[NorCalWarrior]

Did a couple mods this weekend (V-BAK

and PCS lowering links

) On my way into work this morning I look down and the tach and speedo are dead, tried the turnsignals and nothing, but the headlight and front running lights were still working.


Soon as I got to work I took a peak under the rear fender and the two wires coming off my plate light are rubbed clean through, so guess I bottomed out on the way to work

I havethe CA tailight and a barons plate eliminator and the tire rubbed on the back of the plate mount and took out the wires for the plate light. Guessing that it shortedand blew a fuse (haven't checked it yet) and I will need to rewire the plate light. Will maybe also need to stiffen the spring (I'm 185lbs so not sure I need to go to the 1K spring - any thoughts)


How do you guys with lowering links protect the rear wiring? How difficult is it to adjust the stock spring to stiffen it up - do I have to take it off the bike again?Anybody have experience with a different eliminator kit?I hate when stuff like this happens and I have to work all day before I can do anything about it!

 

[NorCalWarrior]

Anybody......?


Been searching the forum (slow day at work) and from what I am reading I think maybe the stiffer spring might be the way to go? Want to fix this once and for all because I can't be riding around and lose the tailight (especially at night, and especiallysince I'm already gonna have to go in and fix the wiring) - anybody used the progresivespring from PCS? or is the Eibach the way to go - both are about the same price

 

[arizonawarrior]

The Eibach 1,000 spring is available thru Ground Control (see my gallery).


The PCS links are not adjustable - you need adjustable links. Try Ram396.


The fuse is under your seat. Do you have a service manual? There is a link to a free manual in the Popular Mods post.


The stock spring cannot be made stiffer or longer, only compression and reboundcan be dampened/adjusted.


I'm not in a place where I can check the manual to see if just one fuse is dead, or more, based on the items you have that are not working. Believe it or not there is a post in the top section of Popular Mods with a title like "signals and tach don't work . . ." I don't remember exactly, but check that out.

 

[NorCalWarrior]

I know the PCS links are not adjustable, but PCS also carries a progressive rate rear spring (something like 850lbs to 1250lbs) Seems like it maybe an alternative to the Eibach and Barons Springs.


Adjusting the rebound wont help with bottoming it out - it will only make the return from bottom more pleasant

, but compression will in effect provide a stiffer ride by shortening the stroke? Although not sure this will help with bottoming out since the spring rate remains the same, so If I go over a bump that will cause me to bottom out having the compression adjusted will justmake the bump feel harsher or softer but will still result in a bottom out?


By the way I've been searching trying to find your popular mods thread and when I saw your post I realized you had a link to it in your sig line - I will have to remember that!

 

[alanh]

Here are some solutions and my comments based on personal real world experience with these components:

Spring rates 101 .. Spring rates are constant based on the free length & design (Excluding Progressive). When you crank down on the adjust screw you change the effective force req'd to collapse the spring by preloading it which will have an affect on the developed kinetic energy when you hit a bump. You will most likely need to adjust the dampening to prevent what has been labeled on the site as the POGO effect

• I would suggest you adjust the stock spring on the side stand using the tool kit spanner wrench and extension handle. It's a cake walk and not difficult at all IMO ... adjust from the right side.
• An Eibach 1000# will do the trick. I personally think that the progressive spring is overpriced and there isn't much benefit because the Warrior rear suspension doesn't have that much travel and with the PCS it's even less. That's just my .02 and some facts
• My real world experience with your application is Bruce aka Riverat with an '02' less dampening, of course, but PCS links-240 Phat tire and lots of 2-up riding with his his GF. After R&R'ing the referenced spring no more bottoming out at all.
  • Bruce also did the Fender chop to the OEM part so the wire issue doesn't exist with his ride
• I believe the Baron IFEK sits at a tighter angle to the rear tire where as the Yamaha is flared out more or flatter. You might check my gallery photos or others. It's important that you zip tie the wires accordingly and be sure that the fender harness is routed through the spring clips
  • You blew the 10A Signal Fuse which is common to this interference and there should be a spare in the fuse box
  • Check this link for location :http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2207/2244491563_5240b0ef10_o.jpg

IMO, the Warrior rear suspension in stock trim was designed to bottom out on the urethane bumper located on the mono shock designed around the stock size tire. When new parameters are introduced by us guys new challenges arise. So, on any given day if the circumstances are working against you the bike will bottom out

.. ask me how i know

Good luck

I know the PCS links are not adjustable, but PCS also carries a progressive rate rear spring (something like 850lbs to 1250lbs) Seems like it maybe an alternative to the Eibach and Barons Springs.

