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I did not find out how to delete a post, so this is just a error in posting.
I had measured the compression of the old springs, was even thinking of using them again until my read yesterday.The old springer set was off, one of the lower springs were shorter than the other, and now you have the upper springs with different compression distance for same weight. Trash from what I read, good in a pinch, but not ideal for a new set of forks..The lower spring are 200 lbs per inch and the upper, and one is shorter by 3/16" from the other and up top the springs are equal length, but compression rate is a little stronger on one over the other.......orginaly they were 50lbs per inch.Lower spring is where the preload is set ??? The top springs are under tension also, but it is not much and it is there for the pre load rebound?
Bitter End Old school Choppers has spring sets for sale and also sells the mono shock with spring, but nothing listed about compression ratings....... It will get figured out, I hope I do soon.
[url]http://www.bitterendchoppers.com/SpringerParts.html[/url]
Yep.
It does sound like the old springs are dead.
So much for that.
I have never been real keen on an old school springer. It has no real dampening. The smaller top spring (rebound spring) with its preload and lbs/inch is what dampens in. Not a real great way of doing it. They ride a bit bouncy and unpredictable on rough stuff. That springer that has the hydraulic shock on it also is a way to make one a good bit better. I would guess it has no spring in it, just the hyd damper.
This is the primary reason I went with a rear motorcycle shock.
So like what was said before.....look into small motorcycle shocks.
I have seen Honda 250 rebel shocks used.
I checked in at the shop the other day, looks like things should be ready for pick up after the Holiday weekend.
Not going with original style springer design, just not a huge springer design fan, so I found the shocks that meet the requirements for the trike, or should I say that they meet what is needed by my calculations.
I just hope they are the same and all works for me.
Good news.
Shocks......as in hyd dampened motorcycle shocks?
Sounds good, I much prefer a hyd dampened spring.
If your numbers are good it will work fine.
Yes they are the Hyd. coil spring motorcylce shocks. I have been looking at Progressive shocks, pricey, but I do like their design and warranty plan. The key is that it just has to be a shock that meets the needs and I do not care what brand, just that it is what is needed.
Fuel and me as the rider, the front end should feel 186.85 lbs of weight. Naked frame there is 60.2 lbs under the front tire, added 50lbs to frame by shifter location and we had 92.4 lbs under the tire. So 32.2 lbs of the 50lb weight is felt under the front tire. Using this difference I added rider/fuel and body weight and I feel all 50lbs of front fork weight will be felt on under the front tire. This all added up to 186.85 lbs.
I have this desire to find shocks with a 6" travel distance, and the first set I picked did not have adequate damper design, spring rate was great, but over all not recomended by manufacturer.
So I am at it again, but I understand it more now than before and it should help me find what I need.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.
Okay, I have made some error's and I do think some would have been avoided if I had educated myself more about it all. Live and learn, at least that is what we are suppose to do, LOL.
The shock travel length is determined from upper mount to lower shock mount area as the suspension goes thru it's full travel range. NOT at the axle hole (which should have a 65 degree travel range, near 6" travel).
Once I figured out another error of mine, well finding a shock will not be so hard, actually have found a few, but need to get much closer total weight on front end before I make purchase.
One thing is "does anyone know how much spring compression is lost due to mounting angle of shock " ?????
I do believe anything over a 40 degree angle starts to diminish in spring compression rate compared to the vertical spring compression test.. I set at a 48 degree rake and the shock will mirror this angle......or does one bring out the top shock mount off the fork tube further so that the shock mounts on a different angle, like for me take it from a 48 degree angle to a 40 degree angle ???
Help me if you can, or is it truly nothing to worry about....shock mounting angle that is...…..
Assuming you are going drop pivot with axle and pivot line being 90 degrees to the fork leg.
If your shocks are parallel to the fork legs then they would be considered "straight up".
So what angle the shock is in relation to the pivot to axle line is the angle I am assuming you mean to be asking.
For simplicity reason I would be figuring parallel.
You have to move the top a long ways before it makes a big difference.
The bottom point a little means a lot.
So as an example it the front axle weight is 300 lbs.
And the line from pivot to axle is 6 inches and the shock attachment point is in the middle.
You would have a 2 to 1 lever. Axle moves six to shock move 3.
Also the spring will be on the ratio also.
300 lb axle times 2 is 600 lbs of total weight the springs must hold up.
And no one selling shocks has bothered to explain this, rather just ready to sell you what ever you want, not what you need.
Thank you Rex, you explanation was correct for what I am doing. I am not exactly 2 to 1, but it is very close. I can figure it out so that I do get the spring tension I need.
This is great, so glad I asked to make sure I get this correct, at least as close as possible.:Santa:
I think aftermarket shocks will be rated straight eye to eye.
So many different applications and bike differences that there is very little way to catalog them any other way.
Mine is a harley sportster shock. I had to put a friends back tire on a scale and sit on it to get a number to work with. Then measure the ratios of the harley swing arm. So I had to reverse engineer the bike and then apply it to mine. Then I tweaked the ratio of the rocker points to get it in range of the shock.
Shock came off ebay.