I installed my progressive springs yesterday.  Something rather strange has happened.

When I first put the springs in and added a 3/4" spacer I had to press the cap down to get the threads to catch.  The spring reached a little past the top of the fork tube.  The spacer was well out of the tube.  

I rode about 3 miles.  I realized I needed a little more pre-load so this morning I put the bike on the center stand, took off one of the caps, and noticed that the spring had shrunk.  The 3/4" spacer was now flush with the top of the fork tube.  I checked the other and found the same thing.

What the h3ll???  Is this normal?  Does the spring shrink?

If I loose a 3/4" over night, what's going to happen in a year and a thousand miles?

Has this happened to anyone else?

Thanks,
Paul

By-the-Way

My measurement was with the fork tube fully extended in both cases.

Paul

when I put them in they stuck out about that far too. bike was on centerstand with front wheel on ground.

I've never taken it apart again but would guess that the springs have settled in the oil but when you first installed them it hadn't displaced the oil sufficiently with the little force it took to depress them to install the cap. As long as it rides fine should be okay...just add a longer spacer as needed (meaning add 1/4-1/2" to the length you already have, 3/4").

Yes, the springs will settle a bit.  No, you won't continue to lose height like that every night.  Yes, the springs should extend to a bit above the top of the fork tube when you first put them in.  Part of the reason for the better springing with the new springs is more preload (ie more compression of the spring before you even start makes it harder to compress further when you get on the bike, so stiffer suspension).  This is achieved by using a longer spring (so it sticks out more) and squashing it down further.  BTW did you replace the oil for something a bit heavier?  The newer better springs will overtax the damping with the stock weight oil.

Pable,

When the spring went in the first time with the oil, the spring absolutly hit the bottom of the fork.  I can't believe that the oil could cause any kind of obstruction so the spring was not seated all the way down in the tube.

I just got off the phone with a tech at Progressive.  He said that upto a 1/4" may occure but any more that that is unheard of.  He requested that I take the spring out and messure the free length of it and call him back.

I will do this on monday as I want to ride today and over the week end.

As of now, I have 1 1/2" of spacer and that gives me about 1/4" (bike only) sag.  With me on it I get another 1/4".  I may have just a little too much spacer.  With just 3/4" spacer it gave me about 1 1/2" (bike only) sag and about 2" with me on it.

The tech at progressive hinted that there may be a problem with a batch of springs... Possibly.

Paul

I did use 15wt oil.

make sure to post anything the tech at PS tells you about bad batch for the rest of the folks...

I didn't change the oil (yet?) and haven't had any problems.

Quote from: PkaasoAs of now, I have 1 1/2" of spacer

Paul

I've had a 1 1/2" spacer in most of the time since I've had the springs (about 18,000 km now) because I'm just too fat!

Quote from: Michael

Quote from: PkaasoAs of now, I have 1 1/2" of spacer

Paul

I've had a 1 1/2" spacer in most of the time since I've had the springs (about 18,000 km now) because I'm just too fat!

Awww, that hurt.  :nana:

Just kidding.  The upside is, I have to reduce my spacer a little to get the 1/3 of overall travel which is about 1 1/2" - 1 3/4" sag with me on the bike.

Bad news is my fat ass is too much for the stock shock in the rear.  I will have to upgrade that to something else to get my suspension dialed in.


Pablo: I is my pleasure to be able to contribute to the forum.  
Also, If you get a chance, pull one of your caps off and see what you got.  I'm just curious.

Paul

Ya, once you have progressives in the front you realise how bad the rear is. Since doing both I haven't hit bottom once on either and I'm much more confient in the turns. Now I just need to wear out my tires so I can get something that behaves correctly in a deep lean

Last week I ordered new springs from Racetech.  I called them today to ask why I still haven't received them.  Apparently they're on backorder and he couldn't give me an ETA on them.    :x    If they're not here in another week, I'm going to tell them where they can put them.  

I did find a Kat 600 shock on ebay though, and that should get here by Saturday, so I guess I'll have a project for the weekend.

Was that the 98 one that was on there?

Yes, as a matter of fact, it was a 98.  Did you bid on it?

Toecutter, please keep me informed on how that shock turns out.  
What weight and height are you?

And thanks to Pablo for his web site. Great suspension information.

Paul

Sure thing.  According to Pablo's page, it's a direct bolt in, but we'll see.   Just by looking at the two springs, the Kat is quite a bit sturdier.  ANYTHING has to be better than the GS shock.  My GS shock is set on 7, and it's still mush.  This thing's going to be a pogo stick when I'm done with it.  I'm about 5'11" and 160 lbs.

Quote from: ToecutterSure thing.  According to Pablo's page, it's a direct bolt in, but we'll see.  

JohnLA and The_Good_Guy both simply bolted theirs in within 20-40 minutes...

QuoteYes, as a matter of fact, it was a 98. Did you bid on it?

Yeah, I was the original bidder  

For future reference....

http://www.gstwins.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=623

Hmm... I'm not sure I entirely agree with the Ebay thing.  I mean, I'm all for GStwin members helping one another out, but I needed a part, and I was willing to pay up to $20 for one in good condition.  Sorry for outbidding you, though.

Quote from: ToecutterHmm... I'm not sure I entirely agree with the Ebay thing.  I mean, I'm all for GStwin members helping one another out, but I needed a part, and I was willing to pay up to $20 for one in good condition.  Sorry for outbidding you, though.

wouldn't you have been pissed off if you could have bought the shock for $10 but the bidding frenzy jacked it to $25 through the careless bidding by another member that maybe didn't need it as much as you?

The point of the ebay list isn't to keep members from bidding against each other specifically but to prevent one member from unnecessarily raising the price for another. if two people need a part hopefully they can agree to not bid against each other but thats in an ideal world. In this case just try to keep another member from paying more than he has to.

That was my thinking behind the original idea...

Well, if that's the case, I guess I can't argue with that.  I added myself to the list.