How to adjust suspension?

[cowspain]

I've got a new to me 2008 Touring. It's my 2-up bike, but I'm finding the rear suspension to feel like it bottoms out on some bumps in the road. It hurts my wife. How do I adjust the suspension, and how much would I adjust it? My wife and I are about 380lbs total.

 

[atomsplitter]

The rear shocks have a preload adjuster near the bottom of the shock. On my 05 it was just a hole in the chrome cover, but yours may be different. You need to add preload meaning shorten the spring. It probably goes up by steps with a maximum of maybe 4 or 5 steps. Use a C spanner and rotate clockwise and the collar should step up on a ramp. Add three steps to both sides and take for a test ride. If still bottoming out 2 up, add another step both sides. If it's maxed out and you're still bottoming the suspension you need to replace with stiffer shock springs (unlikely). Upgrading the shocks with aftermarket high end units will provide more adjustability since you can also dial compression and rebound damping that's unavailable on the stock units.

 

[Kevin frazier]

When you have to upgrade to keep wife happy For Sale - Race Tech gs-3 shocks

 

[atomsplitter]

I should note that before trying to spin the collar you should douse it with some WD-40 (or the like) and follow that up with some silicone spray. It might sound like you're grinding gravel and sand with it as it turns but with the age of your bike that's perfectly normal.

 

[cowspain]

Thank you looks like it's currently at 3/5. I'm gonna order a spanner and crank it to 5.

 

[cowspain]

The rear shocks have a preload adjuster near the bottom of the shock. On my 05 it was just a hole in the chrome cover, but yours may be different. You need to add preload meaning shorten the spring. It probably goes up by steps with a maximum of maybe 4 or 5 steps. Use a C spanner and rotate clockwise and the collar should step up on a ramp. Add three steps to both sides and take for a test ride. If still bottoming out 2 up, add another step both sides. If it's maxed out and you're still bottoming the suspension you need to replace with stiffer shock springs (unlikely). Upgrading the shocks with aftermarket high end units will provide more adjustability since you can also dial compression and rebound damping that's unavailable on the stock units.

Thank you for the info. I ended up adjusting them yesterday. I didn't feel it going along a ramp, but I was using a hammer and screwdriver rather than a spanner. I also had the back of the bike jacked up and the tire was off the ground, so maybe there wasn't any pressure on there to feel the ramp slotting into place. Does that sound right to you, or might I have aoun that chrome piece and done nothing? Anecdotally my wife said it feels better and we didn't bottom out on a short ride yesterday, but maybe it's all a placebo effect.

 

[atomsplitter]

Thank you looks like it's currently at 3/5. I'm gonna order a spanner and crank it to 5.

That is the recommended 2-up setting.