Wilbers Rear HARD Preload Adjustment

[longnokr]

Well I got to set the hard pre-load today, it wasn't too bad...once I found a spring compressor small enough for this spring. I never could find a spanner wrench to fit the top lock nut but the BIG channel locks took it off easily with very little marring of the lock ring. I had to adjust it 4.5 mm (three complete turns of the top) keeping the orientation of the preload adjuster correct for a proper fit. It made a huge difference! Now with no preload adjustment, it's just a bit stiff, with the SO on it's good at 10 clicks, I'll figure total sag with gear and all tomorrow, so far it looks good, maybe Klaus was right!

 

[Geezer]

If I remember your original post, you have the .95 spring. That's the same one I have. Others have said that it is too light for them but I find it to be perfect for me.

 

[Feejer/Weejer man]

If I remember your original post, you have the .95 spring. That's the same one I have. Others have said that it is too light for them but I find it to be perfect for me.

How much do you weigh? And do yu ride two up alot or pack a lot of gear? Fuel cell?

 

[Geezer]

If I remember your original post, you have the .95 spring. That's the same one I have. Others have said that it is too light for them but I find it to be perfect for me.

How much do you weigh? And do yu ride two up alot or pack a lot of gear? Fuel cell?

I weigh about 190 in full gear. My everyday riding is solo with the panniers on but empty, and a Givi top box with about 10 pounds of stuff in it. I have done some LD riding with full bags and camping equipment strapped on the pillion seat and still only crank up a few clicks of preload.

I rarely carry a pillion and when I do it is for a short ride. I don't crank up any preload for this and have no problem.

 

[skyway]

I weigh about 190 in full gear. My everyday riding is solo with the panniers on but empty, and a Givi top box with about 10 pounds of stuff in it. I have done some LD riding with full bags and camping equipment strapped on the pillion seat and still only crank up a few clicks of preload.
I rarely carry a pillion and when I do it is for a short ride. I don't crank up any preload for this and have no problem.

Our riding styles must be night and day Geezer? Try hitting the twisties hard with that .95kg spring (I shudder to think what it would be like with a passenger on board) and get back to me. I find it hard to believe that you can ride with a passenger with NO preload added on this spring and have no problems? Do you ride the mountains or are you a flatlander?

 

[skyway]

Well I got to set the hard pre-load today, it wasn't too bad...once I found a spring compressor small enough for this spring. I never could find a spanner wrench to fit the top lock nut but the BIG channel locks took it off easily with very little marring of the lock ring. I had to adjust it 4.5 mm (three complete turns of the top) keeping the orientation of the preload adjuster correct for a proper fit. It made a huge difference! Now with no preload adjustment, it's just a bit stiff, with the SO on it's good at 10 clicks, I'll figure total sag with gear and all tomorrow, so far it looks good, maybe Klaus was right!

longnokr - My advise to you would be to find some really bumpy road and make sure that there is not too much preload on that spring. If you find you are over compensating on adjustments to smooth out the ride, you may need to go up a size. I too went this route initially with the same spring as you currently have and it did not work out.

A weak spring with too much preload is no substitute for the correct spring size.

 

[Geezer]

Guess I'm not as aggressive as I like to think. I think the best thing about the Wilbers is that it doesn't give me a jolt when I hit a bump, like the stock shock did. I ride very conservatively with a pillion so that would explain why I don't need preload for that.

I live in the Catskills and ride mostly 2 lane mountain roads. The twists are not as tight as the roads in the Smoky mountains but not straight or flat.

I will check the doc. that came with my Wilbers when I get home today to make sure I got the numbers right.

 

[longnokr]

I did, it is...I'm going to take it back off and loosen it 1 turn (1.5 mm), that should be about right. It's just a little to stiff like this. Idealy it'll ride just right with 0 adjustable preload and still good fully loaded with all 22 clicks. They may just have not had it adjusted perfect, I can see haow that could happen. Ill try it out and see.

 

[Geezer]

Just made time to dig out my Wilbers box and check the information:

12 clicks rebound

18 mm factory set preload

spring 59/59-95-165 AA329mm

Even though it says 12 clicks rebound I actually have no clicks on the rebound and that's the way I got it from Wilbers, so I don't really know what that 12 clicks is telling me.