How low can you go?...

[sameltoe]

So I'm in the process of measuring my shocks/chassis for a comp. and ext. length. And Jet recomends for xc to set the ride height at 11 1/4 measure and at 1 1/2 then measure...
Well I can't get this frame to sit any lower than 2 5/8, before the rear shock bolt hits the swingarm and the tierods hit the a-arm mount.

Have many of you came across this?

[sameltoe]

...

[Chino886]

I did not have that problem with my LSR.

[hontrx265r]

If you call axis and tell them your setup they will give you extended, compressed lengths and anything else you want to know. Its pretty std though that your frontend uses a 19 or 19.25in shock I believe, and the houser rear is a 17.5 so thats a start for ya..

[hontrx265r]

I take back my statement about the rear shock length I just noticed its a stock link, I was thinking no link

[danhung11]

Can't you just take the shock and tie rods off so it will clear? What size tires are those? You could simply call Houser, I am sure they know what lengths they take.

Those don't look like TRX250R spindles...:ermm:

[sameltoe]

LOL I didn't notice the shock in the pic...It's just laying their. I was measuring for the hose length, I'm mounting the rezzi on the grabbar, like on my 450.

I tried calling houser...left a message.
04/5 450r spindles/hubs
tires are razr2's off my 450/ while I have the sand tires on it...
20 rear/22front...

What's stoping the rear is the link bolt hitting the swinger...

[danhung11]

On my CR500 link, there is a bolt that has a Phillips head, it's has a very thin head. Make sense? Is your link bolt the traditional hex head, about 1/2" tall measuring from flange to top of bolt? I can get a pic for you tomorrow to show you what I'm talking about. Take a picture of how much clearance you are needing. Or if you have an extra bolt with same diameter, shear off the head and just use it to hold all the pieces together to get your measurement. Just curios, what graphics you running to tie all the colors together?

[mx91a]

You might need to run a longer dogbone link in the rear to get that last bit of extra travel, I think the 86 one is longer. Also you probably have to custom mount your airbox and silencer higher going that low with those big tires on there; put them on to see if there is clearance, otherwise it might be better to have the shock bottom out with about 2" of ground to frame clearance. I'm going through the same thing setting up my rear with a long travel 450R link and shock.

I'm not sure what's going on in the front a closer picture might help. Might have to go to 21" tires!

[danhung11]

Originally posted by danhung11
On my CR500 link, there is a bolt that has a Phillips head, it's has a very thin head. Make sense? Is your link bolt the traditional hex head, about 1/2" tall measuring from flange to top of bolt? I can get a pic for you tomorrow to show you what I'm talking about. Take a picture of how much clearance you are needing. Or if you have an extra bolt with same diameter, shear off the head and just use it to hold all the pieces together to get your measurement. Just curios, what graphics you running to tie all the colors together?

This is what I'm talking about... you see the differences in the thickness of the head of the bolt.

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd228/danhung11/991865d8.jpg

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd228/danhung11/4f68f0d6.jpg

[troybilt]

Post a pic of what's hitting in the rear, I thought I send you the correct bolt.

[dustin_j]

Sounds like Troy and Dan will get you settled on the swingarm clearance. Could you post a better picture of the front end? Don't remove the tie rods for a measurement, because you don't want them to hit during suspension travel. You should be able to sit the frame on the 2x4 (really 1.5" thick) and turn the bars completely both ways. You don't want any contact within your travel. One or both of your tie rod ends will need to be moved; are they oriented correctly now?

[D Bergstrom]

With my stock 250R setup, I could only get a 4" frame to ground clearance, anything lower and the stock swingarm would hit the airbox. I run 23" front/22" rear tires. I am also using the 86 linkage, was told that is the better setup to getting more uptravel. I ended up getting an aluminum airbox and cutting the tabs some on the linkage mount on the swing arm. I also had to move my silencer up a bit also, as it would have hit the axle. About the best I could do was just under 3" frame to ground clearance, about where I wanted to be for the desert anyway.

As far as the front,hard to tell by the pics, but do you have the tie rods mounted correctly? Looks like you are using a different spindle, 400ex or 450R? I know for sure the 450R spindles have the tie rod mounting from the bottom, I think the 400EX are the same. Looks like in your pic the tie rod is mounted from the top, hard to tell though. Something to look at.

I know most suspension shops say to use a bottomed out frame height of 1.5", but sometimes that is not possible due to clearance. Just have to use what you can get.

