Racetech Springs On A 6th Gen

[spud786]

Ive had aftermarket springs and Honda Optional springs, Honda Optionals that I've seen and used are of very good precision quality . I've yet to see that level of precision in an aftermarket spring. The cost is higher but Its not like a wear item where its going to be an ongoing issue.

Are they progressive or straight rate springs?

My stock springs needed to be replaced at 14k miles when I purchased my VFR. I could not get proper sag with the adjusters turned all the way in (weight 180lb). I measured them and they were below the service limit listed in the service manual. I have not measured my racetechs since installing them, but I have not changed my preload settings and get the same sag numbers for the past 50k+ miles with them.

I think BLS has posted before about the springs that Honda uses, the type of steel they use wears out quickly, something like that.

my vfr was bottoming right off the floor, im like 195, pop a wheelie bottom hard, brake into squared adge hole bottom hard. i ran alot of addtional preload to make it functional. Right now i'm runnin 90mm oil height with stock spring was able to back way off the preload since about 15,000 mile(now at 31,000), i could probably use heavier spring , but its adequate enough for the street and doesnt have the brake dive and bottoming issues.

I didnt have any sag set issues, just bottoming and brake dive issues, it was just blowing through the travel too easy with stock oil height, 90mm is about max though. They were border line too stiff initially after a couple thousand the oil detiorated enough and they were good enough. But' Im definitely border line on the spring rate.

My last set of Eibochs(single rate), once spring was longer than the other, but Id say Ohlins would have good tolerences for aftermarket.

doesnt really matter cause there's no optional for the vfr from Honda, if there was I'd probably already have it.

[Rice]

Well,

One quart of RaceTech oil was not enough... Now I have to order another quart just to add a few more ml.

On the bright side, if anyone in the area is in the same situation, you are welcome to it.

I compared the "new" fork with the old one by compressing them by hand side by side.

The new one requires significantly more force to be compressed and rebound is significantly faster. I used 5Wt oil as per Racetech recommendation.

Can't wait to take it out for a test ride... In a few month...

P.S.

Another question. Oil level should be 100mm from the top with the spring in and fork tupe fully extended, right?

Spring and all spacers out, and the fork fully compressed. You will not like the results if you do it extended.

Thanks a bunch Jeremy!

Saved me a lot of headache :thumbsup:

Going to the garage...

[jeremy556]

One quart of RaceTech oil was not enough... Now I have to order another quart just to add a few more ml.

I would just go buy a quart of Bel Ray or something locally instead of waiting.

[Rice]

One quart of RaceTech oil was not enough... Now I have to order another quart just to add a few more ml.

I would just go buy a quart of Bel Ray or something locally instead of waiting.

Unfortunately, waiting is not the issue - I will not be riding for another 3 month at least :pissed:

I will take this opportunity to turn disadvantage into an advantage. I will buy another Qrt from Racetech, but 10Wt this time. If the current rebound damping proves to be inadequate, I will mix in 5Wt and 10Wt 50/50 to get 7Wt...

The 2-3 ml of 10Wt in a 1/2 Qrt of 5 wt should not make any diff me thinks.

[Baileyrock]

Actually Oil level is a tool used to tune the last inch or so of travel.

Once you have the correct spring rate, any valving changes and correct oil weight in the forks, oil level itself will have little effect on fork action (as long as the Min. level is met). The air gap as mentioned by HS does act as a secondary spring, but usually only at or near the last part of travel (bottoming). Once your forks are set-up you can increase oil level(raise level= less air) to help prevent bottoming on severe hits or loads.

Add changes of 10mm per leg (above min. level to reduce air volume) oil volume to fine tune the last inch or so of travel to suit, mostly to prevent bottoming.

:thumbsup:

[spud786]

I've been heavily involved with offroad forks for many years, these generally have 12 inches of travel, oil height will effect the whole fork but has the greatest effect in the last 4 inches of the stroke.

Now a vfr has only 4 to 5inches of travel so oil height has and even greater effect, and I would agree that oil height is the greatest effect in the last 1 1/2 inch , but to say it only effects that area would be less than accurate.

10mm oil height stiffened my vfr forks dramatically, everywhere, espeicially in the last inch and 1/2 . as mentioned I was able to back way off the preload with the additional oil.

Forks generally have a 10mm min /max level on both side of the original spec