After fitting the new rear shock (spring and valving), I checked sag after a settle-in ride. My initial preload turned out to be too low, which I remedied.
Thanks for this very interesting engineering analysis of the suspension setup on your DR. I have watched and read about setup from others but have never seen it explained by the numbers.
The rear suspension isn’t to hard to understand. The suspension linkage complicates movement and force leverage but I think I got pretty close. When I got back from my ride and measured sag I thought…what the?! I hadn’t put the preload on it I thought I had! Anyway, all sorted and she sits up nicely. I can also re-adjust now… Thanks for your comments.
With a huge load, and riding on factory-lowered suspension set-up, I'm measuring almost 60% race-sag, even after pre-loading 7mm.past factory-setting on standard 6.5kg per mm. spring (that is 45kg.extra preload). Would heavier springs still be compatible with the shorter-travel factory-lowering set-up? It's an awkward job to singlehandedly measure race-sag with a full load of camping luggage. Requires my full weight on the seat whilst bending over sideways and backwards with a measuring stick or tape. Is there an easier D.I.Y. set-up for doing this on my own?
Spring length doesn’t change. I think they just use the upper hole in the shock lower mount and alternative linkage arms. Preload can help but there should be a public warning on preload. Too much and you’ll experience a harsh ride. It’s the force when the shock starts to move. I got my wife to help me measure when I sat on it. You really need somebody else to be accurate. Or do it yourself and accept you might be out. Same for front. It’s not too hard just tricky to balance and measure. Measure from any point on swinging arm or wheel vertically upwards to any point above wheel centre. Can use tape measure or stick. It’s just a relative measure. Unless you are 75kg and 5’6” you should consider front and rear springs. The factory ones are miles too soft. Thanks for the question. Good luck 👍🏻😁