Doug

[cdrookie]

my arens frame/houser front took 18.75 or 18.875" shocks

[Honda 250r 001]

better pics of the front needed. Are there even tie rods on the front in the pic???

[sameltoe]

Rear: Which is fine I guess, Specs from houser and axis(called both) were 16 ext. and 11.625 comp. I came up with 11 1/2 so I should be golden...

[sameltoe]

from top...

[sameltoe]

Heres a couple of the front...
Don't really want to trim the tabs...but it is a thought
Probly just run it as is for now, And get some 89 250r spindles...

[sameltoe]

Could take the spindle to the sanding belt...

[sameltoe]

Funny, When I called houser the only measurement they could give me was the front ext. length. And shaft travel...which was a diff # than axis...
Sinse they don't make/sell these anymore...they discarded the info also:ermm:

[danhung11]

That rear linkage looks bolted up funny, are you sure it's installed correctly? It's difficult to see the pictures with the camera so close to the bike. The grease zerk on the dog bone should not be coming up to the shock...how would one grease that zerk? Can you step back like 4-5 feet and try to take another picture?

Are those 400EX spindles or 450R? Keep in mind, that frame/a-arms were built for 250R components.

[sameltoe]

Hay Dan, I flipped the dogbone around and think I had the link upside down also...
could you post a pic off how they go?
It's hard to tell from the diagram on Honda-parts....And I couldn't find any detailed pics on here...

And yea, they are 450r spindles :ermm:
I have a set of 86's...but no hubs, I thought the 450's might be the way to go, O'well live an learn.

Thanks for the help/suggestions!

[sameltoe]

I also have a set of 400ex hubs...Will those work with 89 spindles?

[danhung11]

Originally posted by sameltoe
I also have a set of 400ex hubs...Will those work with 89 spindles?

Yes, 400EX hubs will work. You might have to add the tapered sleeve in there, if not it's not going to hurt anything. If you have them, throw them in there. 450R, 400EX, and 88-89 TRX 250R front hubs bearings are the same.

Here's a couple of pictures that will help you out. Don't mind my dry rotted bump stop. The 2nd picture is from below the bike, you see how it has the 90* grease zerk to the side to allow greasing without flipping the bike up. At any rate, looking at that bolt - I am not sure how it would ever touch the swingarm. Are you positive this linkage piece you have is from a TRX? I've run into a similar problem when I had a ATC linkage in my hand.

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd228/danhung11/197bdd4c.jpg

http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd228/danhung11/34cbfe8d.jpg

[sameltoe]

Pretty sure...I bought the link set-up from Morgan
Thanks for the pics!
Could you give me a side shot...
where the link meets the dog bone and shock.
There is a smooth side and a side that has "dropouts" if that makes sense...

[danhung11]

Take the greaseable linkage bolt out and look at all the dust caps, it should only go on one way with the dust caps sealing both sides. Mine slides in from the left looking at it from the rear. That help?

[sameltoe]

Notice the bumps on the link...that is what I was talking about. Do they go up or down?

Another thing I noticed...is I had the wrong lower shock bolt in. I didn't know I had 2 bolts that are different sizes...Now I'm lost lol

[danhung11]

Originally posted by sameltoe
Notice the bumps on the link...that is what I was talking about. Do they go up or down?

Another thing I noticed...is I had the wrong lower shock bolt in. I didn't know I had 2 bolts that are different sizes...Now I'm lost lol

The bumps on mine face up. The picture you have above is exactly how the linkage and dogbone assemble together. I only have one of those bolts with the zerks, it's located at the shock/dogbone joint.

Are we getting anywhere?:blah:

[sameltoe]

yup...
Jet is going to go with the deminsions from axis...

Going to leave it as is, till I find some 89 spindles and re-measure...

[Honda 250r 001]

What rear linkage are you running 88-89? Or 86? It looks like to me that a 86 dogbone would solve the rear linkage problems.

[troybilt]

Originally posted by sameltoe
yup...
Jet is going to go with the deminsions from axis...

Going to leave it as is, till I find some 89 spindles and re-measure...

I have a set of 89 spindles/hubs if you need them.

[sameltoe]

88/89...I had an 86, wish I wouldn't of sold it. LOL

I wish I had a stock bike, Just to see if they sit as low as a shock builder wants it too... I don't think the rear would in stock form...

I'm looking for 86 dogbone and 89 spindles, After vacation of coarse...

[sameltoe]

Troy, would you let me borrow them for a mock up? I would pay shipping both ways...