Anyone over 280 lbs. have the Penske rear shock upgrade?

[Wannabe_4x4]

So I took the plunge and did .97 springs up front and the Penske 8983 rear shock with a 850 lb. spring.

UPDATE!!!

Here are my new settings as of 12:00 pm on 07/02/2010

fork compression 8

fork rebound 8

fork sag 50mm

front tire psi 40

rear compression 4

rear rebound 12

rear sag 40mm

rear tire pressure 42

I'm running too much sag in the front because my springs aren't strong enough to support my fat ass. I'm currently 330 lbs. SHOULD have gotten the 1.2 or even 1.3 springs up front for the forks, but thought I'd lose 50-60 lbs by now. It's been almost a year. Doh!

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

So I took the plunge and did .97 springs up front and the Penske 8983 rear shock with a 850 lb. spring.
The ride is significantly better, but I'm trying to figure out what you've set your rear shock to as far as rebound and compression dampening go. The dealer set it to 18 clicks of rebound, and I'm not sure what the compression is because I haven't messed with the setting yet.

What do you guys suggest as far as rebound and compression go?

I'm 300+ but no help to you. IMHO, Dave got the suspension settings right for me out of the box and I haven't touched them. A little harsh on slab one up, but perfect in the twisties and very good loaded up. The shock eased up a bit after some miles I think. And to tell the truth, I didn't feel like fudging it up looking for "perfect". Most set sag as I remember it, use a written log of changes from a baseline setting(s) and adjust away, knowing how far they go from baseline and ride and experiment. I am very sure somebody can give you a better answer though.

P.S. Have you considered joining Los Robustos MC?

 

[fhaze]

I qualify for this..

1.1kg Sonic Springs up front, and 8983 Penske w/ 850lb spring..

I set my sag, and took it out for a ride...it was great right out of the box...this is about 2 years ago.

Recently Im getting a tiny bit more rebound bounce I think...so I am going to dial in some more and see how it behaves.

I really think you just need to experiment a litttle, and jot down your baseline settings for reference.

What might be good for me, may not be good for you.

 

[FJRONAMISSION]

I qualify for this..
1.1kg Sonic Springs up front, and 8983 Penske w/ 850lb spring..

I set my sag, and took it out for a ride...it was great right out of the box...this is about 2 years ago.

Recently Im getting a tiny bit more rebound bounce I think...so I am going to dial in some more and see how it behaves.

I really think you just need to experiment a litttle, and jot down your baseline settings for reference.

What might be good for me, may not be good for you.

Now.... what pork size are you...... ......... just to confirm that you

are qualified.....

B

 

[Fubar]

I'm 250 and my suspension was set up by Traxxion Dynamics in GA. They know there stuff.. Ask for Lee

 

[fhaze]

Now.... what pork size are you...... ......... just to confirm that youare qualified.....

B

3 bills w/o gear, but trying to lose a bunch.

I am 6'3" though, so it helps spread it out a bit

 

[Wannabe_4x4]

I qualify for this..
1.1kg Sonic Springs up front, and 8983 Penske w/ 850lb spring..

I set my sag, and took it out for a ride...it was great right out of the box...this is about 2 years ago.

Recently Im getting a tiny bit more rebound bounce I think...so I am going to dial in some more and see how it behaves.

I really think you just need to experiment a litttle, and jot down your baseline settings for reference.

What might be good for me, may not be good for you.

PLEASE take a reading of what all your settings are and post them. YOU are my only hope Obi Won Kanobi!

Need to know...

1. preload line on the front forks

2. rebound dampening front forks..how many clicks out from the hardest setting

3. compression dampening front forks... how many clicks, yada yada yada

4. rear suspension rebound dampening...how many clicks

5. compression dampening for the rear shock.

THANKS IN ADVANCE

 

[fhaze]

Let me know how they worked out for you..

 

[rublenoon]

Here is another rear data point for your consideration: '06A

Rear : Penske 3-way, sag set to 33mm+-, Compression - big @ 12 and small @ 10, Rebound @ 7

Front : GP front, two lines showing, Compression 16 and Rebound @ 12

[all clicks from full hard]

The front is basically as sent from GP less than 5 clicks of adjustment +-. Rear took 2 months of playing to tune in and I still tune for known road or riding cases. Get the compression close then work the rebound.

The ride is firm to harsh on super slab expansion joints or RRX in one up. The ride is wonderful in the twisty or at performance award speeds or with a heavy load.

I'm 200# now, but I was 280# when I started the set-up two years ago. That is why the tuning was done.

I had PR's and two sets of Roadsmarts on it through the drill and find the RS's do best for me F @ 36 psig and R @ 39-40 psig.

Good luck and enjoy. It was like a new bike after the rear and it was new better bike after the GP front.

