How to internally lower your forks. Updated with better pics. 6/20/09

[jblankenship]

If I put in say a 3" spacer how should I cut the factory spacer to have the least up travel. I don't want to use a strap, I am 195 and the bike is 70"?

[Coryonbusa]

If I put in say a 3" spacer how should I cut the factory spacer to have the least up travel. I don't want to use a strap, I am 195 and the bike is 70"?

With a 3" spacer; Remove 2.5" from the factory spacer, reassemble the forks and tighten your preloads all the way in. This will make the front end very stiff.

[jblankenship]

thanks, A 3 inch spacer should leave about an inch of travel correct?

[Coryonbusa]

Not 100% sure on that but it'll be close, for sure.

[jblankenship]

mine turned out perfect. Put in a 3 inch spacer and cut 2.5 out the stock spacer. Got about 1.25 inches of fork left showing. Put new seal in as well. Thanks for the info on this.

[Coryonbusa]

mine turned out perfect. Put in a 3 inch spacer and cut 2.5 out the stock spacer. Got about 1.25 inches of fork left showing. Put new seal in as well. Thanks for the info on this.

Awesome! Glad it worked out for you!!!
Post some pics!

[Mr Boost]

Thanks for the info i did mine today and they are perfect now.As soon as the bikes is ready to go out i make some pictures.

 

[Cookie]

Cory is the God of the Fork!

[spdingtkts]

Cory is the God of the Fork!

Using pipe wrenches?

While his technical info is current his workmanship reminds me of the saying "Not all butchers work with meat."

[Cookie]

Cory is the God of the Fork!

Using pipe wrenches?

While his technical info is current his workmanship reminds me of the saying "Not all butchers work with meat."

Okay,, if it will make you feel better - Cory is a wacky drummer that wrote a fare article about lowering motorcycle forks that works for some people and not for others using a set of pipe wrenches! And, if he had an eye missing,, he would have been a guy with an eye missing that wrote a fare article about lowering motorcycle forks that works for some people and not for others using a set of pipe wrenches!

Remember this saying - "Not all naked people smell good!"    I made that last part up 

[Coryonbusa]

Cory is the God of the Fork!

Using pipe wrenches?

While his technical info is current his workmanship reminds me of the saying "Not all butchers work with meat."

 

If you got a better way, post it!!!

[RJB]

Cory is the God of the Fork!

Using pipe wrenches?

While his technical info is current his workmanship reminds me of the saying "Not all butchers work with meat."

what the hell is your problem

Cory has taken time to do this take picts and show people how to do it to help out the board

WTF have you done

dont come on here haten on what somedody has done to help others

reminds me of a sayn--if you aint got nothing nice to say dont say anything

[__NATE__]

Cory is the God of the Fork!

Using pipe wrenches?

While his technical info is current his workmanship reminds me of the saying "Not all butchers work with meat."

Hey it works so whats the fucking problem........

At least he took the time and helped a lot of people who didn't know shit about opening the fork or lowering it......

[Ludicrous Speed]

What an ingrate  asshat

[dave3.4]

yup we got another azzhole.

[mike46]

Cory is the God of the Fork!

Using pipe wrenches?

While his technical info is current his workmanship reminds me of the saying "Not all butchers work with meat."

what the hell is your problem

Cory has taken time to do this take picts and show people how to do it to help out the board

WTF have you done

dont come on here haten on what somedody has done to help others

reminds me of a sayn--if you aint got nothing nice to say dont say anything

  You have no idea. I replaced my 00 forks with 05 units. He replaced the original compression valves with Traxxion 25mm units with a unique shim stack. The hydraulic bump stop was removed to further improve compliance. Traxxion springs were installed and fork oil height was measured in mm not ounces. He will be replacing the compression and rebound needles with units he told me to get from GP suspension for real adjustability....not the basically on/off operation with stock needles. Then there is the rebound valve which can also be replaced with a recently released valve by a well known suspension company. He shit works better than the GMD modified pieces I've seen at Loudon and he has done many forks for many racers. He can bury any of us in experience and working suspension knowledge.
  I noticed he didn't disagree with the concept but was commenting on execution. He obviously feels using pipe wrenches on the damping rod etc and using galvanized pipe as the spacer isn't very professional. I'd also say measuring oil in ounces insted of actual height caught his eye. He is probably wondering what, if anything is done to the springs and other parts of the fork to compensate for shortening them. Maybe he'll get on and ask those questions but I doubt if anybody here will be able to answer them.
  
 

[Rocketgeezer]

Cory is the God of the Fork!

Using pipe wrenches?

While his technical info is current his workmanship reminds me of the saying "Not all butchers work with meat."

Okay,, if it will make you feel better - Cory is a wacky drummer that wrote a fare article about lowering motorcycle forks that works for some people and not for others using a set of pipe wrenches! And, if he had an eye missing,, he would have been a guy with an eye missing that wrote a fare article about lowering motorcycle forks that works for some people and not for others using a set of pipe wrenches!