Adjusting the rebound wont help with bottoming it out - it will only make the return from bottom more pleasant

, but compression will in effect provide a stiffer ride by shortening the stroke? Although not sure this will help with bottoming out since the spring rate remains the same, so If I go over a bump that will cause me to bottom out having the compression adjusted will just make the bump feel harsher or softer but will still result in a bottom out?

By the way I've been searching trying to find your popular mods thread and when I saw your post I realized you had a link to it in your sig line - I will have to remember that!

 

[NorCalWarrior]

AlanH - thanks for the info, guess I am going to order the 1000lb Eibach tonight...now on to more pressing matters

Here is a shot of the damage done. You can see the rub mark where the tire hit, you can also see the bundle of wires that took the brunt of the bottom out. This bundle was two small wires for the LED light strip on the license plate frame.




Took it all apart tonight and repaired the damage, there are a couple other holes in the bracket higher up where the rest of the wiring harness for the tailight comes through so when I reassemble I am going to move these two wires up there as well to hopefully keep them out of the way

Replaced the blown 10A fuse and did a test wire before I put it all back together, and now I get constant brake light (signals work, LED light for plates work, but no taillight just full on brake light) I even hooked up the stock tailight just to make sure it wasn't an issue with the clear alternatives, so after I eat I'm going to go fiddle with the brake light switch on the foot peddle - and hopefully I'll be back in business.

While I was at it I also fooled around with the compression and rebound adjustments. My stock rebound setting was at 11 clicks which per the owners manual is the standard setting so I reduced it to 6 clicks which is between standard and hard. I also adjusted the compresion from about 6-5/8" to just a hair under 6-1/2" to hopefuly firm the ride and reduce the chances of bottoming out.

 

[warriordog]

How do you guys with lowering links protect the rear wiring?

I had to have surgery on the rear light kit on my tailgate at WF last April. The lowered bike rubbed the wires through. Try one of these connectors. A WeatherPack (Thanks to Woody for the tip)

http://www.whiteproducts.net/connectors.shtml

You can find them on any wrecked GM cars at a junkyard. I walked out in the yard, found what I needed and they gave it to me. You'll need to find at least a six wire plug (I used an 8 wire plug connector) to run all the wires from the tailight and blinkers through it. They are water proof too. I got one off a wiring harness from a GM wreck. One connector for all the wires and then zip tie it up to the inner fender eliminator to keep it up tight to the fender. Worked for me. Good luck.

 

[NorCalWarrior]

OK as I said in the above after I got everything repaired I test wired everything up to make sure it was all working like it should and the brake light is constantly on - no tailight just brake light like I am applying the brakes. I checked the switch on the rear brake pedel and adjusted it up and down with the light on and the brake light never went off, so now I am puzzled.

I checked all the fuses and none are blown, could something else have shorted when my LED license plate shorted out? HELP!! What else can I check?

 

[alanh]

How do you guys with lowering links protect the rear wiring?

I had to have surgery on the rear light kit on my tailgate at WF last April. The lowered bike rubbed the wires through. Try one of these connectors. A WeatherPack (Thanks to Woody for the tip)


http://www.whiteproducts.net/connectors.shtml

WarriorDog ...That's a 1st class connector you posted

so i saved the url ... thanks.


