Front Spring Box Compressor Tool
- Thread starter Jim Bush
- Start date
A bit like Jim's ,
I use My late friend Roger Haylett's idea,
A bit further down the list on Wiki',
Just a pair of simple brackets and a small plate, Plus a length of threaded rod, and a few nuts,
Put some rubber under the top fitting or gaffer tape and don't tighten the 2 small bolts ,
Or you will dent the top spring box !!,
No need to take the wheel out etc.
I use My late friend Roger Haylett's idea,
A bit further down the list on Wiki',
Just a pair of simple brackets and a small plate, Plus a length of threaded rod, and a few nuts,
Put some rubber under the top fitting or gaffer tape and don't tighten the 2 small bolts ,
Or you will dent the top spring box !!,
No need to take the wheel out etc.
Attachments
I installed the spring boxes with the tool I made, it worked really well. Very sturdy. Confidence inspring.
Re-installed the sidecar springs and a 1" slug as installed by Dan Smith, it needed a good 3" of compression. The 1/2" threadrod did the job well.
This would not have been possible with the "windlass" approach
Re-installed the sidecar springs and a 1" slug as installed by Dan Smith, it needed a good 3" of compression. The 1/2" threadrod did the job well.
This would not have been possible with the "windlass" approach
I think I used 18 mm rod .
Great looking tool Jim. I have the slugs in my front springs as well on the comet. Brought the link into a much better position. its a trick both danny and john Mac do I guess.
I'm not sure that I have understood correctly when people write about putting slugs into the spring housing to pack them up. If I have the correct understanding of that then please be careful, We all did it for years to either compensate for weak springs or to try to mimic the 'D' use of longer, softer springs. If you have done that then please look at the angle of the lower link. Is it pointing downwards at the front? If so then when you put the brake on the bike will try to rise up over the front wheel and the suspension locks up. It can also lead to tank slappers. That was the reason that John Emanuel over here and Dave Dunfey in the USA developed the modified front suspension. Dave Dunfey's first attempt at a cure was to fit shorter, stiffer springs. Just be careful.
In my case it has levelled the link and I have it had the slugs in for 12k miles. I have not had a whiff of a tank slapper, even with the nz roads full of potholes. I careful to make sure the link was not pointing downward. There is a thread discussing this here somewhere.
Now that is a nice solution, thank you!
Also, on Dan's bike he has the longer sidecar springs in the rear shocks. I rode it for 3 months before the tear down and the handling and suspension felt tight, comfortable. Dan usually rode 2 up and with luggage, over huge distances. I have confidence that this is the ideal set up for this bike. With regards to weight, I am running less weight than Dan & Eileen combined (excepting luggage), not my much though, as I am a large guy,