My first DIY Revalve

[mxmat813]

Hey guy’s, I’m getting ready to attempt my first revalve and just looking for some direction on my shim stacks. Here’s a little background. The bike is a 2011 CRF 450. It has the Merge racing knuckle to lower the back, and fix the vague front end feel while entering corners (worked awesome). It has rising rate pressure springs. I have one stock (.47 ) fork spring, and one (.50) spring for a spring rate of .485. I tried running .50’s in both sides but couldn’t get the front end to hold traction through flat corners without backing the compression out all the way. Rear shock is stock except for the knuckle. I’m 170lb (sans gear) Vet A motocross.

Here are my settings that I settled on for racing last year:

Shock 106mm sag LSC -4 HSC-2 Reb -11

Fork C -8 R -12

I spent more time getting the suspension dialed on this bike than on any other bike I’ve ever owned, and I have it pretty good, I just have a few complaints. First, the rear shock blows threw the last part of the stroke and bottoms. Second, the forks also blow through the stroke on square edge holes. Here is what the valving in it now looks like

fork rebound

4 - 20.12

14.12

18.12

16.12

14.15

12.15

2 - 11.3 b

Fork comp.

19 - 32.12

30.12

28.12

26.12

24.12

22.12

20.12

18.15

16.15

4 - 14.25b

plate

2 - 11.25

18.12

3 - 22.12

Shock com.

10 - 44.2

13 - 42.15

40.2

38.2

36.2

34.2

32.2

30.2

26.2

2 - 22.3b

Shock reb.

4 - 40.2

28.12

40.3

38.3

36.3

34.3

32.3

30.3

28.3

26.3b

I’m thinking about maybe starting with the stock 2012 valving specs, but looking for some opinions first. Thanks in advance gentlemen!

Edited February 6, 2012 by mxmat813

[Vietze]

2012 got a different fork, you cant use this setting.

You left out the midvalve.

since the rest of your setup is stock, I guess the mid is also stock:

3 - 20.12

18.12

16.12

14.12

11.12

Many threads here which deal with that bike.

Since the springs should suit your weight I would increase preload on the shock to ride more like 100 mm race sag. You shortend the overall travel with your knuckle. As a consequence you shouldn't ride big sag figures IMO.

If you like the shock except the bottoming, I would try that first.

You can add a bit bottoming resistance by riding more preload.

Dont know what is your float, but I would target 0.2 mm on the fork.

Many people use a 3-5 mm spacer for shortening the shock, installed a 2 stage comp and built a stronger reb in combination with a smaller float gap and a softer base in the forks.

Great bike IMO by using this setup.

[cardinale199]

the stock float is 0.30-0.35

you must add an 20 x 0.10 in your mid for first.

second on shock rebound add 2 40x 0.20

and if you run your com only 4 click out need stiff valving on shock add 2 44 x 0.20

[Jusa]

As vietze said:

''2012 got a different fork, you cant use this setting.''

''Since the springs should suit your weight I would increase preload on the shock to ride more like 100 mm race sag. You shortend the overall travel with your knuckle. As a consequence you shouldn't ride big sag figures IMO.

If you like the shock except the bottoming, I would try that first.

You can add a bit bottoming resistance by riding more preload.''

[Jusa]

the stock float is 0.30-0.35

you must add an 20 x 0.10 in your mid for first.

second on shock rebound add 2 40x 0.20

and if you run your com only 4 click out need stiff valving on shock add 2 44 x 0.20

I agree it is a good idea to add one more face shim in to mid but take one 11.11 shim out there to get same stack thickness. I don't get it how did you get that float number? 2011 model has completly new mid and there is not any float, it works different way. That new mid valve has more adjustability compared the previous one., Stock mid is as follows

20.11 (3)

18.11

16.11

14.11

11.11

10.2 (5)

11.11 (4)

10.3

17.11

20.11

12.2

Edited February 6, 2012 by Jusa

[mxmat813]

Thanks for the replys guys. Doing all this myself is new to me, so I appreciate all the knowledge I can gain. I've always done my own fork seals/oil changes, but the rest seems like taboo to me.

[cardinale199]

oh i read the 250!!!!!!!!!!!!sorry my mistake,in this period im totally taked on 2011 250 ,is my ghost"""!!!

[mog]

I would make the rebound on the shock stiffer by adding 2-3 40.2 , on the shock comp I would change some of the smaller shims to 0.25 about half of them in the stack

on the forks you don't mention your oil amount ? you could add 10wt in the outer chamber instead of 5 wt as a interesting test

[mxmat813]

I started at 350ml and adding .25 at a time last year. Without measuring I'm going to guess I ended up at 360. I did a lot of searching at it seems people are all leaning towards more rebound in the rear.

Also, regarding fluids, I went and picked up seals and bushings at my local honda shop last night and was hoping the had silkolene, but they recomended kyb k2c. Anyone ran this? Is it what comes stock.

Thanks again!

[Jusa]

I started at 350ml and adding .25 at a time last year. Without measuring I'm going to guess I ended up at 360. I did a lot of searching at it seems people are all leaning towards more rebound in the rear.

Also, regarding fluids, I went and picked up seals and bushings at my local honda shop last night and was hoping the had silkolene, but they recomended kyb k2c. Anyone ran this? Is it what comes stock.

Thanks again!

By going higher on oil level can make things even worse on square edge holes so you need some changes to valving or one step stiffer springs (4.7N). I am also very sceptical when talking about aftermarket lingage. Our race team tested them but ended up stock or -10 stock lingage.

More reb in the rear makes the rear end end more stable and predictable but that doesn't mean that you have to go far from stock stack.

KYB K2C shock oil is very high quality oil, I use it in most of the shocks I do and yes it comes stock.

[mxmat813]

Thanks Jusa!