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Sonic spring question

G

Goofaroo

Big Wheel
I live here in Oklahoma City and picked up a set of Sonic Springs (1.1) from Rich Desmond several months ago. They have been sitting on my workbench in the wrapper until today. I finally got around to tearing down the front end to change the springs only to find that the new springs are 8 inches shorter than the original springs that were in my 2004 Connie.  I have done many searches online and I can't seem to find a definitive answer as to whether or not I have the correct springs. I went to the hardware store and bout some PVC pipe (which tuned out to be too big) and some washers to use between the springs and the PVC spacers. I have sent an Email to the Sonic Springs website to try to find out if I even have the right springs. I have tried to reference the number written on the wrapper my springs were in (3234) to the listing on their website but it doesn't give a part number. I only received the springs with no washer, PVC, or instructions.

My questions are:

Should these springs be 8" shorter than stock?

What size PVC is best to use for the spacers?

If these springs are correct, does anyone know how long I should make the spacers?

Any help would be appreciated. My garage looks like a Concours salvage yard right now and I would sure like to start making forward progress as soon as possible.
 
Hang  in there, some one will find you  the directions. You have the right springs When I cut my spacer I filled the uncompressed shock tube (schedule 40 rings a bell but I used steel pipe) about 1/4 inch ( I am guessing from memory) from the top of the tube. Normally my pre-load screw on the cap is screwed in to show only 2 or 3 notches or those  cuts  marked on the screws.  I unscrew those all the way out and then I can just  barely screw them back on the shock tubes by hand. After the caps are installed I screw the pre load  screws back in and try to get the correct  sag settings.
Also, you do not have to remove the fork tubes to drain the oil. There is an easier way.

I may have the directions  somewhere too.
 
This write up is specific to our C10 Connie.

http://www.sonicsprings.com/catalog/damper_rod_forks_tech_article.php
 
Thanks for the replies. It sounds like I can go ahead with the installation.
Also, you do not have to remove the fork tubes to drain the oil. There is an easier way.
Click to expand...
I just happened to have most of the bodywork off so it wasn't a big deal to go ahead and pull the forks. Also, my bike has bar risers so I have to loosen the clamps on the brake side anyway and slide the fork leg down to get the bar off of the stanchion. It's either that or take off the brake hose and have to bleed the brake system upon reassembly.
 
 
I'll go and look for the instructions I have and see what it says for length of the spacer. I cut mine to the length mentioned.  When I compared the length of the stock springs to the length of the sonic springs and my spacers the sonic spring setup was still shorter.  After a post and response from Rich Desmond from Sonic Springs, he said this was normal.  Sonic springs dont require near as much preload as the stock springs. With the stock springs ( best I recall from long time ago ) the stock springs stick out a bit and you have to compress ( preload ) the spring just to get the cap on. With the sonic springs the end of the spacer is just under the length of the forks fully extended and only gets a small amount of preload as you put the cap on.

Dscn2566.jpg
 
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