Race tech springs/cartridge emulators installed w/ How To...

[hsq91]

So I finally got around to installing the race tech springs and emulators. I weigh approximately 190 pounds without gear. I went with the 0.90 pound fork springs and the blue preload spring on the emulator. If you're doing just springs this is an extremely easy process. The hardest part was disassembling the shock to get access to the damping rod.

removal of front wheel and forks
Loosen the pinch bolt on the bottom of the right fork and remove the front brake calipers. Set them aside without letting them hang unsupported. Set the bike on the center stand and loosen the front axle bolt (19mm hex). Weigh down the rear to get the front wheel in the air. Loosen the top triple clamp, and then loosen the fork caps without removing the caps all the way. Remove the front fender.

remove the front axle bolt completely and then remove the front wheel and set those aside. If you have the wheel in the air, make sure you support the wheel as you're removing the axle bolt so the wheel weight isn't fully on the axle bolt. Now loosen the middle triple clamp and slowly slide the forks out. If they're stuck use a twisting motion and they should come loose.

Shock disassembly if you're doing just springs and oil, it's a straight remove/replace. You don't need to access the damping rod. That's only necessary if you're installing the emulators
Remove the top caps, nothing is going to shoot out. Remove the spacer, springs and washers. Empty the old oil out remembering to pump the forks numerous times to get the old oil out.

Now loosely put the spring, washers and spacer back in and screw the cap on loosely. You need the spring pressure to remove the bolt on the bottom of the shock. Turn the shock upside down, compress the shock and remove the bolt on the bottom of the shock that holds the damper. That bolt has a copper washer that is recommended to be replaced when you reinstall. Undo the cap again and remove the internals. Turn the shock upside down and the damper rod, damper cup, and small top out spring should fall out. Remember the order they go in. If the damper cup doesn't come out, don't worry. You'll get it when you separate the inner/out shock tubes.

There's a rubber dust seal that you need to carefully pry off the outer tube. next there's a small spring clip that sits on top of the rubber oil seal.

 

[hsq91]

Remove the spring clip with a small flat head screwdriver. Now compress the shock slowly all the way to the bottom and pull upwards on the inner tube forcefully while holding the outer tube down. you will have to do this a couple times but eventually the inner tube will pull out and separate from the outer tube. On the chrome inner tube, going from top to bottom, you have the rubber oil seal, washer and then a copper slide. I would recommend at this point replacing those three items since you have the shock apart anyways.

damper rod modification

now you have to drill holes into the damper rod. this is only necessary if you're installing an emulator. There are three stock holes.I enlarged the two holes that are opposite each other and then drilled a hole 20 millimeters above each of those. I've then drilled another set of holes in between the two existing ones but rotated 90 degrees. So you will have three sets of holes spaced vertically approximately 10 millimeters apart. The goal is to get the holes to 5/16 inch diameter. I used progressively larger drill bits until I got there. I was able to drill the holes without the need for a vice. I simply held the damping rod and drilled it on the ground. So now you should have 6 large holes and 1 original sized hole. Using a burr or grinder, make sure the exterior of the holes are smooth.

 

[hsq91]

Reassemby

Now to put everything back together. Insert the damper cup inside the outer tube. Put the damper rod inside the chrome inner tube along with the top out spring with the rod sticking out the bottom of the inner tube . Insert the inner tube into the outer tube making sure the damper rod sits in the damper cup.

Reinstall the spring, spacer and washers and loosely screw on the fork cap. Holding the shock assembly upright, insert the hex bolt and copper washer from the bottom. The weight of the internals should give you enough pressure to retighten that bolt. if the bolt does not catch, have someone else apply downward pressure while you screw it from the bottom. Once the screw is tightened down remove the internals again.

Now place the copper slide down the inner tube. You need to force the slide in between the inner and outer tubes. If you're replacing it, slide the old one on top of the new one and using a punch or screwdriver, hammer on the top one which thereby pushes the new one down. Be patient and work around; don't try to force it down with one blow in one spot only. If you're not replacing the copper slide, you can hammer on the washer but be careful as you can damage the washer.

This is where I messed up. You need to make sure the slide is all the way down. It needs to be down far enough so that when you put the rubber oil seal, the spring clip fits in the recess in the outer tube. Be careful when test fitting the oil seal. If you push it too far down but it's not far enough for the spring clip, you won't be able to remove the oil seal to access the copper slide without completely disassembling the whole shock.

 

[FinalImpact]

OP, Thanks for posting!!!

Don't suppose you took any pictures along the way???

 

[hsq91]

With the copper slide all the way down place the washer on top, and then slide the oil seal down. Make sure if you're using new parts that you oil them before installing. Install the small wire spring clip, and finally the dust seal.

Now for the emulator. Make sure you have the correct spring installed. I tried the blue one(40 lb/in). There was also a gold one included. Make sure you have the correct preload on the spring. I called Race tech and they suggested 3 full turns. I also fitted the circlip on the bottom of the emulator.

The new springs include a metal tube spacer ehich you need to cut to length. For me, I'm trying 6.8 inches. This gives me approximately 20 mm of preload.

Now gently slide the emulator down the inner tube making sure it sits flat and flush on the bottom. Next goes the new spring, a washer, the preload spacer, and another washer. Fill with new fork oil. I chose Belray 15 weight filled to 130 mm. This is measured with the emulator in, spring out and the shock fully compresssed. As you add oil make sure to pump it to evenly distribute the oil. To measure I marked a long screwdriver and eye balled it.

That's pretty much it. Reassemble everything making sure the right amount of fork tube extends over the top triple clamp. I set it at stock which is approximately 10mm above the triple clamp including the cap.

 

[hsq91]

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures. My phone would've been an oily mess had I tried taking pictures throughout.

I know it sounds complicated but once you start seeing everything it's fairly straight forward..

I will post updates on any adjustments I make after I log some miles.

The stiffer fork springs help with the front end dive. The emulator eliminates the harsh bottoming out and magically firms up the front while at the same time providing softness when needed.

 

[WeatherB]

Thanks for the instructions, looking at doing this myself...

Dumb question, if the damper rod will fall out when you turn the shock upside down, is there really a need to separate the lower and upper fork tubes?