I've been lurking in the shadows for quite a while reading and learning.
One of the biggest issues I have had with my FJ since I got it was that it rode like it had a cinder block for shock.
No matter what I did with pre-load on the Ohlins shock I could not seem to improve the ride height and allowing the exhaust bracket to contact the swing arm. Much of this due to my ample fram at 6ft4 and 265lbs
I stumbled over a bunch of threads regarding shortening the dog bones. Following the directions and suggestions I made some from steel bar moving the holes .5" center to center allowing the tire to just contact the ground as suggested.
Best. Modification. Ever!
If you are thinking about this mod because of issues like I describe...DO IT! Literally a whole new bike, smooth, stable, turns better and my teeth don't rattle across every singe bump.
I'll go back to lurking now...just wanted to say thanks and keep on doing what you're doing here.
I simply used some 1/4" X 1.5" bar, cut it, drilled the 12mm holes and dressed up the ends. Took an hour and a half
Quote from: ANGRYJOE on March 27, 2015, 11:52:58 PM
.....I've been lurking in the shadows for quite a while reading and learning.
.....I'll go back to lurking now...just wanted to say thanks and keep on doing what you're doing here.
Angry, don't lurk, join in! The forum could do with someone called "Angry Joe" as a regular contributor and don't be shy about throwing in your 2 cents worth, on any subject.
In fact, I'm considering changing my name to "Annihilator Noel" or "Rip it Ribbert" or something similar to give me more forum cred.
Glad the shortened dog bones worked for you, it's a good mod.
Post your experiences with your bike, working or riding, and we love pictures.
Noel
Hello Joe,
As Noel said, keep posting.
The shorter dog bones make a dramatic change in the handling of the FJ1200. Simple mod, very effective.
Welcome to the group.
Kurt
I have a machinist friend. Exact measurements for a 91 fj dog one mod?
Try 11.5cm centre to centre, this is a good starting point if you have the GSXR wheel mod, and works quite well with the std profile wheel/tyre as well. This gives me around 1/4" ground clearance for the back tyre, plus it improves the handling out of sight.
12mm holes that are 11.5" ctc apart using 1/4" thick plate correct?
As it is I can't get my bike on the center stand most days w/o a bit of help...and it's slow to turn in in the road. This will improve both issues?
Those figures are what I used, and theres some pics on page 2&3 here that I posted of mine http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=12370.15 (http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=12370.15) The first set I made, then a mate made me a much nicer set, does the same job though.
It is so easy to put the bike on the centre stand now, really easy. Plus turn in for me has improved, the back end is raised = reduced rake=slightly quicker steering. Nice improvement.
Quote from: ribbert on March 28, 2015, 05:33:05 AM
In fact, I'm considering changing my name to "Annihilator Noel" or "Rip it Ribbert" or something similar to give me more forum cred.
Noel
Try "Noel-It-All" :biggrin:
(P.S. - I can't take credit for that one. I heard someone else say it. )
Quote from: Easterntide on March 29, 2015, 05:47:13 AM
12mm holes that are 11.5" ctc apart using 1/4" thick plate correct?
This COULD be a problem... :bomb:
Here is what you were told:
Quote from: X-Ray on March 28, 2015, 09:23:11 PM
Try 11.5cm centre to centre, this is a good starting point...
Do you see an issue in the translation?
Hmmm...
Steve
ATPA (Always The Pedantic Arse)
Quote from: ZOA NOM on March 29, 2015, 09:07:39 AM
Quote from: ribbert on March 28, 2015, 05:33:05 AM
In fact, I'm considering changing my name to "Annihilator Noel" or "Rip it Ribbert" or something similar to give me more forum cred.
Noel
Try "Noel-It-All" :biggrin:
(P.S. - I can't take credit for that one. I heard someone else say it. )
Yes, that would be the obvious and most appropriate choice, but modesty prevented me suggesting it myself.
Thank you
(I believe your mate coined that term)
Noel
Quote from: Steve_in_Florida on March 29, 2015, 12:05:03 PM
Quote from: Easterntide on March 29, 2015, 05:47:13 AM
12mm holes that are 11.5" ctc apart using 1/4" thick plate correct?
This COULD be a problem... :bomb:
Here is what you were told:
Quote from: X-Ray on March 28, 2015, 09:23:11 PM
Try 11.5cm centre to centre, this is a good starting point...
Do you see an issue in the translation?
Hmmm...
Steve
ATPA (Always The Pedantic Arse)
I think he has it correct 11.5cm is 115mm, that is very close to my DB on my '89.
Yep, definatley 115mm, :biggrin:
I agree that 11.5cm = 115mm, however, Easterntide was confirming that 11.5 INCHES = 11.5 CENTIMETERS, which it **DOES NOT**.
...might make an interesting ride height, though.
<cue music>
Low-Ri-Der, He's the one to meet, Yeah!
(popcorn)
Steve
Quote from: FJmonkey on March 29, 2015, 06:23:53 PM
Quote from: Steve_in_Florida on March 29, 2015, 12:05:03 PM
Quote from: Easterntide on March 29, 2015, 05:47:13 AM
12mm holes that are 11.5" ctc apart using 1/4" thick plate correct?
This COULD be a problem... :bomb:
Here is what you were told:
Quote from: X-Ray on March 28, 2015, 09:23:11 PM
Try 11.5cm centre to centre, this is a good starting point...
Do you see an issue in the translation?
Hmmm...
Steve
ATPA (Always The Pedantic Arse)
I think he has it correct 11.5cm is 115mm, that is very close to my DB on my '89.
Quote from: Steve_in_Florida on March 29, 2015, 08:51:42 PM
12mm holes that are 11.5" ctc apart using 1/4" thick plate correct?
Not to too be critical but that is like picking fly shit out of the pepper....
