Trying to decrease front dipping/scrapping.

[Paula]

I have a 2018 F3 limited. The front end scrapes at times going in and out of gas stations, parking lots and some times pull over spots. I know others have experienced similar.

I so far just have the stock tires and shocks on it. The manual says max tire pressure for fronts at 17psi and I have mine cold at 16.5. Can I go higher and would it help the scrape problem?

My other thought was tightening the front shocks a bit? Hubby says it is easy to do but in doing so it could change the alignment?


Just trying to think what may help. BTW my tool kit doesn't have the shock adjuster wrench in it... Did I loose mine or did it not come in the tool kit?

Thanks for the advice

 

[JayBros]

The first thing I would do is be certain that when entering/leaving the places you say where your F3 scrapes is to approach/depart at the sharpest angle possible so that both front wheels don't hit the dip at the same time. I have to do that leaving my driveway and it works every time. I doubt that 1/2 lb psi increase in front tires would solve the problem but there's know harm in trying.

 

[T.P.]

I think most of us just got a 'bump skid' from Spyderpops and don't worry about it much any more.

T.P.

 

[Grandpot]

:agree: with Jaybros. That includes speed bumps.

 

[BajaRon]

Check your ride height empty (nose to floor measurement). Then check your ride height with whatever loading you have when you are experiencing ground strikes. If the ride height is significantly less loaded, I would suggest getting spring pre-load adjustment on your shocks. With pre-load adjustment capabilities, you can maintain original ride height no matter what the loading. It also helps compensate dynamically for the additional mass which tends to make the front of the Spyder dip more severely than it should.

There are a few different ways to achieve this adjust-ability.

 

[PinkRosePetal]

Does your F3 have adjustable rear shock? Because lowering the rear lifts the front.

 

[Paula]

My rear shock is self leveling. Rear tire is at minumim psi per manual. Measured clearance on flat surface and it is 3.5 inches. With me sitting on it hubby stated "way less" (I think he was afraid to tell me the clearance like it was my weight or something... lol... ). So we definately need to tighten the suspension.

Hubby was wondering if the sachs shocks are reverse threaded?

Thanks for the advice on taking questionable ares at an angle. I also have found it helpful to do all the breaking before the area.

 

[Dudley]

My suggestion is to watch where your going, slow down for driveways going in or out and stretch your angle more.

 

[merlot]

hi paula
i have a 2016 f3 lim and the distance from ground to the top chrome point is 380mm

this height on my bike is standard for under chassis clearance

if you need more clearance then,as baja ron says,you can adjust your shocks to suit

when you wind your shocks up,you will not affect your wheel alignment

but you will affect your camber

here is how i measure camber

take a square board(anything really)and place next to wheel
then measure the distance from the bottom and compare it with the distance at the top.....if top distance is greater,then you can wind the shock up more
wind up until both top and bottom distances are equal then stop(the left shock affects the right side camber)

more weight on the bike will give -ve camber...eg top lays in(you can jack the bike up more)

once the front wheels are square(at 90 degrees to the ground)then you cant wind the shock up anymore

some people wrongly assume that winding up the front shock will stiffen the ride
what it does in reality,is to raise the front of the bike

hope this helps

russ

 

[PMK]

hi paula
i have a 2016 f3 lim and the distance from ground to the top chrome point is 380mm

this height on my bike is standard for under chassis clearance

if you need more clearance then,as baja ron says,you can adjust your shocks to suit

when you wind your shocks up,you will not affect your wheel alignment

but you will affect your camber

here is how i measure camber

take a square board(anything really)and place next to wheel
then measure the distance from the bottom and compare it with the distance at the top.....if top distance is greater,then you can wind the shock up more
wind up until both top and bottom distances are equal then stop(the left shock affects the right side camber)

more weight on the bike will give -ve camber...eg top lays in(you can jack the bike up more)

once the front wheels are square(at 90 degrees to the ground)then you cant wind the shock up anymore

some people wrongly assume that winding up the front shock will stiffen the ride
what it does in reality,is to raise the front of the bike

hope this helps

russ

Sorry Russ, Can Am Spyder are notorious for bump steer effect. Any raising or lowering of the chassis will induce a toe change, which is a change in alignment.

Adding spring preload does not change spring rate, but will change spring force at full extension, full compression, and intermediate points.

 

[BajaRon]

Sorry Russ, Can Am Spyder are notorious for bump steer effect. Any raising or lowering of the chassis will induce a toe change, which is a change in alignment.

Adding spring preload does not change spring rate, but will change spring force at full extension, full compression, and intermediate points.

You are correct. Though there is a range within which alignment is not seriously affected. That is why I recommend maintaining ride height instead of lifting the front of the Spyder. Of course, when you maintain original ride height, you are 'Lifting' the front of the Spyder from its collapsed state when loaded. It's really a very simple concept. The combination of recovered ride height (increased effective ground clearance) and stiffer spring action reducing downward movement when contact is made with an incline, makes a huge difference. It increases stability and usually eliminates ground strikes even if you are not careful.

 

[AsphaltEagle]

Paula, have you found an answer? I have the same yr model spyder and SAME problem. We always ride 2 up. I tried to lengthen shocks but could not break the adj. Nuts free. I do have skid plate because the botton of nose was getting torn up. From skid plate to road i have 2.95 inches clearance. Not enough.
Have you solved the problem?

 

[mully]

taller tires?

 

[Cobwebs]

.... > snip < .....

Hubby was wondering if the sachs shocks are reverse threaded?

......

No but the locknnuts are very tight you need a couple of c spanners to crack the varmints.Amazon has heaps.

 

[BajaRon]

taller tires?

Really not necessary. Adjusting the shock pre-load to maintain empty ride height is all that is really needed. It not only recovers lost ground clearance. It also reduces suspension collapse when hitting a bump or inclined surface like a driveway approach.