preload adjustment question

[quadmanw]

Well I'm gonna go ahead and adjust my front shock preload tonight and I'd like to adjust them for no preload. I'm sure CJM will chime in on this because I think hes told me how to before but I can't remember. I know i have to loosen the first nut on top with s flat head screw driver.. and then I'm stumped. Also, should I go about doing this with the shocks on while messing with the nuts? I broke my vice last week and can't use it lol.
Thanks guys! Steve

[Stickman400]

Easiest way to do it is take a punch, or a small screwdriver if you don't care about it possibly breaking, then lift the bike off the ground to get the weight off the spring and then just take the punch and back the bottom nut off until you get it where you want it then snug the top nut back down, lower the bike on the ground and then make sure the top nut is snug again. You may want to take a sharpie and draw a straight line down across both nuts so you can see if the nuts come loose during a ride. You could try setting your race sag, but if the shock isn't set up for your weight you prolly won't be able to get it set correctly with such little pre-load adjustment from the factory.

[quadmanw]

Do you think its a good idea to back it all the way off? How many spins is that? Lol

[Stickman400]

Well you could back it off to the top of the threads on the pre-load adjuster if you wanted, but that may be really soft depending on your weight and you may even damage the shock if you hit too big of a jump with the pre-load all the way out. I'd back it about half way out from where it's at then take it for a ride and go from there.

[CJM]

I dont do any insane jumps, at most maybe 20ft, small stuff. I have the preload all the way off my 450r front shocks.

[quadmanw]

Alright thanks guys I'm gonna go do it now.

[quadmanw]

Alright well i backed the preload all the way off. What are you guys doing with the little adjustments on the sides?

[Stickman400]

You are talking about the screw adjusters right? The top one is your compression adjustment, if you turn it in (CW) it will slow down the rate of compression and make for a rougher ride, but it will be able to take a harder impact without bottoming out. Turning it out (CCW) will off course make it compress faster and have a better ride on trails and rough terrain. The bottom adjuster is your rebound and it controls how fast the shock goes back to extended length after being compressed. Turning it in will make it rebound slower for if you only need it to take a hard hit every once awhile. Turning it out will make it rebound faster so it will absorb bumps faster and be able to take another hit without being bottomed out, like in a whoop section.

That's all based on my memory of turning it in being the H on the shock and out being S. If they are the opposite of that then reverse everything I said. I can't remember 100% what they are.