Need Springs for F3T Shocks

[Haze]

In the past I saw several posts about changing just the springs on the F3T shocks.
Does anyone have a link to this information.
I need to find better springs and I need to find the total travel for the shocks so I can set the sag.
Spyder is a 2017 F3T.

TIA

[Rednaxs60]

I'll chime in here with an opinion - an old fart so have lots. Minimum spring rate that aftermarket shocks are going with seems to be in the 250 lb/in spring rate ball park. Lots out there to chose from. Does your F3 have a preload adjuster? If so this will be a determining factor in the spring length and spring rate as well. You want the spring length and rate such that from "0" preload to max preload to be no more than 1 cm/1/2 in - seems to be an industry standard. I have the M2 front shocks with 250 lb/in springs and the preload is 2.2 cm for the road clearance the 2014 RT LE requires. The only spec for road clearance in the OEM manual is 110 mm directly under the engine - maybe something similar for the F3. Will be changing the spring to increase the spring rate to reduce the preload to 1 cm or less.

Would remove the spring from the shock assembly, and measure the ID and length of the spring. Should be able to get a new spring with at least a 250 lb/in rate off eBay, or contact one of the shock aftermarket shock manufacturers.

New springs on the front of your Spyder could probably overpower the rear shock. One thread below is about an upgrade to the rear shock spring and the new install having a preload adjuster. Used a 600 lb/in spring. The M2 rear shock I installed came with a 525 lb/in spring installed, changed it to a 700 lb/in spring because I ride two up quite often and will be towing a trailer - 600 lb would probably have been fine, may try later on.

I increased the rear shock spring rate to minimize the air shock usage specifically for solo riding, use air shock to compensate for two up riding - similar to using the air shock system on my ex-1500/1800 Goldwings, these were manually adjusted to a specific air pressure - no air adjust on the fly. My '85 1200 Goldwing Limited Edition has an air shock system as well, set for solo or two up riding, then allow the system to adjust the air pressure as required for the riding conditions - the RT Spyder with the ACC system does the same thing.

Here are three threads that I have read and find very informative.

https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?126595-RT-Limited-OEM-Rear-Shock-Making-it-Adjustable&highlight=suspension+upgrade
https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?60792-2012-RT-S-SE5-Front-Suspension
https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?61674-2012-RT-S-SE5-Rear-Suspension-%28shock%29

These threads are for an RT Spyder, but the information is still relevant.

Hope this helps. Cheers

[Haze]

Rednaxs60 - Thank you for the wealth of information.
I need to find time to read and digest all of technical details.
Thanks again...

[Mikey]

I hate to be the fly in the orpiment, but it baffles me, why a person would want to take a turd of a shock and try to make it some thing it isn't!:dontknow: And then when it comes time to rebuild that turd you can't and now you have to what, buy another stock shock, and another spring, because as we all know springs do get weak over time???? I would spend my money on some thing that's more plug and play. That's just me!!:coffee:

[malibu_dan]

Not affiliated, other than I've been a customer for years. Didn't think they had an option for the Spyder, so I bought some expensive Elkas. Less than a year later they were puking from the seals. Elka said, "These are performance shocks, you're supposed to rebuild them every year or so." Call up Traxxion; they rebuilt them, replaced a shaft that wasn't true, put mucho better seals in them. Haven't had a problem since. By the way, Traxxion was like, "oh, you should have called us first--we would have built some shocks for you. Much better than the Elkas." I still believe, of ALL the money I've dumped into bikes and trikes over the decades--the best money you can spend is upgrading the suspension.

https://traxxion.com/

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AM-JKLWLgezm0N4P55rcTFcrkJ589bIOTrkkSXKM3zyFcWm_JSMGU Bera0PDjbQTOkhHDaTlmV0tcBZGX9p-9h3LJf-8vkg9Tf14FkyMErI4DqNF8n5KU4_Xzl2AndS-g5zdjgqysEov3dlhy9jkICalckv4og=w1489-h993-no?authuser=0