do you think the black arrow is pointing to the top out spring? does our bike have a top out spring on the dampening cartridge? this diagram is from bikebandit.com for a 2001 superhawk. whats your thoughts?

 

The manual calls it a rebound spring.

 

Nope, the stock superhawk does not have a top out spring... Why?

 

Its a fork hootis.

 

Regardless of what it's called, it only comes into play when the fork is fully extended. It's welded on to the cartridge. There's nothing you can do about it.

 

I believe that is the main spring seat, but it's been a long time since I've been inside a SH fork.

There is a top out spring. It is inside the damper cartridge. You can't get to it unless you drill out the retaining dimples at the top of the damper cartridge tube, and unscrew the top cap. But you don't need to get to it in any case.

The only reason I went into the damper cartridges on my RC51 forks was to shorten the long top-out spring used in the SP2 forks, to free up the upper travel range at low suspension loads - as it is in the SP1 forks. The SH fork already has a short top-out spring.

 

my question comes from the understanding that if you add length to the top out spring it makes the cartridge think its at its top which in turns lowers the initial length of the fork thus making it shorter, which would drop the front end about 1" depending on length added but keeping the same spring rate. (in theory, i think)

i'm trying to figure a way to drop the front end about an inch with out sliding the fork tubes through the triple trees because will effect my rake/trail.....

 

Anything you do to drop the nose will effect the rake and trail, unless you drop the rear too. then you will start to have ground clearance problems. but if you do want to drop the nose, raising the forks in the triple clamps is the best way - easiest to do and doessn't affect fork operation.

How about modifying the seat instead?

 

That IS the top out spring. They are NOT welded to the cartridge. They have very little to do with our handling since they are so short. Inverted later forks use longer top out springs which keep the fork planted better during acceleration, but also those forks run about 10mm more sag than ours. The sole purpose of the top outs on our forks is to prevent a "hard" mechanical stop when the fork reaches the top of the fork.

 

Either way will affect rake and trail...but then that's really the whole point in doing this right? Or are you one of "those short guys"?

 

YEAUP!!

i just now realized that about the rake/trail....dummy me for not seeing that before i posted. thanks for the reality check. still going to pursue this option, will have to a good look into my forks one weekend here to see if i can come up with something. thanks hawkrider for clearing that up about the spring.

 

Hawkrider: I acknowledge that you've been into more Superhawk forks than Sinatra's been into panties but whenever I've pulled the cartridges out of my VTR forks the top out springs come with them. The springs remain attached to the cartridges when I strip and clean the cartridges, assemble them and put them back into the fork tubes. The springs must be attached to the cartridges by spot welds or crimping.

 

Nope. You have to pull on them hard. They will come off. They're tapered and will only go back on one way.

 

Hawkrider: Thanks for the info. Now I know.