Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Performance Mods Lil' help installing fork springs please

Just have a few questions bout installing the progressive spring in my speedy.

1)-bike should be on jack w/wheel off ground, no?

2)-are there spacers or washers on top of the springs?

3)-how much pressure is there on the caps when you remove them....will it be hard to screw them back on and whats your advise if so?

4)-i heard these springs take up more space so that you need to remove some oil. Is this true and if so how much?

5)-it was tight coil end down, right?

And any other suggestions you can add to make this smooth and quick is appriciated. Thanks.

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1)-bike should be on jack w/wheel off ground, no?

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yes the front wheel should be off the ground...

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2)-are there spacers or washers on top of the springs?

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yes there are spacers..

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3)-how much pressure is there on the caps when you remove them....will it be hard to screw them back on and whats your advise if so?

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no it easy just put some pressure on the nut when you put it back

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4)-i heard these springs take up more space so that you need to remove some oil. Is this true and if so how much?

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no when you pull out the old springs there will be oil on them so there will be no need to take more out also when you pull out the old springs have a wire hook made up about a foot long so you can reach down in the fork tube to pull the old springs out

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5)-it was tight coil end down, right?

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yes... and you will have to take your handle bars off to do this job also

For minimum unsprung weight the springs should be installed with the tighter wound section up (at the top)
As for oil level, if you are not changing the oil, measure the oil level in the fork tube with the old spring installed. Usually the new springs are of a much thicker construction and will displace more fluid, thus raising the level...to much fluid will lead to possible blown seal. Just install the new spring and measure the oil level, if there is too much You can suck the oil out with a large syringe attached to a piece of plastic or rubber tubing that you mark with the correct depth for the oil to get it to the same level as with the stock spring.

Thanks guys. Although i'm now not sure which way to install them after hearing the 2 of you say the opposite.(tighter coil at bottom or top)

Larry,
I have always put the compressed side down. I was told the same thing by Progressive. I wanted to be sure so I called them and that's what they told me too.
In all actuality though, physics being as they are, how can it really make any difference?
Benny? Or Mert, one of you real engineers? (Mert has the cooler hats though)

I have also always been told to put the compressed side up to minimize unsprung weight. I've also heard of folks doing one of each to offset braking forces. I bet almost none of us could tell the diffenence either way.

Funny thing is, i just read a PDF file that said it doesn't matter !

http://www.progressivesuspension.com/pdf/3055.pdf

Look at the left column near the top.

The tight coil up idea is interesting... But I really wonder HOW much weight DIFFERNECE that is, that's the key... Not much. Like someone said, I doubt even the seat of the pants could tell the difference.