[woody1981]

I was riding my CL today for the first time since getting it all buttoned up with the Hooker Headers Exhaust and a bunch of cosmetic mods.

My problem is because of the Hooker scrambler pipes wrapping around the down-tube of the frame instead of drooping down like the stock CL pipes, under hard breaking the fender is getting into the header. Its already jacked up my fresh header wrap, so that will have to be redone. It also tweaked my fender in toward the tire and messed up the fresh black powdercoat.

I'm kinda pissed about it cause the bike looked so sweet and perfect until today. I didn't realize it was happening until I had been riding for awhile and I thought I just had an issue with my head bearings or something because it didn't want to turn under braking. Now I know it was the header/wrap/fender friction causing that issue.

I can re-wrap the header. And I can get the fender re-powdercoated. But I have to stiffen up the suspention first.

Suggestions? I contemplated spacers, but there isn't a good way to do that with the way the CL forks are setup. I really need stiffer springs in the same dimentions as the stock ones.

HELP!

- Woody

 

[66Sprint]

Woody...Hate to say I told you so, but the problem might be the forks projecting above the top tree to lower the bike...... I have some out of a slightly longer 33mm front end (CB/CM400) that should fit inside your tubes if you want to try a "preload" scenario.... Steve

 

[woody1981]

I know, I know... but I love the look of it lowered soooooo much. I never had a problem with the old headers... just these new ones. The main thing is that if I raise the front end back up I'll have to get new rear shocks since I have 12"ers on there right now... don't really want to spend the cash on that right now.

I really just need higher rate springs... argh this is so frustrating when the weather is getting nice. I would spacer the springs to add pre-load... but they make it so hard to do on these 350's. You would basically have to compress the spring down enough to add a spacer and still get all the stuff threaded back onto the top of the rod... all while keeping it from spinning... it's dumb. If I could find a heavier rate spring that was the right diameter I could either spacer it to the right length, or cut it to the right length depending on what it comes out of.

Still trying to figure out a good solution.

- Woody

Woody...Hate to say I told you so, but the problem might be the forks projecting above the top tree to lower the bike...... I have some out of a slightly longer 33mm front end (CB/CM400) that should fit inside your tubes if you want to try a "preload" scenario.... Steve

 

[Bird76Mojo]

Why not try the longer springs that Steve mentioned, in your tubes Woody?

GB :mrgreen:

 

[woody1981]

Do you think I will be able to compress them to get them onto my damper rods? It's kinda the same problem as the spacer solution. Do you think they are any heavier rate? Its not just a matter of pressing the top-caps down and threading them in like in a CB450 or 750 etc... these have the damper rods that thread into the top-caps before you thread the top-caps down.

I guess I could give them a shot. What do you want for them Steve?

- Woody

Why not try the longer springs that Steve mentioned, in your tubes Woody?

GB :mrgreen:

 

[woody1981]

I might have found an option... I will have to measure my springs when I get home... but Racetech has a bunch of springs in for vintage road racing...

http://www.racetech.com/SubMenu.asp?cMe ... =vintagerr

"We just received Fork Spring Kits that will fit 33-37mm Forks."

I'm going to measure my springs and see if I can figure it out... but either way I will probably call them on Monday and see if they can help me out.

- Woody

 

[mack]

Have you tried talking to Progressive Suspension? While they don't show springs specifically for your bike, they might be able to hook you up. They've been very helpful when I've worked with them in the past.

 

[woody1981]

I'm gonna hit the phones hard on Monday. I'll call both Progressive and Racetech and get the down-low on my options. The winner will probably the one that has drop-in (or nearly drop-in) spings and that can overnight them to me so I don't miss the killer weather we're supposed to have here this week.

I'll post my findings. In the mean time if anyone has any brilliant ideas then I am all ears.

- Woody

Have you tried talking to Progressive Suspension? While they don't show springs specifically for your bike, they might be able to hook you up. They've been very helpful when I've worked with them in the past.

