Shock Swap with 99-02 R6

[Ryanthegreat1]

So what sag number are good on the RC?

I am getting 8mm static and 48mm with me on it. With the preload maxed out.

Travel is claimed to be 150mm. Would 1/3 of the travel for sag not be ideal?

Matt, what is "Big boy" weight? I am at 175 no gear. Odd that I am getting bigger sag numbers.

I could not wait, had to go for a ride tonight. So far much better! There is dampening happening. No more pogo stick action. Can be way more aggressive and not upset the rear.

The higher rear end really plants the front. But my swingarm in now fouling on the lower fairing just above the exhaust tip. Speaking of exhaust, no change there, still cooking the rear shock. Shock was so hot I could not touch it. Did not seem to make the dampening go away like the stock shock.

Might need to go to an aftermarket exhaust just to keep the heat off the shock. Something a little smaller that would allow for heat shielding would be great.

 

[Formula390]

I'm about 215#. I may fluctuate up another 10# and back, tho I used to weigh 325#... I've never gotten below 197 no much how hard I try to diet.

The preload difference is I weigh more and sitting is completely different... Who knows, maybe your stock spring f from your R6 shock had more miles and has gotten tired... The stock shock with stock sitting on max was still totally unacceptable, thus why I started looking... And I wanted to see if something with adjustment was available instead of just putting a spring on the stock shock.

It does work with the stock exhaust, but my exhaust design will allow more room, plus I'm intending on ceramic coating to control heat a LOT better into the shock.. There is still room for a heat shield with the stock exhaust. Not much, but some. The swingarm movement still clears at max... Our at least as much as I could tell with jumping up and down while on the stand and my wife watching. LOL Science! LOL

As for what a good static sag is, that's a long discussion point, for ME anything over an inch is only for dirtbikes. $0.02.

 

[mr-fabricator]

No real progress from me over the weekend other than taking the spring off the r6 shock , i wanted to see what the piston action was like , the shock has fluid in wich is a bonus and when pushed in it returns unaided so it also has pressure .

I adjust the clicker at the bottom and it creates resistance pushing in and slows the return also between 2 and 11 seconds depending on what end of the scale u have wound it to . But no matter what i did to the screw at the top , about 9 or 10 clicks adjustment i think ,,, it made no difference at all to pressure pushing the piston rod in or its rate / speed of return to full length . So if the bottom clicker is compression the top should be rebound ?? From when i had the shock on the bike the bottom clicker seemed to do both and again im confused to what the top screw does ???

 

[Formula390]

No real progress from me over the weekend other than taking the spring off the r6 shock , i wanted to see what the piston action was like , the shock has fluid in wich is a bonus and when pushed in it returns unaided so it also has pressure .

I adjust the clicker at the bottom and it creates resistance pushing in and slows the return also between 2 and 11 seconds depending on what end of the scale u have wound it to . But no matter what i did to the screw at the top , about 9 or 10 clicks adjustment i think ,,, it made no difference at all to pressure pushing the piston rod in or its rate / speed of return to full length . So if the bottom clicker is compression the top should be rebound ?? From when i had the shock on the bike the bottom clicker seemed to do both and again im confused to what the top screw does ???

What is the free length of the stock R6 spring uncompressed? I forgot to measure this before I mounted the shock up on the bike.

The top adjuster is compression, the bottom adjuster is rebound. It's possible you wouldn't be able to see a difference on the top compression adjuster with slowly pushing the piston in as it's likely too slow to for the fluid moving through the valving for the shock to "see" and dampen the movement. The compression has 12-13 clicks by my count. I set mine at 6 and will use that as my starting point. The rebound has 40 clicks, and again, set it in the middle at 20 clicks for a starting point for once I have the new spring on the bike.

While you are seeing a difference with the rebound adjustment, it's likely such a slow movement it's not as perceptible without the spring being on there so the fluid is moving through the valving too slowly to be changed by all that much.