 

[Wannabe_4x4]

I called GP in oregon, AND traxx in Georgia... both told me the same thing...

fork rebound 12-14 clicks

fork compression 12 clicks

penske rebound 18-20 clicks

penske compression 12 clicks

I'm gonna setup my bike this way, and ride tomorrow morning when there isn't as much traffic, and update.

One crucial point that both GP and traxx said was that my tire pressure is WAY too high. They both suggested 38 psi front tire and 40 psi for rear tire.

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

I called GP in oregon, AND traxx in Georgia... both told me the same thing...
fork rebound 12-14 clicks

fork compression 12 clicks

penske rebound 18-20 clicks

penske compression 12 clicks

I'm gonna setup my bike this way, and ride tomorrow morning when there isn't as much traffic, and update.

One crucial point that both GP and traxx said was that my tire pressure is WAY too high. They both suggested 38 psi front tire and 40 psi for rear tire.

It is true those kinds of tire pressures (definately NEPRT material, YMMV) gave me better traction and ride, but several thousand fewrer miles per set of tires too.

 

[Warchild]

One crucial point that both GP and traxx said was that my tire pressure is WAY too high. They both suggested 38 psi front tire and 40 psi for rear tire.

No.

No, no, no, no, no... NO!

Take those tires back up to 42 psi and LEAVE THEM THERE!!!

Believe me. Trust me. 42 psi, front and rear.

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

One crucial point that both GP and traxx said was that my tire pressure is WAY too high. They both suggested 38 psi front tire and 40 psi for rear tire.

No.

No, no, no, no, no... NO!

Take those tires back up to 42 psi and LEAVE THEM THERE!!!

Believe me. Trust me. 42 psi, front and rear.

Two sets of PR2's after Warchild told me this in a dealer parking lot at NAFO and better advice I never got...

 

[Mcgyver74]

I've been a true beliver of 42 for years, It's not just the answer to live the universe and everyting, it's also what your tires should be at!!!!

 

[Sagebrush]

I've been a true beliver of 42 for years, It's not just the answer to live the universe and everyting, it's also what your tires should be at!!!!

Amen, at 38 psi the front tire died at 3,000 miles, the next tire, a road smart kept at 40 psi lasted 6,000. Now I'm running a PR2 at 42 psi and its wearing like iron with 7200 miles in it with lots of tread left. Much less cupping, its 42 f, 42 r for me too. Sounds high but it works.

 

[superbig]

I've been a true beliver of 42 for years, It's not just the answer to live the universe and everyting, it's also what your tires should be at!!!!

Amen, at 38 psi the front tire died at 3,000 miles, the next tire, a road smart kept at 40 psi lasted 6,000. Now I'm running a PR2 at 42 psi and its wearing like iron with 7200 miles in it with lots of tread left. Much less cupping, its 42 f, 42 r for me too. Sounds high but it works.

Ditto on the 42psi front and rear. In the past, I didn't pay attention to tire pressures and every time I bought new tires at about 5,000 miles, the tire guy berated me and thanked me at the same time. 42psi makes my bike feel light on it's feet and loses that 'falling into a turn' feeling. I check them every few days now to make sure they're not dropping.

 

[Roy Epperson]

I've been a true beliver of 42 for years, It's not just the answer to live the universe and everyting, it's also what your tires should be at!!!!

Ditto on the 42psi front and rear.

I'm on my second set of PR2s at 42psi. I swapped the first set at 13K as I had a 2,000 mile trip coming up and didn't wanta deal with possibly having to get new tires on the trip. The current set as 10,000 and I'm guessing at least another 5,000 with no cupping.

Much less cupping, its 42 f, 42 r for me too.

Have you checked your rebound? If I understand what the person who's been setting my bike up one of the causes of cupping is the rebound being too soft. I know he looks at tread groves on towards the side of the tire and if the edges is not sharp, he tightens the rebound a click or 2. This was after about 1,000 miles (in my case after 4,000, as I left on a trip just after the last adjustment).

 

[Wannabe_4x4]

:assassin:interesting anomoly with the rear Penske shock

here's my settings and problem.

front sag 35mm, rear sag 35mm

front forks, compression = 19 clicks, rebound 10 clicks

rear Penske shock, compression 12 clicks, rebound 18 clicks.

Problem: In a long, sweeping turn (almost like half oval), if I hit a large rolling bump mid turn, the bike bounces mildly and takes a successive smaller bounce to settle. I believe it's the rear shock that isn't set right... either too much compression dampening, or maybe too much rebound... or not enough. I'm stumped!

a. I'm not bottoming out in either the forks or rear shock. Still have 1 inch of travel front and rear.

b. front compression is fine... bike is falling into the corner fine, and small bumps and ripples get absorbed.

c. front rebound is set perfect... I'm neither packing in, nor shooting up too fast.

What do you think would cause that?

 

[MCRIDER007]

Problem: In a long, sweeping turn (almost like half oval), if I hit a large rolling bump mid turn, the bike bounces mildly and takes a successive smaller bounce to settle.

Classic case of not enough rebound damping.