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Setting up COIL rear shocks

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Setting up COIL rear shocks

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flag PedalShopLLC
Posted: Feb 3, 2015 at 18:23 Quote
yo yo pinkbikers


posting this note -- hope it helps someone out there somewhere --


so you have a frame and the rear shock is a coil sprung suspension --


you think the ride is too soft so you tighten down the spring tighter


STOP --- that's not how you stiffen up a rear shock ---


what you're doing is completely wrong --- you're actually limiting how much motion the rear shock can move --

you can fiddle with certain other settings to stiffen it up, maybe add PSI if the shock has air assist but, tightening down the spring is a bad thing --

the proper way to increase stiffness is by adding a spring with a heavier spring rate ...

example 400lbs to 450lbs or 500lbs.

I see it a few times a year where someone sets up their rear shock completely wrong and the bike rides like poo because of it.

what you do should with a rear coil shock's spring---- loosen the spring thread until the spring can wiggle around a bit... then tighten it down again, around 4, 5, 6 complete turns until it's just snug enough to stop that wiggle.


all the other stuff -- it all depends on the make and model -- some are easy to adjust, some are not --- that's a whole other topic .

8)
flag Ploutre
Posted: Feb 4, 2015 at 2:13 Quote
Yes, just DON'T preload coils.


On another note, that would be GREAT if manufacturers could make precise coils ... with tolerances lower than 10 or 15% ....

So many times I've seen people buy a stiffer spring (say 450 instead of 400) and end up with the exact same spring rate (because the 400 was actually more like a 430, and the 450 more like a 430).

Some manufacturers do offer precise springs (BOS, Ohlins, SA-springs/Stendec, there may be others), but it's still way off for CC/Fox/RS ...
flag PedalShopLLC
Posted: Feb 4, 2015 at 5:12 Quote
Ploutre wrote:
Yes, just DON'T preload coils.


On another note, that would be GREAT if manufacturers could make precise coils ... with tolerances lower than 10 or 15% ....

So many times I've seen people buy a stiffer spring (say 450 instead of 400) and end up with the exact same spring rate (because the 400 was actually more like a 430, and the 450 more like a 430).

Some manufacturers do offer precise springs (BOS, Ohlins, SA-springs/Stendec, there may be others), but it's still way off for CC/Fox/RS ...


True that ---- totally agree with ya there.


Also -- I have seen plenty of folks just assume because the frame they have had a 450lbs spring, the next frame they get with a completely different suspension design will have the same weight shock spring --

ehh, not really the case. generally, they'll be close --- I'm 195lbs when I'm wearing my pewter coated thong and typically the spring weight I like is around 400 to 450 but, I do have a 500 Ti spring on one bike and it feels darn squishy compared to other spring weights that are less (on other bikes).

shoot -- check this out -- https://www.pinkbike.com/photo/11751967/ twinky little spring on that RM is no kidding, 800lbs. what?!?!?!? yup, 800lbs
flag PedalShopLLC
Posted: Feb 4, 2015 at 16:38 Quote
800# spring....


what?

https://www.pinkbike.com/photo/11878448/
flag rickaybobbay
Posted: Feb 4, 2015 at 22:59 Quote
Ploutre wrote:
Yes, just DON'T preload coils.


On another note, that would be GREAT if manufacturers could make precise coils ... with tolerances lower than 10 or 15% ....

So many times I've seen people buy a stiffer spring (say 450 instead of 400) and end up with the exact same spring rate (because the 400 was actually more like a 430, and the 450 more like a 430).

Some manufacturers do offer precise springs (BOS, Ohlins, SA-springs/Stendec, there may be others), but it's still way off for CC/Fox/RS ...

HOLY CRAP 10-15% tolerancing... jeezus planes wouldn't even get off the ground with that shit going on. thats pretty sad. now i'll be careful when getting a spring for my soon to be DH bike
flag PedalShopLLC
Posted: Feb 5, 2015 at 6:38 Quote
HOLY CRAP 10-15% tolerancing... jeezus planes wouldn't even get off the ground with that shit going on. thats pretty sad. now i'll be careful when getting a spring for my soon to be DH bike


funny you mention the planes --- just the other day, I was watching a youtube video with a bunch of plane making incredible landings in windy and with bad mechanical situations (i.e. lacking wheels, etc).


after watching a few, I noticed one thing (besides the obvious flying skills of the pilots) --- the suspension of those jets are kick-ass seriously off the hook. there's one clip where a passenger jet is coming in and only the front and half the rear wheels are down... suspension takes it all in and the guy lands smooth as silk until the very last bit when the wing side without gear down hits the runway.

there's another clip where the planes coming in practically sideways cause the wind is so strong... the plane is all over the map trying to land and then SLAM!!! the pilots slams the plane to the ground but geez, the suspension totally eats it up for a safe landing.

then of course the jet fighters landing on aircraft carriers -- holy shit, that's insane
flag rickaybobbay
Posted: Feb 5, 2015 at 16:41 Quote
jet fighters landing on aircraft carriers at night on rough sees is the sketchiest shit i've ever seen. and yeah, a B747 and other passanger and even cargo planes have some really huge shocks, springs, dampers what ever the F they use. you're putting TONS of force down on a relatively small area. i can only imagine the landing of some of those larger planes from the 40's
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