 

[mr-fabricator]

From memory when the r6 shock was on the bike complete with spring i didnt notice any difference when playing with the compression screw ether . If i have the bottom wound all the way out it bounces up and down like the standard shock , adjusting the top screw does nothing , adjusting the bottom clicker appears to offer more resustance in both compression and rebound . Agreed just bouncing the back by hand and static isnt real world or applying the forces it will be subjected to on the road in real time . Compression adjustment may only be noticable when you hit a bump at speed and with a rider with gear too . Valves / flow rates and hi forces will be way above anything u can simulate with a push ..

i didnt measure anything as yet , been busy with other things bht hopefully get the springs swapped over this week and get booked in for a track day very soon .

As the new rear shock will be wearing the stock spring but now have damping im going to empty the front forks and put some 6 or 7wt oil in them . Just so the front has damping and will be a little better matched to the rear shock . Eventually ill get them looked at properly by K tech for cartridges / emulators or straight rate springs and oil recomendations . They may be able to offer a good rate on some internals for the r6 shock also .

 

[mr-fabricator]

While were all talking suspension . Any idea how much oil i need to do the front forks ???

 

[Formula390]

While were all talking suspension . Any idea how much oil i need to do the front forks ???

Sparepartsfinder says 5L of 4w. That seems high to me, but that may very well be correct:

48601166S1

FORK OIL SAE4 5L

Of course, you need to set your fork oil by the air gap, not by volume measurement. I'm sure you know that tho.

 

[Fasteddy]

Here's a more clear description of that part number which is a bulk amount..
"WP 5 weight fork oil in 5 liter container"

and from the manual...

 

[Fasteddy]

Pic got lost, manual calls for 460ml (15.55fl. oz.) same weight and part number...

 

[Formula390]

Pic got lost, manual calls for 460ml (15.55fl. oz.) same weight and part number...

Sure enough, tho I'm seeing 450ml.

 

[mr-fabricator]

Thanks guys , so just a litre will do the pair . As for level yes will set and adjust this . From the factory mine have been over filled , with 4000k's of hard track use my front forks have nearly 2 inches of travel unused !!!!! Over full me thinks .

Thanks ....

 

[Fasteddy]

Sure enough, tho I'm seeing 450ml.

Thats funny, yet again another discrepancy in the manual, I found it on page 196 section 22.8...

And I went ahead and picked up an R6 shock from ebay to give it a try...

 

[micahpearlman]

I had too much oil in my forks as well. Not clear on what the front suspension stroke is but I was only using 80mm and I'm guessing there is a at least 120mm stroke.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mr-fabricator]

I had too much oil in my forks as well. Not clear on what the front suspension stroke is but I was only using 80mm and I'm guessing there is a at least 120mm stroke.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Im using more than that but only another 15-20mm certainly not full stroke . On my other bike with k-tech internals i have 5mm of piston and a 5mm zip tie so using all but the last 10mm . Perfect .

 

[SPG]

The forks hit a hard bottom at about 44mm from the bottom of the seal to the top of the cast aluminum lower. Even though you have some left, you are using more of the stroke than you think.
-Sean

 

[mr-fabricator]

The forks hit a hard bottom at about 44mm from the bottom of the seal to the top of the cast aluminum lower. Even though you have some left, you are using more of the stroke than you think.
-Sean[/QUOTE ]

Well that explains that , thanks for the heads up . Was about to suck some.oil out then id have been to low ..

 

[Ryanthegreat1]

I am measuring the stock R6 spring length at 170mm +/- 1mm. ID is 55mm

Just measured the stock RC390 spring as well. 180mm +/- 1mm.

Might try the stock spring on the R6 shock. Wonder what the extra 10mm of preload will do on the variable rate spring.

 

[Formula390]

The RaceTech guy I'm working with says spec on the 99-02 Shock spring (when new) is 172mm.

Oh, and I found the R6 manual page for the adjustments for the shock too:

 

[Ryanthegreat1]

I just put the stock spring on the R6 shock.

Preload on the lightest setting
6mm static sag
45mm sag with me on it

 

[mr-fabricator]

I just put the stock spring on the R6 shock.

Preload on the lightest setting
6mm static sag
45mm sag with me on it

Whats your weight in gear buddy ??