Here's a couple of photos: It's a little more complex as i have a LED license plate light and also added dual circuit rear led's for turn & running light. These parts are mounted to a Yamaha IFEK with tie wraps and protected with Dielectric Grease. I used an OEM style snap connector as my harness wasn't damaged andBTW, you only need 5-wires in the rear

 

[alanh]

What color were the Yamaha wires that shorted and what did they short to. Each other or metal part (GRND)


I really don't recognize what your photo is unless you fabricated some plastic cover in the rear for the Baron kit. The Yamaha IFEK is completely open as shown in my photos


EDITED: I just reread your caption above the photo and it looks like you shorted out the Blue running light wire to the Blk GRND which might have blown a diode, resistoror wire in the CATaillight or maybe it was just the impact.


The rear brake light is operated when the plunger of the rear brake light switch is pulled down by the light dutyspring. Just remove it from the brake pedal and be sure that frt switch isn't being operated at the MC.

 

[arizonawarrior]

Hey alright, you've been busy! I'm glad its working out, sorry I was short of time earlier.


Hopefully you didn't connect the running light to the brake plug! Sorry, couldn't help myself.


Yea from that pic you definitely created a little friction. Sometimes you can find square sheetsof black absin stores. Tuck that up there over the wires and under the wire loomtang, then use the screws that hold the tail lightto fix the abs sheet in place. I saw a guy's bike at Daytona Bike week this year who did that. His bike (not a warrior) was at thechrome tent getting goodies and they took off his back fenderand I noticed it. It does the work but doesn't look pretty, but neither do the wires. Nobody ever gets under there to look, and it looks like it really does protects the conductors. Of course a speeding hot rod rubber tire will do damage to about anything so I'm glad your damage isn't too bad.


Your are right about the spring rate, I know what you mean. You want the spring to cushion, but also hold the shock extended in a bump like you say. The bikes I've ridden with the 1,000# are cool because they are stiffer like a sports car suspension, but they don't break your back like an 1,100 pounder that makes you walk sideways and stutter for a week. The progressive seems like it would still let you down too far do you think?

 

[NorCalWarrior]

What color were the Yamaha wires that shorted and what did they short to. Each other or metal part (GRND)

I had my LED license plate frame wired to the blue and black wires of the stock harness (basically I reused the same wires that the stock plate light was wired too). The two wires were electrical taped together and I am assuming they shorted to each other, but possibly also to the barons IFEK since it is metal

I really don't recognize what your photo is unless you fabricated some plastic cover in the rear for the Baron kit. The Yamaha IFEK is completely open as shown in my photos

I have the barons IFEK (took me a while to decifer what IFEK meant

) I had all the wires for the clear alternatives tailight tucked up tight and zip tied similar to your picture (BTW: after seeing the pics of the underside of your fender I feel much better about having my wad of zip tied wires up under their). There was a small hole in the barons IFEK that I routed the 2 wires for the plate light through. When I reassemble I am going to use the same hole that the clear alternatives harness is poking throgh which is tucked up much higher.

The rear brake light is operated when the plunger of the rear brake light switch is pulled down by the light dutyspring. Just remove it from the brake pedal and be sure that frt switch isn't being operated at the MC.

Yeah I turned the threaded rear brake pedel switch assy to is loosest? setting to take all the tension off the spring and still all I get is brake light. I'll try disconnecting it tomorrow along with the harness to the front brake lever to see if I can isolate it to a switch or something potentially more insideous - thanks for your help!

Also I don't think the problem is with the Clear alternative having a blown diode or resistor since I tried hooking up the stock tailight and still got only brake light - although now that I think about it I didn't mess with the switch when i had the stock light hooked up so I could possibly have a bad CA tailight and a brake switch out of adjustment - tomorrow should be fun.


BTW I tried editing the quote tags so I could seperate your quotes and my replies, so it this post shows up all outta whack that's probably why

 

[NorCalWarrior]

Hey alright, you've been busy! I'm glad its working out, sorry I was short of time earlier.

