Hi guys,
I've read a lot on the web [including on this board] about the benefits of chucking in some fork spacers.  I'm a heavy guy so with the standard get-up, the sensation of moderate braking is like the front wheel falling off  

My question is -- well it's really two questions:
what's the best material to use for the fork spacers?  Many people recomend a schedule 40 pvc end connector.  Is it OK to use something like a socket or even coins?
Second question -- I've heard that adding the fork spacers will reduce travel of the forks.  Is this going to make a bottom out more likely?

Thanks for helping this old fat boy out   :mrgreen:

You could use schedule 40 PVC with no problems.

This is not a very good fix for preventing bottoming out (using spacers in general).  Swapping the stock springs for Progressives is a thousand times more effective.  The stock springs are the same length as the spacer.  (No, I am not kidding)  Progressive springs are made of heavier material and will run the length of the fork tubes (I run mine without any spacers and still had to compress the spring to get the cap back on).

I got mine from a local shop for about $70, but I have seen people on here say they got theirs online for a little over $50.

You want to use something that displaces as little air as possible. The air in there is needed as a kind of final bit of preload and acts as a sort of bottom out & rebound spring.

So don't use solid billet slugs. The cheapest most common material is PVC pipe. But 1" thin wall steel or AL tubing is the best. If all you want to do is shim up the preload by a few mm, then yeah I guess you can use coins or flat washers as long as they are on top of the spring.

Also, I would STRONGLY recommend getting new springs too.  The stock springs are too light for even skinny people, for you they are way out of tolerance.  Preload doesn't "stiffen" the front suspension so much as it sets ride height.

Check out the old Fork Spacers message thread for more info.

Thanks for the tips re fork spacers... I feel especially dumb as there was already a post right on topic and I could have sworn there wasn't one  

It seems the opinions of the fork spacers are a bit mixed.  I realise that they are no match for a set of progressive springs but unfortunately my budget can't extend that far just at the moment  
I will give the spacers a go and let you know how I found them

Thanks guys for your time and input

when I changed the oil I took 15W insted of 10W but it still bottoms out when braking hard with passenger. What difference would it make if I add more oil, not 99mm but say 90-85 mm from top?

None, besides possibly blowing out your fork seals.

The air gap serves as a VERY weak spring and its more like a cushion against bottoming out, not to prevent it.