How the heck do you set suspension sag with no help. I aint got any friends, I go to work and come home. Thats it. My wife and teenage daughter wont be any help. Asking them would be like pulling teeth. Plus how could I trust their measurements. lol. I can get the bike off the ground with suspension hanging to get those measurements. Then I can use the paddock stands to get static/bike sag with no rider. But with me on it I'm kinda lost. Thanks.

 

well, for measurements on the front end use a zip tie around your fork slider. whenyou compress it will push the tie up and when you unload it, it should stay where the for compressed up to. Then you can measure it that way.

for the rear end, it will be trickier. you really need one person to stand there and make one mark on a ruler/piece of wood/cardboard. you can do all of the baseline and static sag stuff by yourself. If you can't count on your wife or kid to stand there and make one mark on the measuring device once you sit on the bike to measure rider sag, I dunno what to tell ya. Here's FOX's instructions for the rear:

Setting SAG / Spring Preload
After fitting your FOX shock you need to set the static sag and rider sag. You will need a bike stand
that will let your suspension “hang” down in an unloaded position. The rear stand should mount onto
the foot pegs or the frame somewhere (not the swingarm), so that the rear wheel is off the ground. If
your motorcycle is equipped with a centerstand, that will suffice. If you do not have this type of stand, a
couple of strong friends should be sufficient.
1) Set the bike up on a suitable stand or get your friends to lift up the rear so the shock is fully
extended. Take a measurement from the rear axle to a point on the chassis directly above the rear
axle (see Figure 1). This is L1; write down this measurement.
2) Have a friend hold the front end of the
bike. Sit on the bike in your normal riding
position. It is also a good idea to have your
normal riding gear on including your
helmet. If you normally carry luggage on
your motorcycle, leave it on the motorcycle
for this measurement. Push down on the
rear of the bike then let it settle. Measure
the distance using the same points as
above. This is L2; write down this
measurement.
3) Rider sag = L1 – L2. On a street bike this
should be 25% to 35% of the total wheel
travel, or typically 1” – 1.5” (25-35 mm).
On a road race bike this should be ¾” - 1”
(20-25mm). (Your motorcycle owner’s
manual will tell you the total wheel travel.)
4) To set rider sag to the correct amount, use
the “C” wrench provided and adjust the
preload adjuster nuts on top of the spring.
Tighten the nut onto the spring to decrease
rider sag; loosen the nut to increase rider
sag. Repeat steps 2 through 4 until the
rider sag is in the desired range.
5) Push down on the rear of your motorcycle a couple of times and let it settle with no rider on board.
Measure using the same points as before. We will call this L3; write down this measurement.
6) Static sag = L1 – L3. The static sag should be between 0.25 - 0.5 inches (7-13 mm).
The following chart will enable you to determine if your spring rate is correct. The measurements given
are a guide only; there are no absolute settings that you must stick to.
Rider Sag Static Sag Spring Rate May Be:
Appropriate Range Too Little Too Soft
Appropriate Range Too Much Too Hard

 

Use a zip tie and put it around the tube putting it against the seal. Gently get on and off your bike. Then jack up the front end and measure seal to zip tie. I can lift the front of my bike (using my leg and knee as a fulcrum) with one hand and measure with a ruler in the other. You wife or daughter should be able to lift the front end enough to take off the weight. It doesn't need to come off the ground, just to take off the weight on the forks. It really isnt that heavy. You can hold it and have them measure, if you trust them in doing so.

 

+ 1 on the use of zip ties on for the front, but you really need to have the bike held straight up while you sit on it (with full riding gear on), to get an accurate measurement - if you aren't on the bike in riding position, with both of your feet on the pegs, it's just not going to be exact - it might be good enough to get you close, though. A $35 motorcycle wheel chock from Harbor freight can make getting the front set a little easier, when your doing it solo.

Also, you can use some brute force on the handlebars, and tilt the bike left to raise the front wheel off, then left while pushing forward for the rear, using your kick-stand as a pivot...I've done it, but you've just got to be careful, and it doesn't hurt to be strong! When you pivot the bike on the kickstand, to get the front wheel off the ground, it's still helpful to have 1 person to put the zip tie in place - the only problem at all with the zip tie method in the front, is that after the fully extended measurement is taken, you need to get on the bike and "bounce" the forks a few times, before getting into "riding position" for the compressed measurement, and this "bouncing" will knock the zip tie higher up, not giving a reliable reading. And, like the guys above already mentioned, getting anywhere near an accurate measurement at the rear, is still going to take at least one more person to do, even with the front wheel secured in a chock - with three people, it's gravy.
Good luck!!

 

Thanks guys, I'm gonna try and do what I can, track day is this weekend July 15th and 16th. I'll ask at the riders meeting if any suspension gurus can help me out. I'm sure some of the coaches or someone will help. Cant wait to experience the fox shock.

 

Ahhhhh, the Fox shock! Since my recent additions of the race header, quick-turn throttle, and that wonderful Twin-Clicker Fox shock, it's like I'm on a new machine!! You're going to love it!! Presuming you get it set up right, that is! Good luck! What track are you going to, by the way?

 

I'm going to Summit Point's Shenandoah Circuit on Sunday, load everything up drive half a mile to Summit Point main for Monday. Sleeping in the minivan, calling off work, eating pb sandwiches, fudge rounds,and drinking lots of water. Loving every minute of it, except the ride home. The whole way home all I think about is the Next Track Day. haha. Any way back to the subject..... Ive been reading everything I can find about setting sag. See if this makes since...... If I put my bike on race stands, zip tie around the fork, a straightened piece of coat hanger firmly attached to the subframe vertical right next to the axle, then a wooden dowel thru the axle with a hole for the coat hanger, put the coat hanger thru the dowel and zip tie it like the fork, when I gently climb on and of the bike measure how far the zip tie went up the coat hanger and the fork. Would that be kind of close to get me in the ball park. I'm not going to worry about the Fox L3 measurement right now, I not in the market for springs right now and besides Jamie at Daughtery put the proper spring on the shock anyway. Did that coat hanger thing make any since to anyone? I thought I seen something like it made out of metal years ago that you could buy from some motorcycle tool maker like Pro Motion or someone like that. Any way thanks for any tips or suggestion.

 

That idea's so crazy, it just might WORK!!! If you could get the largest dowel rod that will go in the axle, and maybe get some small metal rod stock, or heck, just a smaller dowel rod - either of these might work better to get a zip tie tightened around, whereas with the hanger, it might not be able to snug up to it.
As long as you've got enough length of the vertical portion to already be "threaded" into the hole on the horizontal piece, with the suspension extended, it may well do you just fine. Bear in mind, that though the subframe will have the illusion of "coming down" under your weight, there will also be a slight bit of fore/aft motion as well, so you'll have to make sure that where the vertical item is attached, it has just a wee bit of "flexibility", if you will.
I'm interested in how this will work out.

 

I google searched "sag tool" and guess what....... someone makes one, its for dirt bikes but I dont see why it wont work for street bikes. Its similar to that thing I rigged up. The AS_ le_er people make it. (the letter between c and b on my keyboard dont work so fill in the space with that letter).

 

So, how much money did you save by fanangling something on your own?