On the other hand I see the humor from the technical side.
My FJ is an 86' (86 feet long) or, My FJ is an '86 (was built/sold in 1986)
Guess I bored, post on friends....
Quote from: FJmonkey on March 29, 2015, 09:01:21 PM
On the other hand I see the humor from the technical side.
The Hubble Space Telescope team was probably amused, too.
Hubble Team Member: Sir, the pics are a little blurry.
Hubble Team Leader: Hmmm. Do you think they'll notice?
Steve
I _LIKE_ Pepper
eeesh. yup. i kinda new it was cm's not inches...but thanks for the triple confirmation everyone :-)
Pepper has fly shit in it???!!!
How can you tell?
Is it like rat turds and capers?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falling_from_the_Sky:_Flight_174 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falling_from_the_Sky:_Flight_174)
Was that gallons or liters ? "Shit man I don't know"..... :).
George
OK. Shorter dogbones made and the 'extended' ends of my F1 pipes addon's are off and have been cut down massively...both are at the machine shop waiting for me to pick up today.
New smoked front turn signal lenses are installed (FYI note: the german/euro orange lights they shipped do not fit in the North American FJ's...they have a single connection point and the ones that came w the bike have 2 points of contact and offset side pins).
and new Ram Mounts just ordered to fit my older Nuvi 255.
So a bit of tinkering in the next few days...which is ok because we are still hovering at zero C and there are still literally meters of snow around. the weekend is showing +10c temps and sunny so the refreshed machine will get out for a ride...or 2...or....
stoked!
Quote from: Easterntide on April 08, 2015, 12:36:46 PM
New smoked front turn signal lenses are installed (FYI note: the german/euro orange lights they shipped do not fit in the North American FJ's...they have a single connection point and the ones that came w the bike have 2 points of contact and offset side pins).
If you are up to wiring in a set of resistors, I highly recommend these bulbs for your smoked lenses.
They are extremely bright when on and invisible when off.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-2-x-S25-1157-BAY15D-Yellow-CREE-LED-75W-15LED-Car-Stop-Tail-Brake-Light-Bulb-/221716890351?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2047675.l2557&nma=true&si=FmHvBMIXeiquN8%252FwtTvDWjZVVsg%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc (http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-2-x-S25-1157-BAY15D-Yellow-CREE-LED-75W-15LED-Car-Stop-Tail-Brake-Light-Bulb-/221716890351?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2047675.l2557&nma=true&si=FmHvBMIXeiquN8%252FwtTvDWjZVVsg%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc)
Fred
those are probably brighter than my headlight in the bike!
any quick links to wiring in resistors? i have no idea how but i'm a reasonably fast read...
Quote from: Easterntide on April 09, 2015, 06:05:52 AM
those are probably brighter than my headlight in the bike!
any quick links to wiring in resistors? i have no idea how but i'm a reasonably fast read...
Hopefully this drawing makes sense. Using 25 watt, 8 ohm resistor. One is required for each turn signal.
(http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o145/aviationfred/tl-gj-res-1_zpsozhf7dfs.jpg) (http://s119.photobucket.com/user/aviationfred/media/tl-gj-res-1_zpsozhf7dfs.jpg.html)
Fred
Fred, the resistors look huge. I got a set of rear turn signals to put in the stock units of my '86. I checked with my electrical guy at work (when I had a job) and he recommended some 1/4W resistors in parallel from Radio Shack or other source of my choice. I failed to find the original packaging but they can be decoded. I wired up a lamp and gave it to him for testing. He simply shorted the resistor from positive to negative and put it on a 12VDC power supply. We both forgot about the test and it ran over night. The resistors and lamp burned continuously for over 12 hours with out failure. Now think about that. We only use our turn signal indicators part of the time. And when they are working they are flashing (not continuous duty). The resistors and some heat shrink tube is less $$$ than the cost of the big as resistors sold by the LED vendors.... All we are trying to do is fool the system that a tiny strip of wire is not broken....
Gold (5%), Black (0), Black(0), Brown (1), I forget the rest of how to decode them....
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/8/medium_104_09_04_15_9_53_02_0.jpeg)
(http://fjowners.com/gallery/8/104_09_04_15_9_53_05_1.jpeg)
I no longer need the amber indicators in case anyone is interested....
No slight on Fred, just tossing my knowledge out there for others....
I almost forgot, I connected one side to the bike, the flashers worked properly, not a rapid flash....
100 ohms you can use 5 or 10% I don't think it is that critical. You have them in parallel so that would mean you can also use one 50 ohm 1/2 watt or higher with the same results. :good2:
George
The mnemonic for remembering the color code is:
Bad Boys Rape Our Young Girls Behind Very Grey Walls
Oops, don't quite have all the colors available :-(
Black 0, Brown 1, Red 2, Orange 3, Yellow 4, Green 5, Blue 6, Violet 7, Grey 8, White 9
This is for the first 2 stripes, the 3rd stripe is a multiplier, and the last is tolerance with
No stripe = 20%, Silver stripe = 10%, and Gold stripe = 5%
I've used that ditty for almost 60 years now and haven't forgotten it yet.
No worries Mark,
My photo with the resistor was for illustration purposes on how to do the wiring.
Quote from: Arnie on April 10, 2015, 10:31:09 AM
The mnemonic for remembering the color code is:
Bad Boys Rape Our Young Girls Behind Very Grey Walls
The two I was taught were:
Bad Boys Rape Our Young Girls, But Violet Gives Willingly, or
Bad Booze Rots Our Young Guts, But Vodka Goes Well.
another two...
Bye Bye Ruby, Over You Go, Via Great Western highway....
Black Bastard Richard Of York Gave Battle Very Good Win (no racist slur intended)
Cheers :drinks:
Jeff P