 

[66Sprint]

Woody...Seriously, If you just barely noticed the interference, it has to be very slight.... I'd simply "push" the forks back down maybe 1/2" to allow for clearance.... I check the compressed clearances by pulling the forks fully "up" with a tie down strap looped on/around each fork (not pulled to bike) so I can pivot the entire front end at full compression.....
However, I'd still get some different (silicon-steel) springs, the stock "music-wire" ones are nominal from the factory.... S&W used to carry nice ones......
Steve

 

[woody1981]

I talked to Progressive Suspension today... less then helpful. But I also called RaceTech... they were very good. They had springs that are 23mm OD (stock are 22.2) and 410mm long (stock are 425mm) they include spacers for the difference. I order a in .90kg rate. That is the stiffest spring they sell in those dimensions... he suggested the .85kg based on my weight etc... but I wanted to err on the heavy side. He also said if they weren't quite right they would exchange me!

I paid for overnight so I'll have them tomorrow afternoon and will install them tomorrow after I get off work. We'll see how it goes.

- Woody

 

[Bird76Mojo]

Sweet! Keep us updated if you find the time..

GB :mrgreen:

 

[woody1981]

Oh I will... I need to get the issue solved and the fender and header wrap fixed so I can take some pics and show it off... I know I'm bias... but I think it's stunning with the new tank/seat/exhaust/fenders

- Woody

Sweet! Keep us updated if you find the time..

GB :mrgreen:

 

[woody1981]

NO DICE

I got the new springs and they are stiff... would have worked great I'm sure. But they are "23mm", well they measure out at 23.65mm and the stockers were 22.2mm. They wouldn't even slide into the tubes. So the hunt continues.

In the mean time I re-installed the stock springs with a 5mm spacer on the top to add a little pre-load, raised the front end back up to stock height. It still compresses to within about 1/2" of the header under hard breaking. But at least I road it back to the office!!!

I really want to slam it back down... so I might have to sell the scrambler pipe and go with stock 2-into-2 headers... haven't really decided yet.

If anyone finds a source for 22mm fork springs let me know.

- Woody

 

[woody1981]

Question for you know-it-alls.

Are 350F's and 400F's forks the same?

I can find springs for 350F forks and there are pre-load adjusters available 400F forks aftermarket as well... and I happen to have a set of 350F forks sitting on my workbench from my 350F.

Hmmmmm.

- Woody

 

[Bird76Mojo]

I know I probably wouldn't do it, but have you thought about shortening the header pipes on the very end about 1/4" or so. My Hooker pipe could be shortened if needed. The flanges on the end of the pipes are very long, enough so that I have quite a bit of threaded exhaust stud left un-used after clamping/tightening. Although mine is a CB450 2-1 pipe... Just an idea...

GB :mrgreen:

 

[woody1981]

Good thought... but it can't happen. The part of the header that was hitting the fender is already butted up against the downtube on the other side.

I am really leaning toward going back to a 2-into-2 stock setup if I can find some good stock CB350 headers.

What about my question about the CB350F forks? Are they the same as 400F forks?

Thanks,
- Woody

I know I probably wouldn't do it, but have you thought about shortening the header pipes on the very end about 1/4" or so. My Hooker pipe could be shortened if needed. The flanges on the end of the pipes are very long, enough so that I have quite a bit of threaded exhaust stud left un-used after clamping/tightening. Although mine is a CB450 2-1 pipe... Just an idea...

GB :mrgreen:

 

[woody1981]

Okay... so the springs I got from RaceTech won't fit my CB350F or CL350 forks. But they are the right springs for CB400F and CB360 forks that don't use the pushrod.

I have an return authorization for the springs if they don't work. But if anyone has a set of either of those forks I would like to give them a try. I'll put in ad in the Parts wanted section as well.

- Woody

 

[66Sprint]

Inserted pic in the "wanted" topic...