Remember this saying - "Not all naked people smell good!"    I made that last part up  

WTF, Cookie you ben drinkin some homemade hooch or somethin

[Cookie]

Cory is the God of the Fork!

Using pipe wrenches?

While his technical info is current his workmanship reminds me of the saying "Not all butchers work with meat."

Okay,, if it will make you feel better - Cory is a wacky drummer that wrote a fare article about lowering motorcycle forks that works for some people and not for others using a set of pipe wrenches! And, if he had an eye missing,, he would have been a guy with an eye missing that wrote a fare article about lowering motorcycle forks that works for some people and not for others using a set of pipe wrenches!

Remember this saying - "Not all naked people smell good!"    I made that last part up  

WTF, Cookie you ben drinkin some homemade hooch or somethin

Hey, DaveyBoy,,, I am pretty DAMNED sure that not all naked people smell good! 

,,,maybe i should start drinkin,,, it's almost friday somewhere, isn't it? 

[SPARKY1397R]

Cory is the God of the Fork!

Using pipe wrenches?

While his technical info is current his workmanship reminds me of the saying "Not all butchers work with meat."

did you mean "not all butchers work with knives"?

because you're trying to take a jab at his tool selection,  not what he is working on...

 "not all self proclaimed geniuses work with their brains" eh Mr speedingdckless?

[Coryonbusa]

Cory is the God of the Fork!

Using pipe wrenches?

While his technical info is current his workmanship reminds me of the saying "Not all butchers work with meat."

what the hell is your problem

Cory has taken time to do this take picts and show people how to do it to help out the board

WTF have you done

dont come on here haten on what somedody has done to help others

reminds me of a sayn--if you aint got nothing nice to say dont say anything

   You have no idea. I replaced my 00 forks with 05 units. He replaced the original compression valves with Traxxion 25mm units with a unique shim stack. The hydraulic bump stop was removed to further improve compliance. Traxxion springs were installed and fork oil height was measured in mm not ounces. He will be replacing the compression and rebound needles with units he told me to get from GP suspension for real adjustability....not the basically on/off operation with stock needles. Then there is the rebound valve which can also be replaced with a recently released valve by a well known suspension company. He shit works better than the GMD modified pieces I've seen at Loudon and he has done many forks for many racers. He can bury any of us in experience and working suspension knowledge.
  I noticed he didn't disagree with the concept but was commenting on execution. He obviously feels using pipe wrenches on the damping rod etc and using galvanized pipe as the spacer isn't very professional. I'd also say measuring oil in ounces insted of actual height caught his eye. He is probably wondering what, if anything is done to the springs and other parts of the fork to compensate for shortening them. Maybe he'll get on and ask those questions but I doubt if anybody here will be able to answer them.
 
 

It's one thing to come here with questions and concerns and another to call someone that's trying to help others a butcher, which is exactly what he did...

[TrickTom1]

+1

[spdingtkts]

I posted this around on a few boards and people are really laughing at you idiots.

I guarantee if any of you stepped up and set your forks out to a suspension shop to have the length shortened the difference between the workmanship and the quality of the ride.

This site has really gone downhill since I first joined it years ago.

[Rice Ya]

On the way out, don't let the door hit ya where the good lord split ya. Stay on the other boards then since your so perfect and make no mistakes.

[Mike-Nightrider]

 He is a hater 

[spdingtkts]

He is a hater  

No, a mechanic.

You can see how chewed up the damping rod got in the close up pic. How is that going to work with the coated bushing in the cartridge head?

Do you really think grabbing those soft aluminum parts with pipe wrenches is the right way or a good way to that?

Do you think the cylinder is still round where the pipe wrench clamped down on it?

You are reducing the travel to pretty much the very bottom of its range. The hydraulic anti-bottoming out piston kicks in around there which pretty much locks up the fork making it harsh. Why don't you do anything with that? There are some good options out there.

What is the amount of spring preload now that you cut the spacer?

The stock spring rate is 8.5 on the 99 to 07 which is way too light for that bike. The 08 and up uses a  9.3 which is still on the light side. Wouldn't you want to change the springs to help keep the bike from bottoming?

I am guessing that you have no idea about the shim stack so you throw in some really thick oil. Not the best solution IMO. Then you just dump in xx amount with no idea of what the oil height is. The oil height is considered an air spring that acts progressively. Too high the forks will feel stiff. There is no way you are bleeding all the air out with your four pump chump method either.

The spacer looks like conduit cut with a hack saw. You ever hear of a tubing cutter or God forbid use a lathe to make some nice spacers?

I know its the cheap way so that makes it great to some of you but come on. Is there anyone out there that is going to tell me that this is the correct way to work on these forks?

Would you grab your crankshaft or camshaft with a pipe wrench?