Author Topic: Dual-rate rear suspension springs, your experiences?  (Read 5178 times)

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Offline Nathan S

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Re: Dual-rate rear suspension springs, your experiences?
« Reply #15 on: October 22, 2013, 09:48:36 pm »
A wire coil that tightens-up is progressive, more coils means more wire length, which in-turn means, more wire to flex = softer.

Look at the stock coil springs on KX250A5 (progressive), same as the progressive springs I got from Walter, on the springs I have  they are 13 N/mm on the soft end and 18 N/mm on the firm end.

If none of the coils bind, then the spring is not (usefully) progressive - simply spacing the coils closer together is not enough.
The good thing about telling the truth is that you don't have to remember what you said.

Offline John Orchard

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Re: Dual-rate rear suspension springs, your experiences?
« Reply #16 on: October 23, 2013, 09:18:13 am »
A wire coil that tightens-up is progressive, more coils means more wire length, which in-turn means, more wire to flex = softer.

Look at the stock coil springs on KX250A5 (progressive), same as the progressive springs I got from Walter, on the springs I have  they are 13 N/mm on the soft end and 18 N/mm on the firm end.

If none of the coils bind, then the spring is not (usefully) progressive - simply spacing the coils closer together is not enough.


I hear what you are saying Nathan, and as I said in my previous comments, that was one of my concerns.
Johnny O - Tahition_Red factory rider.

Offline John Orchard

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Re: Dual-rate rear suspension springs, your experiences?
« Reply #17 on: October 25, 2013, 05:08:14 pm »
Well I tested straight-rate springs today, farking love them, maybe it's telling me that the progressive springs were wrong rates or the damping settings needed to be altered to suit them, I'll keep testing.

I was using 13N/mm - 18N/mm progressive springs, the soft part would pack-down (maybe needs less slow-rebound setting to fix that, and the hard portion was too strong, kicking me into knose-dives or firing me out of the seat.

I just fitted 13.5N/mm straight-rate (coz I had them laying around the shed), the first portion was a little better, less sag gave much more precise steering with less front-end wash-out, much better bump absorbtion over the whoops, they just bottomed in the g-outs.  I got some 15N/mm straight-rate coming from Walter, really excited to try them!
« Last Edit: October 25, 2013, 05:24:24 pm by John Orchard »
Johnny O - Tahition_Red factory rider.

Offline euro bikes

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Re: Dual-rate rear suspension springs, your experiences?
« Reply #18 on: October 25, 2013, 05:32:16 pm »
My 125 CR HUSKY  ,1977 mod has daul springs but the small one is square wire ,supposed to be stronger.

Offline John Orchard

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Re: Dual-rate rear suspension springs, your experiences?
« Reply #19 on: October 29, 2013, 07:31:51 pm »
Well I tested the 15N/mm straight-rate rear springs today, I liked them, much better than the dual-rate  (progressive) 13-18 N/mm springs.  Maybe the valving is not what it should be for the progressive springs?  I urge you to at least try a change in springs if you haven't; you might prefer it too?
Johnny O - Tahition_Red factory rider.