Spring Pre-Load - What a Difference - SV650.org

13-04-06, 12:07 AM

Hi All

Had my K3 for about a month now. I have always felt that the front end was a bit soggy, especially when I have my son on the back. I took the spring pre-load up one notch both front and rear. With just me on the bike it feels a lot more solid through corners and you get more feed back from the front end, especially when applying a bit of throttle.

Kind regards
Tim

13-04-06, 07:44 AM

Do you mean you took the front to two rings or four? Also how much do you weigh?

Dan

13-04-06, 07:53 AM

I noticed that when I changed my springs over to öhlins + 15W oil that it was very stiff for the first ~ 300 miles. So I didn't set a high preload.

Now it feels very soft again & I will have to set more preload. I think I have 3 rings left to go on the front.

13-04-06, 08:37 AM

Are you sure you've not put on weight?

13-04-06, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by copper kettle

Do you mean you took the front to two rings or four? Also how much do you weigh?

Dan

I have taken it to the second ring so one more left to go plus two notches left on the rear.

I also adjusted the headlamp beams as I was blinding people. The manual doesn't say how to do it. After removing the small access plates in the fairing, I now know what the small round hole is for on each side. Might have made them a bit too low though.

Kind regards
Tim

13-04-06, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mysteryjimbo

Are you sure you've not put on weight?

might have

13-04-06, 04:12 PM

Being totally stupid..........how do you adjust the pre-load? Is it the screw like thing on top of the forks by the yoke?

Stupid Dan

Gazza77 · 13-04-06, 04:27 PM

and being even more stupid, which way stiffens it up?

20-04-06, 08:22 PM

‘Preload’ is the amount you have compressed the spring by before it is ‘used’. To increase preload you want to compress the spring more, so wind the bolts (the protruding tubes with a 17mm? hex ontop?? or are they a screwdriver job on the SV (I have a curvy, which has no adjustment)) at the top of the forks in, imagine the spring inside being compressed by this process. Same goes for the rear, wind the spring adjuster such that you are compressing the spring more. To reduce preload, you obviously do the reverse.

One thing to remember peeps, increasing the preload doesn’t make the suspension stiffer per-say, all it does is increase the force needed to start moving the spring and consequently the front wheel. If you want to stiffen the suspension across the full range, the only way is to replace the springs (and weight oil/damping to match).

Like I said preload changes the initial movement force required, therefore increasing preload will have an effect over smaller bumps, if you get a series of small bumps the front end will be all over the shot where it can no longer ‘track’ the road. Using preload should only really be used if you are finding the front a bit too ‘choppy’ over small bumps.

If you are interested in playing with ‘preload’ do a search on the net about ‘static sag’.

20-04-06, 09:02 PM

Think i might have to up mine a little - it dives a bit under braking. Id love to get new springs/fork oil but cant afford it at mo...

13-04-06, 12:07 AM	#1
I'm_a_Newbie Guest Posts: n/a	Spring Pre-Load - What a Difference Hi All Had my K3 for about a month now. I have always felt that the front end was a bit soggy, especially when I have my son on the back. I took the spring pre-load up one notch both front and rear. With just me on the bike it feels a lot more solid through corners and you get more feed back from the front end, especially when applying a bit of throttle. Kind regards Tim

13-04-06, 04:27 PM	#8
Gazza77 Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Hebden Bridge Posts: 520	and being even more stupid, which way stiffens it up? __________________ Formerly Blue K5 with added bits Then Triumph Sprint ST with scottoiler and R&Gs & TOR exhaust Now Benelli Tornado

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13-04-06, 07:44 AM	#2
copper kettle Guest Posts: n/a	Do you mean you took the front to two rings or four? Also how much do you weigh? Dan

13-04-06, 07:53 AM	#3
SpankyHam Guest Posts: n/a	I noticed that when I changed my springs over to öhlins + 15W oil that it was very stiff for the first ~ 300 miles. So I didn't set a high preload. Now it feels very soft again & I will have to set more preload. I think I have 3 rings left to go on the front.

13-04-06, 08:37 AM	#4
mysteryjimbo Guest Posts: n/a	Are you sure you've not put on weight?

13-04-06, 04:12 PM	#7
DanAbnormal Guest Posts: n/a	Being totally stupid..........how do you adjust the pre-load? Is it the screw like thing on top of the forks by the yoke? Stupid Dan

20-04-06, 08:22 PM	#9
Blue_SV650S Guest Posts: n/a	‘Preload’ is the amount you have compressed the spring by before it is ‘used’. To increase preload you want to compress the spring more, so wind the bolts (the protruding tubes with a 17mm? hex ontop?? or are they a screwdriver job on the SV (I have a curvy, which has no adjustment)) at the top of the forks in, imagine the spring inside being compressed by this process. Same goes for the rear, wind the spring adjuster such that you are compressing the spring more. To reduce preload, you obviously do the reverse. One thing to remember peeps, increasing the preload doesn’t make the suspension stiffer per-say, all it does is increase the force needed to start moving the spring and consequently the front wheel. If you want to stiffen the suspension across the full range, the only way is to replace the springs (and weight oil/damping to match). Like I said preload changes the initial movement force required, therefore increasing preload will have an effect over smaller bumps, if you get a series of small bumps the front end will be all over the shot where it can no longer ‘track’ the road. Using preload should only really be used if you are finding the front a bit too ‘choppy’ over small bumps. If you are interested in playing with ‘preload’ do a search on the net about ‘static sag’.

20-04-06, 09:02 PM	#10
rob13 Guest Posts: n/a	Think i might have to up mine a little - it dives a bit under braking. Id love to get new springs/fork oil but cant afford it at mo...