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Shock suspension stiff as hell.

4K views 12 replies 9 participants last post by  Keef 
#1 ·
So I got this Penske double clicker put it on the bike and there is zero sag . so my question is could I have mounted it wrong ? How many threads should be showing with a525 spring and 195lb rider. I bought the shock of a member at similar weight that had the shock custom built .
Thought I'd ask for y'all's opinion before I start loosening spring and .........
 
#2 ·
Reduce the preload on the spring.
 
#3 ·
I would have thought a 600lb spring would have been appropriate since the stock spring rate is 550lb. I'm assuming you mean there is no free sag (without rider). You only want 5 to 7mm of free sag (about a quarter inch). To get the right loaded sag my unloaded sag is only 4mm...

1) Are you getting the rear end off the ground and the rear suspension completely unloaded, then balancing it upright, bouncing your weight on it, and then balancing it upright again to measure? You really want to bounce it down and let it rise so that stiction and damping don't keep it from moving. Just leaning my bike onto the sidestand to get the rear wheel off the ground it doesn't appear to move either. I have sturdy eyelets in my garage ceiling so I used a couple of them on my rear rack to get the rear end off the ground for the initial measure. I taped a clear plastic metric ruler in place at the rear axle and then suspended a lead fishing weight on a string to where it hung next to the ruler. Then I clamped my gopro to my workbench leg, level with the weight. Having the camera at a fixed point to the ruler worked better than eyeballing it like I've done before. I was able to see it and control it from my phone - but I couldn't see it that clearly so I switched to my laptop and it worked great. Other than the time I wasted trying to do it with a stick instead of a string, and trying to mount the gopro to the bike, and trying to see it with my phone... - it was pretty easy to do it by myself this way.

2) If it didn't move when checking it that way then ensure that the compression damping isn't completely closed.

3) If it still doesn't move then I'd start out with an inch or less of threads showing.

4) If it still isn't moving - then did you adjust the eye to eye distance to match your stock shock at 330mm when you mounted it? The shaft screws in and out of the clevis to adjust this. Many people jack this up to raise the rear end (similar effect to raising the fork tubes in the triple trees to drop the front end in that it makes steering quicker). You never know if someone played with it and left it at an odd length.
 
#5 ·
Dalex-the ride height is spun out and there looks like a lot if pre load on the spring. Turn the ride height back in a couple turns and the collar will not touch the linkage. I would then back the preload down almost halfway. Make sure the lock screws are out of the preload collar before trying to rotate it (they are small 3mm Allen key loch screws that go in two of the threaded holes in the collar, if they are in there)
 
#6 ·
Based on the picture you provided, you have a 575 lb/in spring, which is exactly what I'd personally put you on. So, the spring is right. As others have mentioned, back off on the preload until you can get about 35-38 mm of RIDER sag. This is all that matters.

Regarding the ride height, you can only add ~8 mm of length to the Penske shock before the spring/perch contacts the shock linkage. Just be aware that adding length to the shock quickens steering. Proceed carefully at first, because the change is pretty significant when compared to the stock shock.
 
#9 ·
me too
 
#11 ·
Thanks guys, I really appreciate the feed back. Sorry bout the misleading title . I need a few days for I have time to work on it again. I'll repost how it goes .
Much Mahalos !
By the way I got the gpr, thanks Stoltec.
 
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