Can anyone help me with springs?

[Honda 250r 001]

The buyer ended up falling though on my pep shocks and ive decided to keep them.

Can anyone help me get the springs correct on these dang things? THey were wayyy to stiff the last race and too short. Does anyone have a spring or any advice. I think the biggest spring is too short and to stiff, does anyone have a longer set of 2 springs i could buy off ya? any of the 3 springs on each shock just as long as its longer to get rid of the gap.

Plus im looking for the bushing spacers for the bottom if any one has any i would buy them off ya too.

I will get pics of what im talking about later tonight.
Thanks
Will

[Honda 250r 001]

anyone have an idea what im talking about? I just need to take up space in the springs. maybe add another to make them quad rate? Help!

[zedicus00]

get some pics up. i have some ideas but would like to see what im working with.

[knobbyboy]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270433123371&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMESELX%3AIT

[Honda 250r 001]

reply sent, pics being uploaded as i type.

Thanks

[Honda 250r 001]

ok tell me if this link works, i think i may have figured out the gift of photobucket.

Thanks

http://s804.photobucket.com/albums/yy330/hedberg345/?action=view&current=Shockgap.jpg

[Honda 250r 001]

heres the bushings i need. sort of blury but you get the point.

http://s804.photobucket.com/albums/yy330/hedberg345/?action=view&current=Shockbushing.jpg

the blue spring is 8 and a half inches long, the middle spring is 2 and a half inches and the top spring is 1 inch and 3/4.

The inside diameter of the springs is also 1 inch and 3/4.

I also noticed that the coils on the very top spring are no smaller than the middle spring. Shouldnt the top be smaller, because its the softeset spring?

Thanks

[fulltiltrider]

Have you had these mounted yet? That space would disapear when there is weight on the shock. I doubt anything is wrong. The thickness of the spring doesnt have as much to do with its characteristics as how it is coiled does.

[zedicus00]

do NOT mount them if they have a gap. any time you jump or go around a tite corner and a shock goes zero load you run the risk of it catching a bit off center and screwing something up.

basically what i would do is get on ebay and type in shock spring and hunt around. you can find one that is a ZPS spring that will fit at the top or you can find a longer spring to replace any of the three you have. just check inside diameter. the kg rating that most people list is what the spring is weighted for. but things like arm length and riding style effect how it feals to you so the best thing to do is buy a set, see if they fit and feal o.k. for you. if they are too hard or soft sale them and buy something else.

ive ran works triple rate springs on stock 450r shocks. seen stock springs on aftermarket bodies. shocks are almost completly universal as long as you watch your measurements.

[Honda 250r 001]

So no one has any springs?

[fulltiltrider]

Im an engine freak, I know little about suspension components. Can you explain how a gap that big got there? Just from spring wear? If they have been used that hard Id think you should go over them comepletely. Its like adding a fully ported 330 to a 20yr old bottom end if thats the case.

[Honda 250r 001]

Ive alredy taken them apart and replaced seals and when i pulled them apart, there was 5 quarter inch spacers keeping the shock from going to full length. I believe they were set up for flat track and this was their "lowering kit" so i took out 3 of the 5 spacers on each side let the shock extend a bit more. They also used a spacer at the bottom of the shock and I took that out. Now the springs are too short and im thinking the top white springs are all ****ed up, not the original ones.

Now you know the whole story behind this.

[zedicus00]

hey what does that thing measure from center of eye to center of eye now??

[Honda 250r 001]

19.50 eye to eye exactly. and fully compressed its 13.00 inches eye to eye. for a shaft travel of 6.50 inches.
I would have taken out more spacers but my a arms will only allow 19.50.

If i would have taken them all out i would be at 20 inches with 7 inches of shaft travel.
Thanks

[zedicus00]

congrats, you just figured out how that manufacturer makes its LONG TRAVEL shocks. unless you have long travel arms, put them back to 16" and run em like that. you could MAYBE get away with 17", your never spose to be anywhere neear full extension on the arms to prevent binding.

19.50 is exactly the measurement of LT shocks for this app, which would require LT arms to use properly.

[Honda 250r 001]

lol, of couse i have long travel a arms man. frontline performance, the best in the land. ive been gettin over a foot of suspension travel with this set up.

[zedicus00]

call your shock maker and tell em you need to swap springs, make up some storry about having thouse in a box for a while do to a move and you never checked em or something. say you got the LT shocks but for some reason it looks like you have standard travel springs and there is a gap in the springs at full extension.

NOTE: this is considered social engineering, its like convincing pizza hut to send you a free pizza, getting enough free samples to make a meal, or pretty much any time when you convince a business that its their problem and you want something out of it.

HINT: be NICE, act NAIVE. do NOT yell or demand anything, do not make threats or accusations. most places are more then willing to do things for their customers.

HINT 2: you want to get the persons name, dont give your name up right away. if they arent wanting to do the swap or say they cant, wait a day call back and talk to someone else.

[Honda 250r 001]

Originally posted by zedicus00
call your shock maker and tell em you need to swap springs, make up some storry about having thouse in a box for a while do to a move and you never checked em or something. say you got the LT shocks but for some reason it looks like you have standard travel springs and there is a gap in the springs at full extension.

NOTE: this is considered social engineering, its like convincing pizza hut to send you a free pizza, getting enough free samples to make a meal, or pretty much any time when you convince a business that its their problem and you want something out of it.

HINT: be NICE, act NAIVE. do NOT yell or demand anything, do not make threats or accusations. most places are more then willing to do things for their customers.

HINT 2: you want to get the persons name, dont give your name up right away. if they arent wanting to do the swap or say they cant, wait a day call back and talk to someone else.

thanks for the advice, that would work good, but the shocks are over 10 years old. lol, so im not sure if they are gonna believe it. I think im just gonna call up c&D and get the top two springs new.

Thanks

[zedicus00]

it never hurts to ask.

it sounds wierd i know but calling up a big corp and saying "hey, i know you guys normally charge 1000$ for these but can i have a set?" sometimes works.

it all goes back to the above post, google "social engineering" if you want.