
The adjustments for rebound are at the top of the shock where the gas cartridge is.
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BA
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posted September 30, 2003 01:14 PM
I'm going to play my "no it ain't" card here. what are you riding, a Busa? Hell, I'm in the wrong thread again!
(I am sooo opening myself up to be shot down, but that's cool. Now I'm going home to break out my damn manual too.)
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wannabe
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Posts: 1931
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posted September 30, 2003 01:22 PM
Sorry, I didn't resize. YCIS:
1. spriing preload are those star-looking nuts on top of the spring. That's what the you use the spanner wrench on.
2. The adjustment for rebound damping is a little screw right next to the gas cartridge.
3. The adjustment for compression damping is at the bottom of the shock.
One last point: Do not force the damping screws. If it won't turn, you have maxed it out. If you overtighten them, you could jam the needles into the oil holes. If this happens, the needles don't back out when you turn the screw the other direction.
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your car is slow
Needs a job
Fuck Nitrous...Got Boost?
Posts: 4089
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posted September 30, 2003 01:27 PM
Ok...perhaps ive completely read the book wrong then......ill have to go back and look...but I thought the only dampening adjustment screws on the "bottom" were on the front forks..not the rear shock.
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BA
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posted September 30, 2003 01:45 PM
Edited By: BA on 30 Sep 2003 14:49
no wonder your shit's all jacked up man!
you've got rebound on top? Your shock must be installed upside-down.
The jizzy up at the canister = Compression. Soft or Hard.
There's another at the bottem of the shock, on the left side, on the "support" piece. In the diagram, it's actually just 1/2" to the right of the number 92210 in the picture above. That is the Rebound adjustment.
The two locking collars, ie. castle-ated nut-things are the Preload adjustment.
My bike is an 00, fwiw, and my owners manual has a picture on page 117, page titled "Rear Shock Absorbers", it shows the adjuster.
I just looked and sure enough, both the compression and the rebound are marked as "soft" going counter-CW and "hard" is Clockwise....for both.
damn you Brian, I think by reading this owners manual, for like the 10th time, you've got me thinking ALSO that for a SLOW REBOUND, I want it set to HARD.
Exactly the damn opposite of what I've been doing! that's eff'd up man.
you're dropping some kind of dope in my mix....
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your car is slow
Needs a job
Fuck Nitrous...Got Boost?
Posts: 4089
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posted September 30, 2003 01:47 PM
Edited By: your car is slow on 30 Sep 2003 14:48
LOL.....Youd think shit like this would be a bit more straightforward....whoever designed this (or wrote the manual) needs to be kicked in the balls.
Hard...soft....GAY!!!
It needs to say Fat Fuck <<<>>>> Beanpole
or Dragracer <<<<>>>>> Twistie rider
See..you cant screw that up...but noooooooooo
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BA
Pro
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posted September 30, 2003 01:52 PM
Edited By: BA on 30 Sep 2003 15:27
oh yeah, check out page 118 in the Owners manual.
It shows the compression damping is at the canister also.
Wannabe, jump in any time! How did you guys get this backwards?!? I'm VERY curious! Maybe my books filled with some kind of one-off, backwards crap and there are some little 4'5" Asian fookers laughing there ass off still because they've set me up with a manual that's all WRONG?
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