Guest ohlarikd Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 I did UTFSE, but seems like everyone just 'knows'. Just a quick question to assess how much time I need... I want to raise my forks like everyone else. I've been doing this on Supermotos, which is obviously a million times easier. For the Viffer, am I going to remove all the front fairings and front clip? Can I leave it on the ground and try to move one fork at a time, or do I need to support the whole front end on the exhaust headers, then remove the front wheel, etc. I have no problem doing all that, just trying to block off enough time to do it right. Thanks! If there is a thread available, a link would be all I need. Derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer 2thdr Posted May 3, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted May 3, 2013 I would put it up on center stand, jack under the headers and remove fender, calipers and front wheel. That way when you are getting the fork tubes set where you want in the triples, you won't have brake lines, etc pulling down on the thing you are trying to exactly measure and then tighten. This is how I did mine with help from a knowledgeable member here. He paid special attention to measuring the fork tube heights with a caliper before calling it good... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspanglish Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 Bike on centre stand. Jack under The headers just supporting, not lifting. I wouldn't remove fender nor wheel nor calipers.. not necessary. Don't even Have to remove clip ons, just loosen these If you want to drop them down flush w The top triple tree. If you do decide to remove all The above, be sure to place The axle in place.. this helps to guarantee even height of both forks. Loosen the pinch bolts, 4 in all.. 2 each side, upper and lower triple trees.. Now to raise The forks in The trees, let The Jack down ever so slightly The distance you require, making sure The forks slide in The triple trees.. don't want The Jack lowering and The forks sticking and then The bike suddenly dropping down onto The Jack with all its weight on The headers when The forks suddenly decide to slide. so persuade forks to slide from The onset by tapping with nylon mallet or similar. check both sides with measuring device. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer YoshiHNS Posted May 3, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted May 3, 2013 Agree with Auspanol. Shouldn't have to remove anything. Just lift the front end off the ground however you like, loosen the pinch bolts, and either use gravity to move the forks up, or lift them up by hand through the triples. Might have to remove the clip-ons just to make it easier to measure your heights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspanglish Posted May 3, 2013 Share Posted May 3, 2013 Agree with Auspanol. Shouldn't have to remove anything. Just lift the front end off the ground however you like, loosen the pinch bolts, and either use gravity to move the forks up, or lift them up by hand through the triples. Might have to remove the clip-ons just to make it easier to measure your heights. don't lift, just support.. you will, after all, be lowering The bike. on need to remove clip ons.. once u Have achieved desired height, If you want clip ons flush with upper triple, loosen off, drop them down and tighten up again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 Sorry I haven't replied to this - I never got any notifications that people responded! Odd since other threads work... So thanks for the tips - seems like something that I can do then quite easily. Right now I am trying to raise the rear shock with shims, so I'd like to lower the front as well. I'll give it a shot! Derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spud786 Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 one fork at a time if that makes it easier, but you do need to support. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 Rear shims - seems the ABS or whatever is in the way and making this very aggravating... Then will move on to forks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Rice Posted May 19, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted May 19, 2013 I see you're in NJ so I'll offer you advice I posted in another thread. Take it to the pro to get set up the right way. My rear has been jacked up and front forks raised too and I thought it worked pretty well until the pros got their hands on it and it turned out that I had it all wrong. $65 Bucks and half hour of work later my bike has been transformed from OK to "I shoulda done this a loooong time ago". Do yourself a big favor and give these guys a call to set up an appointment. http://www.washingtoncycleworks.com/index.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 Thanks Rice - they are actually 20 minutes from me. I guess I figured with the limited adjustability of the stock suspension, what could they really do? Link to your other thread? I'd like to see what they did in general... thanks for the idea! