 Lowering the front?
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This may end up in the "Tech Vault" but wanted to know if anyone has lowered the front of their America by simply loosening the triple clamps and sliding the inner forks up an inch or so and re-tightening the clamps? I know there are shorter progressive spring sets out there, but thought I'd try this before going that way. Reason for change: after putting on the 120 WW my front end is higher now by about an inch. Any negative changes to handling, etc?  
I'm speeding because I have to get there before I forget where I was going.
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Re: Lowering the front?
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Check Pants
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Its been done before and some swear by it. One warning though... lowering that way and/or with the progressive springs will make those fork shrouds sit lower which means they may contact that fender at some point. I only mention that cause of all the wooding you have done and I don't know how much thicker your front shrouds are now. BTW... must be tough to ride with wood all day  
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Re: Lowering the front?
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I've checked the lower shroud to fender clearence and it doesn't look like it'll be a problem. "BTW... must be tough to ride with wood all day" ***Not a problem - I "routinely" polish my "Woody" and that seems to help. 
I'm speeding because I have to get there before I forget where I was going.
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Re: Lowering the front?
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Quote:
I've checked the lower shroud to fender clearence and it doesn't look like it'll be a problem.
"BTW... must be tough to ride with wood all day"
***Not a problem - I "routinely" polish my "Woody" and that seems to help.
 OMG thats terrible! LOL i have thought about that as well, i have the lowering springs but it would be nice to see if i like it that way (lower) before i go to the trouble, that way i can just leave them standard or lower if its good, seems like a pretty easy thing to do as well.
One thing i would want to learn about is the rake and trail of the bike, would lowering the front equal a far more agressive turn in and out? or unstable at straight line speeds? Lowering the front also changes the weight transfer when braking which might result in the rear getting a bit light..... i suppose the idea would be to keep them even or the front slightly higher then the back, not sure.
Anyone done this? I have the 412's on the back 11.5 front never touched so its higher for sure, i was oly thinmking about comming down about 1/2 inch or so.
Last edited by edmspeedmaster; 04/18/2012 5:30 PM.
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Re: Lowering the front?
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i say try it & see if you like it- i ran this way for a while with no probs-  
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Re: Lowering the front?
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yup i would say those were pretty low :-) thanks for the pic
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Re: Lowering the front?
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i say try it & see if you like it- i ran this way for a while with no probs
That's a bit more than I was looking for. BTW - did you have to shorten you kick stand?
I'm just trying to get it level again. I'm thinking an inch would do it. But, at least this way if it needs a little more, there no problem in dropping her a little more.
I'm speeding because I have to get there before I forget where I was going.
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Re: Lowering the front?
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The progressive kit allows you lower 1" or 2"- whichever you desire- and yes woody, the kickstand was bent/cut shorter-
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Re: Lowering the front?
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I lowered(raised fork tubes) 1" with no issues at all.
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Re: Lowering the front?
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2 inch you'll drag your kick stand.
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Re: Lowering the front?
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2 inch you'll drag your kick stand.
I'm only planning on one inch. I'm already draging the pipes on occassion, so one inch is about as far as I want to go. And Like I said, I'm only trying to level it from front to back, not put it on the ground. Thanks for the input. 
I'm speeding because I have to get there before I forget where I was going.
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Re: Lowering the front?
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Do it up! I dragged everything stock anyway.
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Re: Lowering the front?
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Place the bike on a motorcycle jack and lift up the bike so the rear tire is off the ground to the point that the bike sits level. Loosen and remove the the fork bolts. Lower the bike slowly until your see the fork spacers and springs. Remove the spacer and cut off 1 inch. Replace spacer. Jack bike back up to decompress front suspension and reattach bolts. Lower the bike. The front will sit 1" lower. It won't compensate all the difference of a 21" front wheel. But at least it will set a little more level. And it will stiffen up your front end a bit. Don't cut more than 1' though. Not unless you buy the whole progressive kit. And be prepared to scrape your pipes even more. You won't see the scrapage though. And re-adjust your headlights if you haven't done so already. And cross your fingers that your shrouds don't hit your front fender mounts.
Last edited by Soul_Survivor; 04/20/2012 10:26 AM.
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Re: Lowering the front?
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Thanks all for the feedback!  From what I'm reading and a little personal perception, it would be less problematic if I simply raise the forks an inch through the triple clamps. If I decide to go back, reverse the process and no cost - no problem. The pipes are already scraped pretty good so a little more shouldn't hurt, unless I do it enough to lift the rear tire off the ground. That would be "inconvient". When I get her done, I'll advise.
I'm speeding because I have to get there before I forget where I was going.
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Re: Lowering the front?
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Quote:
Place the bike on a motorcycle jack and lift up the bike so the rear tire is off the ground to the point that the bike sits level. Loosen and remove the the fork bolts. Lower the bike slowly until your see the fork spacers and springs. Remove the spacer and cut off 1 inch. Replace spacer. Jack bike back up to decompress front suspension and reattach bolts. Lower the bike. The front will sit 1" lower. It won't compensate all the difference of a 21" front wheel. But at least it will set a little more level. And it will stiffen up your front end a bit. Don't cut more than 1' though. Not unless you buy the whole progressive kit. And be prepared to scrape your pipes even more. You won't see the scrapage though. And re-adjust your headlights if you haven't done so already. And cross your fingers that your shrouds don't hit your front fender mounts.
simply cutting the spacers will lower the front end- but it will not stiffen it up, because you would be lessening the pre-load on the springs- slide em through woody- see if it works for ya-
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Re: Lowering the front?
