Fork springs and emulators

[chaos_magic_man]

Ok so I am sending rear shock off to be worked on. What should I do about the front? Springs? Emulators? How do I decide what brand springs? Standard or progessive? How do I calculate what spring rate I need? If i just get springs right now can I get the emulators later and not need to change springs again?

Thanks.

[boatxr]

send them to cogent http://motocd.com

rick rides a dr & is the one doing the shock upgrade. is that who you sent the shock to? i hope so! http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=301968

he knows dr suspension. he's a race tech dealer & sells at discount. do the springs and emulators for the ultimate.

call him, great guy to talk to. very patient & thorough!

tell him william eakins from steamboat colorado sent ya.

[meanstrk]

I have a Cogent shock and, based on Rick's advice, went with emulators only in front and could not be happier with how it handles.

You can do springs now and add the emulators later if you want, but the emulators do require drilling the damper rods so you may want to just do it all at once.

[chaos_magic_man]

yup its going to rick. I just need help on what to buy for the front. I have a friend who can get me a discount on racetech.

[chaos_magic_man]

Ok so yet again my shock has been sent to rick. I dont want to ask rick all these questions about the front forks only to buy the springs and emulators from someone else. I feel bad doing that. So I come to you people. Anyone? I weigh 200 lbs without gear. Thanks in advance.

[_eugene_]

Ok so I am sending rear shock off to be worked on. What should I do about the front? Springs? Emulators? How do I decide what brand springs? Standard or progessive? How do I calculate what spring rate I need? If i just get springs right now can I get the emulators later and not need to change springs again?

Thanks.

Ok so yet again my shock has been sent to rick. I dont want to ask rick all these questions about the front forks only to buy the springs and emulators from someone else. I feel bad doing that. So I come to you people. Anyone? I weigh 200 lbs without gear. Thanks in advance.

It depends on how much you want to spend right now really. The shock is going to be better than your forks even with both springs and emulators. So technically speaking you would most likely want both springs and emulators sometime in the future. Why put a nice shock on the back and half arse the front(providing you have the money)?

It doesn't matter whether you get springs now then install the emulators later or the opposite. If you choose the correct spring rate you won't need to change it again. The emulators don't care what springs you use.

Both are easy to install but the emulators are more work. The springs go right in. The springs that are in your bike now are progressive wound. The Eibach and Race Tech springs are straight rate would springs. I believe someone mentioned Eibach makes the springs for Race Tech but I don't know. If you can get a discount on the Race Tech springs I would go that route. I think you'll find 99% of people here and elsewhere run straight rate springs, not progressive.

As far as spring rate, Race Tech has a calculator on their site. Go into the products section and look up the DR. On the DR specific products page is a spring rate calculator. I'm guessing you'd want .46 or .47 but not sure. I just went there to give a direct link to the calculator but it was down so you'll need to try it later.

[Ragge_]

I cant figure it out, what is emulators? and yeah, i know, google is my friend, i just dont wanna spend the whole day searching when i know anyone of you will have the correct answere

[mxrob]

I cant figure it out, what is emulators? and yeah, i know, google is my friend, i just dont wanna spend the whole day searching when i know anyone of you will have the correct answere

The stock DR650 forks are old school drilled dampening rod technology. The new style forks use cartridge technology. Not to go into a whole the emulators added to the dampening rods, with a few mods, "Emulate" a cartridge set-up. Not a direct comparison to a cartridge fork but way better dampening control than a few holes drilled in the stock rod.

[Mojave]

I think Racetech has an explanation on their website. The damping rod fork has limited dynamic range due to "hydraulic lock". The emulator valve uses a disc valve, instead of fixed oil passages in the damping rod, that provides far more dynamic range, so the fork can be supple for little bumps, and still function more or less properly for the big hits.

On a scale. At the bottom is the stock fork. Next is the raceteched stock fork. Next better is the stock DRZ400 fork. Then there are the good ones like WP on KTM bikes. If I had to put a number on a 1 to 10 scale on this (in my direct experience) here it is:

Stock 2

Raceteched stock 4

DRZ cartridge 6

KTM (WP) 10

I'm sure the DRZ forks can be made better by a good suspension tuner but I've no experience there. I think the Racetech mods make the stock forks much better but not really comparable to a KTM unit.

[chaos_magic_man]

I think Racetech has an explanation on their website. The damping rod fork has limited dynamic range due to "hydraulic lock". The emulator valve uses a disc valve, instead of fixed oil passages in the damping rod, that provides far more dynamic range, so the fork can be supple for little bumps, and still function more or less properly for the big hits.

On a scale. At the bottom is the stock fork. Next is the raceteched stock fork. Next better is the stock DRZ400 fork. Then there are the good ones like WP on KTM bikes. If I had to put a number on a 1 to 10 scale on this (in my direct experience) here it is:

Stock 2

Raceteched stock 4

DRZ cartridge 6

KTM (WP) 10

I'm sure the DRZ forks can be made better by a good suspension tuner but I've no experience there. I think the Racetech mods make the stock forks much better but not really comparable to a KTM unit.

I plan on putting some other forks on the front at some point. I just don't want to lose the key or steering lock. I have the money for springs and emulators right now. I don't have the money for a new front end. And yes I would rather have decent forks now then shitty ones till I get the money for amazing forks later.

[Ragge_]

you guys are great! ooooh wp i like.. if i just could get a job where i got paid o.o

[mxrob]

I plan on putting some other forks on the front at some point. I just don't want to lose the key or steering lock. I have the money for springs and emulators right now. I don't have the money for a new front end. And yes I would rather have decent forks now then shitty ones till I get the money for amazing forks later.

If you want to keep the steering lock then it sounds like the DRZ legs would be the way you'd want to go for an upgrade. They fit into the DR's triple trees.

[chaos_magic_man]

If you want to keep the steering lock then it sounds like the DRZ legs would be the way you'd want to go for an upgrade. They fit into the DR's triple trees.

Hmmmmm do you know how many spokes the front wheel has? or will the forks take the dr650 wheel? I may look into this before I get springs and emulators. I thought the drz forks were a diff size.

[KrustySS]

Hmmmmm do you know how many spokes the front wheel has? or will the forks take the dr650 wheel? I may look into this before I get springs and emulators. I thought the drz forks were a diff size.

Get the DR-Z wheel when you get the DR-Z forks...

[the1wizard]

There is a set of forks for a 2001 DRZ on Ebay right now. Just make new spacers to run your stock wheel with them. Good luck!

[chaos_magic_man]

what about the rotor? Will I need to machine a caliper relocation bracket?

[the1wizard]

To run your 650 wheel and brakes, speedo etc. you will have to modify or go to aftermarket. If you can get the 400 wheel and brakes would be easier, but nothing ever lines up perfectly in these swaps. Depends on $ and availability.

[chaos_magic_man]

ok I got the emulators and springs in. I am about to tear into the shock. Any tips. What weight fork oil and what level? whats the deal with drilling?

[tigerowner_ut]

ok I got the emulators and springs in. I am about to tear into the shock. Any tips. What weight fork oil and what level? whats the deal with drilling?

Drilling the damper rods is to eliminate the forks damping so that the fork relies entirely on the Gold Valve Emulator.

I used the stock oil level and Mobil 1 ATF for the fluid. Now, with the Emulators, fork springs and the Cogent Shock the bike is a dream to ride!!!?

[paddymotodaddy]

As in automatic transmision fluid ATF?