How do i tighten my suspension?

Hi guys,

had my mate on the back yesturday and it made the number plate touch the back wheel causing it to rub... How do i go about tightening it up?


cheers.

[Luckypants]

You need to adjust your rear pre-load. I'm assuming you have an SV with a standard shock. Open you tool-kit and take the C-spanner (bar with a C-shaped hook on the end) and the extension handle. Now look under you seat unit (not in it) just in front of the rear wheel and you should see the rear shock and spring unit. Look at the top and you will see a silver collar with a stepped edge and a castellated edge opposite. Locate the C-spanner in the castellated edge, fit the extension handle then turn anti-clockwise to increase the preload. You will see the stepped edge move accross a locating lug, increasing the pre-load. For pillion work this needs to be on maximum. For solo I recommend position 5 (of 7).

It may help if you also read your owners manual.

Originally Posted by nerd

Hi guys,

had my mate on the back yesturday and it made the number plate touch the back wheel causing it to rub... How do i go about tightening it up?

Surely this would mena there is too much weight on the bike? The pre-load wont do much.

[ophic]

Originally Posted by SUPERSTARDJ01

Surely this would mena there is too much weight on the bike? The pre-load wont do much.

except increase the ride height, which is er... exactly what the OP wants

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by SUPERSTARDJ01

Surely this would mena there is too much weight on the bike? The pre-load wont do much.

Spring pre-load puts a static load into the spring. That means it takes more weight before the spring starts to move. For example if a spring is totally uncompressed and needs 500lbs to compress it one inch, then you preload it to one inch, then a load in EXCESS of 500lb will be needed to compress it further. So adding preload on to the rear suspension will alter the point at which it starts to sag, which in turn will mean it sags less for a given amount of weight. Once it starts to sag though, it will sag at the same rate per lb of weight above the weight it starts to sag as before.

Originally Posted by ophic

except increase the ride height, which is er... exactly what the OP wants

all i'm saying is if is over the bikes max weight then surely the preload wont do much? if i'm wrong then I appologise deeply.

[jambo]

The pre-load will adjust where in a shock's travel it sits for a given load.

But it the shock shouldn't allow the number plate to hit the rear tyre even on the lowest pre-load setting with a very heavy load. There's a stop on the shock to stop it compressing far enough.

Either the suspension's been altered (dog bones / different shock) or the number plate bracket's been replaced with a poorly fitting /fited after market item.

Try this thread:
http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=137731

Jambo

Originally Posted by jambo

Either the suspension's been altered (dog bones / different shock) or the number plate bracket's been replaced with a poorly fitting /fited after market item.

Or option 3:

Nerd needs to seriously lay off the pies!

[yorkie_chris]

Suspension travel MUST be free of obstruction through its entire stroke. Preload is not there to make up for badly fitted parts.

[STRAMASHER]

Quite an experienced mate of mine went round Spain on his new CBR600F 2 up and full hard luggage with his preload on 1.

Pointed out the error of his ways and wondered how the feck he got round any corners.

Good ol' Honda neutral chassis eh!?


So bung up the preload adjuster a couple of notches and try that. More if needed. If you are doing a proper run out blow a few extra PSI in the rear tyre. I usually will put in 4 or 5 extra PSI.

SV has a nice easy simple adjuster. Try not to skin yer hands so get a extra bar on the c-spanner for the collar for extra purchase.