Dogbones - raising rear end

[Pat Conlon]

Dennis, don't freak out. Hang with us and you will get there. We will help you, just like these folks helped me.
Just take one project at a time.
My #1 recommendation (after SS brake lines) is to get rid of that weak ass oem rear shock and beg, borrow or steal a adjustable Penske. Superior dampening aside, just getting the rear end raised (via adjustment) and loading the front tire is worth the price of admission. Yep, it's expensive to buy, but it's such a simple upgrade and IMHO most effective. This is why (again IMHO) this should be your first mod.
Thanks for the kind words. Cheers! Pat

Well, mine is definitely not as mint as yours (omfg I wish) but I can't kick too hard; http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/99BWGN7JHMbWjEswCzjiRg?feat=directlink.  I haven't figured out where this forum's photo uploader is yet, so here is a link to the pics of the bike and where I ride/have ridden, starting from today;  http://picasaweb.google.com/brwnsoxx/TheMotorcycleChronicles?feat=directlink   

[racerman_27410]

yes the Penske is a modular shock.... the eye on the lower shock mount for the early model FJs can easily be swapped for a clevis mount that will fit whatever swimgarm you may decide to upgrade too in the future  

i agree with Pat..... one of the first things i bought for my FJ was a Penske and it really transformed the handling of the bike..... after a wheel upgrade, add some cartridge forks with blue spot calipers and you will think you are riding a brand new modern motorcycle..... with classic timeless style 

i prefer the Penske to the Ohlins because the Penske has adjustable ride height and the FJ really responds well to raising the rear ride height.... doing business with Traxxion was very pleasant since they will swap springs and revalve the shock until you are satisfied it is perfect.

Kookaloo!  

[Pat Conlon]

Basic no frills Penske Sport from Traxxion Dynamics, $625: http://traxxion.com/detail-57.aspx
Same shock but with remote reservior/compression adjustment (handy) $875: http://traxxion.com/detail-43.aspx
Same shock at Lindemann Engineering for a bit cheaper $751: http://tinyurl.com/mkkbfb
HTH

   As for the Penske shock, which model fits, or are they modular with different fittings available?   Ohlins just added the YA441 to the "obsolete" list so unless I can find one when I'll be ready to pull the trigger (around the first of the year hopefully) I'll have to consider the Penske.

                                                                             

[threejagsteve]

Raising the rear ride height = decreasing the rake (and also coincidently slightly decreasing the wheelbase).

Just the ticket for a quicker-handling bike, but you'll trade off a small bit of high-speed stability.

How much higher in the back is good?

[racerman_27410]

the general concensus is raising the rear end until the rear tire just touches when the bike is on the centerstand.

some of us have raised the bike quite a bit further in order to make the FJ a little more suitable for real twisty road fun





Kookaloo!

[threejagsteve]

the general concensus is raising the rear end until the rear tire just touches when the bike is on the centerstand.

some of us have raised the bike quite a bit further in order to make the FJ a little more suitable for real twisty road fun

Kookaloo!

Thanks, racerman!

This might be a dumb question as I haven't examined the geometry, but might it be possible to get some lift in the rear with the stock shock and a spacer somewhere?

TIA,
threejagsteve

[Arnie]

Steve,

You can easily get more ride height (on the later model FJs) by making shorter "dogbones".
These are just 5 or 6mm flat steel with 12mm holes.  Stock is 12.5cm c-to-c.  IIRC 0.5cm shorter center to center on the holes = about an inch of ride height.

Cheers,
Arnie

[Pat Conlon]

 Correctamundo Arnie, this will work on Steve's late model ('91?) FJ but not on the earlier '84/85 FJ's which use a different linkage. The only way to raise the rear the early year 1100's is with a adjustable shock like a Penske.
FYI, on my '92, I use Soupy's adjustable links which allow me to fine tune my exact height.
http://www.soupysperformance.com/homepage.html

HTH

Pat

Steve,

You can easily get more ride height (on the later model FJs) by making shorter "dogbones".
These are just 5 or 6mm flat steel with 12mm holes.  Stock is 12.5cm c-to-c.  IIRC 0.5cm shorter center to center on the holes = about an inch of ride height.

Cheers,
Arnie

[threejagsteve]

Thanks, Arnie... Exactly the info I was looking for... Although that project ought to wait until I've got my forks sorted out, now is the time to start looking for some appropriate stock.

And thanks, Pat, those adjustable dogbones do look neat! But I noticed that they don't list FJs in their application list - Are yours custom, or did you use the YZF600 parts, or

Cheers,
threejagsteve

[threejagsteve]

I'm guessing that the 'dogbones' are # 15 on the fiche below...

[tqmx1]

Yepper that's them

[Pat Conlon]

Steve; Give Soupy a call with your bolt diameters and measurement range you want the links to adjust to. The longest will be your oem length (so you can return to stock anytime) Be sure to tell him that you have a FJ.
He makes his money with the drag racers selling "lowering links" but they (the links) work in the opposite just fine.
These will be just plug and play on your '91, just like they were on my '92, no worries.

  My '84 is a different story. To accommodate the YZF1000 Thunder Ace swing arm conversion, I had to convert the linkage over to '89 FJ linkage, therefore I also used Soupy's links on the '84. They are very handy.

HTH 

And thanks, Pat, those adjustable dogbones do look neat! But I noticed that they don't list FJs in their application list - Are yours custom, or did you use the YZF600 parts, or

[threejagsteve]

Thanks again, Pat... I'll keep that in mind...

Right now, I'm thinking I could just make a nonadjustable pair for nearly nothing -  to see if I even like the effect.

Then drop the fork tubes a bit in the triple trees to lower the front, thus amplifying the raised tail?

Since I'm going to have the forks all apart anyway, I just ordered a set of Progressive springs - $57.64 plus S&H from the Powersport Superstore... through Amazon.com! (who'd'a thought? LOL)

[Pat Conlon]

Steve, I would do a step at a time. Start with the dog bones.
Give yourself some time to adjust your riding style to the quicker turn in. Get the rear raised so your tire is 1/2" off the level concrete when your bike is on the center stand, that way you can still rotate the rear tire when you apply the chain lube.
Beware, with your new progressive springs you will still get "some" squat when you apply the front binders. Not as bad as the soft oem springs mind you, but you will get some squat, and even with progressives, you will find times when you bottom out your front forks. This is why, over the years, we have moved away from progressive springs in favor of straight rate springs and cartridge emulators.
Therefore, I would not lower your front end until you see how much clearance you end up with the new progressive springs. You will probably find no need to raise your stanchion tubes, just getting the rear end raised will do wonders.

HTH

Pat

[threejagsteve]

Thanks again, Pat! You're probably right about getting used to the already-planned mods before trying to further lower the front end.

I was remembering the '86 FZ750 I had for about a year, many moons ago... and how it felt like it had almost NO rake, and would turn on a dime. 'Course a lot of that was the short wheelbase. It was just a bit too uncomfortable for my 6'3" self. But I'd swear that bike used to whisper to me, "Faster, faster!"