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DIY Traxion Front Springs (and Kuryakyn risers)

2K views 21 replies 10 participants last post by  camelmd 
#1 ·
Finished the DIY Traxion Spring install.
Mostly pretty easy.
I did not take the forks off the bike.

ONE little thing took 90% of the time.
Tightening the jam nut under the right fork cap was near impossible.
Getting it off was easy, there was plenty of room.
But the Traxion spring and spacer leaves no room to get a wrench in there.
Much trail and error but it's on.

The oil in my right fork was down almost two inches.
Maybe that's why the bike front end felt like a noodle from day 1.
Left fork was down one inch.
I set the oil in both forks at exactly 5 inches from the top with the springs out.

Now, the bike feels VERY different ... VERY BETTER.

Pros:
putting in the springs does everything as advertised.
... no disappointments there.
... now it feels like there is a REAL front end on the bike.

Cons:
(For me) The bike seat is raised up almost an inch.
When just using the sidestand, the bike leans over a lot more.
... need to get a longer kickstand.

While I was in there, I added the Kuryakyn risers.
... brought the handlebars back about 1.5 inches, up about 1 inch and in about a half inch.
My elbows, nearly straight before, now have nice little bend in them and my hand, wrist and forearm are now all in straight line.

Just came back from 50 mile test run and the bike feels REALLY solid and the handlebar position is very much improved.
:D

All in all ... a nice improvment to an already great bike.

Dennis
 
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#6 ·
When just using the sidestand, the bike leans over a lot more.
... need to get a longer kickstand.
I put a Wanted To Buy ad in the forum classifieds and got one of the prior model Fish kickstands. There are a lot of people who bought them, then took them off because the bike set up too straight and could tip over. They were too long for a stock bike, but are perfect with Traxxion.
 
#8 ·
I did lower the forks in the triple tree
I used 9mm .. Max says 10 but figured I'd err on the safe side.
The bike steers GREAT.
It lowered the bike a little, but not back to "stock".
You can really see the bike is taller when you put it on the side stand
... it REALLY leans now.

On my test ride "out" I had the front tire at 41 psi
... on the way back I lowered it to about 38 psi.
it felt much better there; the suspension was firm but the ride was soft if that makes any sense.

I did collapse the forks completely and remove the springs before setting the oil level at 5 inches from the top.

DIY ... sorry, that is Do It Yourself.

Overall I'm very happy.

I have a challenge reaching the ground so anything that makes the bike higher is moving in the wrong direction
... but
I really like how the bike feels now so I guess I'll learn to live with it.

I don't mind not being flat footed when I'm riding alone but when "two up" I'd like both feet on the ground.

I'm hoping that when I take my wife along it will settle down a little bit in the right direction.

I'll put an ad in the Fish Kickstand ... Thanks.


Dennis
 
#9 ·
OK nice to hear it, plan on starting my springs this weekend maybe. Max said to raise em 10mm above the tree, not lower them. Raise to lower seat, lower to raise seat. Did you use a shim on the antidive valve? What oil weight in left side? Right side a 15 or 20 wt oil ?
 
#10 ·
GL03 said:
OK nice to hear it, plan on starting my springs this weekend maybe. Max said to raise em 10mm above the tree, not lower them. Raise to lower seat, lower to raise seat. Did you use a shim on the antidive valve? What oil weight in left side? Right side a 15 or 20 wt oil ?
Yes, should have said "raise" the forks not lower, that's what I did.
Before, the top of the forks were flush with tree.
Now, the forks stick up above the tree by 10mm (9 on mine)
(the tree is lower).

I had already shimmed the anti-dive the first week I got it.
With my "under-serviced" front forks (they were low on oil when I opened them, I think that's why they felt extremely soft) my bike either felt like a limp noodle or a grocerry shopping cart (NO front suspension when the anti-dive engaged).

Since I was not replacing all the oil in mine (only 3600 miles) Traxsion sent me a quart of their 20wt oil.
I topped off both forks with that.

Let me know how yours goes .... I had a heck of time getting the jam nut back on (below the fork cap on the right side).

Dennis
 
#12 ·
GL03 said:
wondering if you mixed up the tube lengths ? LOL will find out too!
don't think so
I measured them
one is about 7.4 inches and the other is about 5.1.

with the short spring in place and just about ready to put the fork cap on
the cap contacts the washer above the "spacer" tube by about .5 inch over the top of the fork tube.
That little .5 inch was VERY hard to compress (you're pushing down on the spring) to get the cap on.

Had I accidently interchanged the spacers, the fork cap would have contacted the washer about 2.5 inches over the top of the fork tube.

No way would a single human ever be able to compress the spring 2.5 inches to get the fork cap back on.
I think that much travel on the spring just about holds up the whole bike and two passengers.

I think there is a "tool" to compress the washer and spacer down so you can more easily get a wrench on the jam nut ...
if there isn't, there should be.

Dennis
 
#16 ·
I am waiting on my front springs from Max, I ordered them a week ago. In the mean time I took my fork tubes off the bike. I wanted to change my fork oil so decided to just take them off it isn't much harder to do and makes things alot easier.
I have 28k on my 02 ABS wing and the fork oil was never changed, I thought the oil would be real dirty but it wasn't to bad at all! I removed the springs and checked how much oil was in the tubes. Both tubes were a little over an inch low.
What wheight oil is used with Traxion springs? I just bought Honda SS8 (8 weight) oil for the forks, can I use it? Hope my springs soon get here so I can finnish it up. I can't wait to try it.

Pap
 
#17 ·
PAP, use a socket extention about 10 inches and a ratchet for top caps. But first loosen the top tension screw on the side of each! Push down with palm on ratchet and other hand can be used to keep pressure on the caps as you unscrew them. On the bike was easy, hope you loosened the caps on the bike before you pulled em. The tension is not much, but enough to strip out the thread with no back pressure on the caps. Drain the oil first, to relieve any possible pressure in forks. OIL, max recommended a light oil in left shock if antidive valve is still used. Right shock a 10,15,or 20 wt. Max sent me the 20 for NJ. Got his 7 wt for the left one, but the honda ss8 is 10 and likely not much different. Was the stock OEM oil too. If anti dive valve is dissabled, max suggested the same oil in both, like 20 wt. I put a shim on my anti dive valve, but now sure if this is considered a full disable, or slight modification. And use both washers on the shock, read instructions 5x. Just do same order as taken out, but add the new fat washer under the cap. Installed the caps the same way I took off, no big issue.
 
#20 ·
To drain the front shocks, you have to take off the wheel. Drain Allen under the axle rod. If not replacing the oil, it would still be alot easier with the wheel off when you raise the shock to check oil level. Could you just pull caps and change the springs, have to say yes.
 
#21 ·
Ron Leonard said:
wingwing said:
Finished the DIY Traxion Spring install.
Mostly pretty easy.
I did not take the forks off the bike.

Did you remove the front wheel, or leave it on?
Left it on ...
Jacked up the front of the bike so the forks were fully extended.
... (took the pressure off the springs)
... then, after the springs were out, I used my HF motorcycle jack to just lift the front wheel up all the way so I could measure the oil.

On my 07, it was just
take the shelf off.
take the plastic fork cap cover off.
then, take the fork caps off.

Dennis
 
#22 ·
Got my bike back Friday with a new Traxxion rear shock and front springs. I also had the MBL handlebar risers installed. The bike feels completely different (for the better). Definitely sits a lot taller. I'm a big guy (250 lbs) and the adjustable suspension was set at 6 when I left Gary's Hobbie shop. After I got home, I lowered it to 4. It feels great!
 
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