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Woody any update on this? How did it go?
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Re: Lowering the front?
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Haven't had a chance to make the change.  Been busy with Patriot Guard Missions (Funerals) and getting ready for a trip to Eastern Oregon for a M/C Race my Dirt Bike Club is putting on. (Probably more info than you wanted.)  Hopefully, I'll be able to get to it next week. Will report back.
I'm speeding because I have to get there before I forget where I was going.
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Re: Lowering the front?
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How about now? 
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Catching a yellow jacket in your shirt at 70 mph can double your vocabulary
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Re: Lowering the front?
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Got her dropped. Just loosened the triple clamps (on a bike lift) and let her down slow. Dropped an inch. Don't feel any difference in ride or handling, but it did lower the front a bit.  Thanks all for the recommendations.
I'm speeding because I have to get there before I forget where I was going.
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Re: Lowering the front?
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thats good to learn, i am next then, thanks for posting back.
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Re: Lowering the front?
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You're having fun, aren't you Mike! Sooooo cool!   See ya soon!
Live to love, love to live.
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Re: Lowering the front?
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Fun! Well i suppose you can call it that, just figuring some stuff out i guess. LOL. yes very soon Keith, looking forward to it man, be cool! :-)
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Catching a yellow jacket in your shirt at 70 mph can double your vocabulary
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Re: Lowering the front?
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i am revising this thread,i am trying to lower mine and i can't get them to go up more then about 5mm or so, the bolts are very loose, do you have to pry open the clamps more with a screwdriver or something of the sort? thanks. They go down easy! LOL
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Re: Lowering the front?
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Id pm hutchyjr he had them things jammed up 2inches or so.
When I was messing around with mine, I did it without the tire on, one at a time.
Last edited by Jryan; 06/26/2012 10:45 PM.
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Re: Lowering the front?
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Quote:
i am revising this thread,i am trying to lower mine and i can't get them to go up more then about 5mm or so, the bolts are very loose, do you have to pry open the clamps more with a screwdriver or something of the sort? thanks. They go down easy! LOL
You might have to loosen the axle to keep the tubes fom binding.
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. Herm Albright (1876 - 1944)
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Re: Lowering the front?
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Loosen the T.Tree bolts and spread/wedge the fork clamps open a few thou of an inch, a little WD-40 helps the tubes slide. Roadie is correct about loosening the axle. Go slow and move the tubes as evenly as possible, so you don't tweak anything excessively. Make sure your axle is not in a bind when your done.
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Re: Lowering the front?
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I'm speeding because I have to get there before I forget where I was going.
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Re: Lowering the front?
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I wouldn't use any lube on the tubes- it might cause them to cause them to unwantedly slide through going down the road- I'd clean the tubes under the trees with some thinner or brake kleen- loosen the bolts- then while lifting up on the wheel- tap down on the trees with a rubber mallet-
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Re: Lowering the front?
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this was suppose to be something easy LOL. I will try it again but those suckers were not going anywhere as they are, heck i even took it off the jack with all bolts loose and front braked that sucker and she did not move (actually kind of glad they didn't now that i think about what could have happened) but i was choked LOL. I don't see how loosening the axle would help if the forks are in-line? those things should just slide up or out, actually they will slide out easier just not up. thanks.
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Re: Lowering the front?
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Did you spread open the tree clamps a slight amount? You will need to do upper and lower at the same time. Sounds like they were over torqued at some point to be so tight.
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Did you spread open the tree clamps a slight amount? You will need to do upper and lower at the same time. Sounds like they were over torqued at some point to be so tight.
No Ryk i did not, but i will give that a go tonight, i have a habit of breaking stuff! LOL so i was just being cautious is all, but it makes sense. i think tonight i will use some door wedges and pry them out a bit and see if that will get er done. i just hate "BANGING" on anything is all, just as well too i want to take the bolts right out and lock tight them in once i get them where i want them. Onward and "upward" LOL
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Door casing wedges would work good, would be hard to over spread the clamps using soft wood. The reason for loosening the axle is to give the tubes less resistance to moving and after the moves, you can verify by spinning the axle by hand, all is aligned and good/nothing in a bind, so to speak. Use torque wrenches on Aluminum and your breakage rates will diminish a bunch.
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Door casing wedges would work good, would be hard to over spread the clamps using soft wood. The reason for loosening the axle is to give the tubes less resistance to moving and after the moves, you can verify by spinning the axle by hand, all is aligned and good/nothing in a bind, so to speak. Use torque wrenches on Aluminum and your breakage rates will diminish a bunch.
Always use torq wrenches on everything i beleive the top yok is about 15 lbs and the bottom around 33 lbs or 45nm, something like that. All i know is when i did them back up nothin broke! :-)
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Man it's always the little things, so i get home and put the bike back up on the lift, take out all the tree bolts and loosen up the tree's a bit (pried them open) and nothing  , then i start looking around, am i missing a bolt??  but what is this? the top of the fork boots have a screw in them to hold them up against the bottom yoke  yup can you believe it, those little clamps were holding up the full front end so unscrew, move boots down and.......wait for it........ success!! so up they go 3/4 of an inch each, re-button her up to specs and out for a scoot, much better. Front end seems more planted, weight distribution is better, steers in a bit better, could be me but progressives seem sturdier (if that makes sense) all and all i am happy with the change. thanks for all your help otherwise guys... but i bet no one thought of that hey?
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Catching a yellow jacket in your shirt at 70 mph can double your vocabulary
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