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 I am not seeing any way to get these shims in on this ABS bike, there is a sh!t load of stuff in the way, and seems removing the shock requires removing the entire exhaust system since the cat is in the way. Doesn't someone make a short dogbone? That would also raise the rear, correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Rice Posted May 19, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted May 19, 2013 My other thread is here: http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/index.php/topic/74780-in-need-of-professional-help-and-didnt-even-know-it/ What they did was set sag for my weight, adjusted preload in front and preload, compression and rebound in the rear. I do have aftermarket bits front and rear though. I weigh 195 and stock was not designed for my weight. They had also recommended lowering the forks since mine were too high, which caused the bike to fall past comfort zone during hard turns and caused slower transitions, but I loved the initial setup so much that I decided to keep things as is for now. You probably won't get as much out of it with your stock setup but I'd stil recommend paying them a visit at that price. You don't need to remove the entire exhaust. Just the slipons. I would find out whether you need to do it in the first place though ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 You don't need to remove the entire exhaust. Just the slipons. I would find out whether you need to do it in the first place though ;) Gonna remove slipon and see if I can get shock past the cat, like you said. As for going to Cycle Works, if I wasn't already knee deep in disassembly, I might go there first. At this, point, might as well follow through with shims, especially with tank removed. Thanks for the advise on rear shock, even though this was a fork thread - much appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 Rice was on target - got the shock out enough with just the slip-on off, and was able to get 9mm worth of washers on the rear shock. I feel better with full washers rather than slotted shims anyway. Wasn't so bad really. Going back together, then looking at forks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NakedViffer Posted May 19, 2013 Share Posted May 19, 2013 I do my forks on the side stand with no support at all, just do one side at a time and, its pretty simple. i think you'll be pleasantly surprised with raising the tail and dropping the front, it sure made a world of difference on my 4g. I can keep up with my buddy on his DRZsm now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 20, 2013 Share Posted May 20, 2013 With my rear raised up 9mm, I may lower the front 9 mm as well. No real science to that.... I could always go up or down from there. Maybe 5mm would be better. The way it is, the 9mm in the back is quite noticeable, and the tire hits the ground on the centerstand. Maybe lowering the front will allow the rear to come off the ground again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NakedViffer Posted May 20, 2013 Share Posted May 20, 2013 I've got the back raised about 12mm, and the front dropped a lot, I haven't measured how thick the stock clipon is, because you are supposed to measure from that and I removed them, but I'm 2 and a 1/4 inches from the top triple, and I'm using every bit of travel in the forks and at full compression my bottom triple nearly touches the dust seals. My bike handles great and is still stable as a rock, I honestly wish I could drop them more.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted May 20, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted May 20, 2013 Dont forget to extend your center stand, is your back wheel off the ground now when on center stand ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 20, 2013 Share Posted May 20, 2013 I've got the back raised about 12mm, and the front dropped a lot, I haven't measured how thick the stock clipon is, because you are supposed to measure from that and I removed them, but I'm 2 and a 1/4 inches from the top triple, and I'm using every bit of travel in the forks and at full compression my bottom triple nearly touches the dust seals. My bike handles great and is still stable as a rock, I honestly wish I could drop them more.. Wow, that sounds MEGA extreme! Maybe the 6th gen is different. I can't go 12mm in the back with the stock shock at least. The front, are you measuring from the top of the triple clamp to the top of the fork? 2.25"? On my bike, I can't imagine that, it might flip over! Dont forget to extend your center stand, is your back wheel off the ground now when on center stand ? On the center stand, the back wheel is now on the ground. Kind of messes up the maintenance aspect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted May 20, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted May 20, 2013 Cut two piece of square channel and bolt them bottom of both legs to extend them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 20, 2013 Share Posted May 20, 2013 Cut two piece of square channel and bolt them bottom of both legs to extend them. I'll have to take a look at that tonight, thanks! Stainless Steel washers on shock. The U-slot shim idea was not happening; it worried me anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted May 20, 2013 Member Contributer Share Posted May 20, 2013 So thats 7 washers i count ? Yeah I am with you slotted washers bad idea . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 20, 2013 Share Posted May 20, 2013 So thats 7 washers i count ? Yeah I am with you slotted washers bad idea . 8 stainless steel washers from Lowe's, $2. That is my kind of budget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 Ok dropped front 15mm from stock. Lowered bars back down flush with triple. That measures about 27mm from top of bar to top of tube. We shall see tomorrow how it feels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spud786 Posted May 21, 2013 Share Posted May 21, 2013 If you dropped it too far, your dust seals will slam into the bottom of the tripple clamps. 10mm is about as far as you want to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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