Yes, but still having issues! Constant brake light aside, I ordered my 1K Eibach - picked it up from an outfit called nopork.com - there sorta anti hardley I guess? had it for $79, seemed to carry quite a bit but i wasn't in the mood to browse. Now if I could only learn to do my mods all at once (i.e links and spring, V-Bak and AIS) rather than one at a time i'd be saving myself some redundant work - or maybe I just like the practice of taking stuff apart

Your are right about the spring rate, I know what you mean. You want the spring to cushion, but also hold the shock extended in a bump like you say. The bikes I've ridden with the 1,000# are cool because they are stiffer like a sports car suspension, but they don't break your back like an 1,100 pounder that makes you walk sideways and stutter for a week. The progressive seems like it would still let you down too far do you think?

At this point I'd take a steel strut in place of a spring if it means I don't have to mess with torn up wiring from bottoming out anymore - I have officially confirmed to myself that I am the worlds worst solderer - and it's not for lack of trying[:'(]

 

[alanh]

NorCalWarrior .... it's very simple to chk the validity of the CA component by taking it out of the circuit as you have already. You can even chk it out with your car battery.


With a VOM (volt ohm meter) or a 12v pigtailed light at the 3-prong wht connector that goes back under the fender or even under the seat.


With key on check for voltage at the blue wire (Running Light)andthe yellow wire (Brake Off) there shouldn't be any voltage!


I would expect that the 10amp fuse would blow before any damage would be done to the brake light switch and further more that wasn't the wire that shorted it was the running light. I would once again suggest you remove the spring from the stop light switch just to be sure

If the brake light switch is suspect just unplug the 2-prong connector at the front down tubes that connects to theswitch.


This shouldn't be difficult to isolate and you can start under the ECU if you like with the fender harness connector1st sitting on a stool

 

[antitech1]

Looks like these guys have everything covered.My small contribution to the thread is a pic of my version of a wire protector. I put it onwhen I got a fender eliminator kit and some time after I lowered it with the flip & grind, I rubbeda semi-circle into the plastic but the wires were safe. It is made outof a VHS cassette case tie-wrapped on the fender eliminator kit.

 

[arizonawarrior]

Oh sorry I tried to steer you to ground control because they are $59 for the Eibach 0700.225.1000 spring. I should have given you the darn link. Sorry bro. And I know what you mean about the wiring, and the tire make a mess in a heartbeat. I feel for you but I know you'll fix it. I PM'd you. Hang in there!

At this point I'd take a steel strut in place of a spring if it means I don't have to mess with torn up wiring from bottoming out anymore - I have officially confirmed to myself that I am the worlds worst solderer - and it's not for lack of trying[:'(]

 

[NorCalWarrior]

my version of a wire protector. I put it onwhen I got a fender eliminator kit and some time after I lowered it with the flip & grind, I rubbeda semi-circle into the plastic but the wires were safe. It is made outof a VHS cassette case tie-wrapped on the fender eliminator kit.

Thanks, this must be similar to what arizonawarrior was talking about with the ABS sheet, but your pic is worth 1000 words I will probably end up doing something similar. I mean this with the utmost respect, that is some serious backyard enginering right there!

 

[NorCalWarrior]

Oh sorry I tried to steer you to ground control because they are $59 for the Eibach 0700.225.1000 spring. I should have given you the darn link. Sorry bro. And I know what you mean about the wiring, and the tire make a mess in a heartbeat. I feel for you but I know you'll fix it. I PM'd you. Hang in there!

No problem, I actually went to the ground control site per your recommendation but couldn't find the spring - all I could find was car suspension stuff. I was actually thinking thee spring would be closer to $125-$150 so at $79 I felt like I got a deal.

 

[NorCalWarrior]

Got the constant brake light on issue fix - today when I went out to try and figure out what was wrong it just worked? I fiddled with the switch on the front brake peddle some more and with it at the lowest/loosest setting (i.e least amount of tension on the spring) it would work but if I lightly jiggled the switch the brake light would flash on and off. It's working for now but may need to replace the switch down the road?

Got everything fitted back up - minus the clear alternative tailight which I broke (note do not drop them on the ground - it shattered one fo the mounts and cracked the housing) so I wired up the stocker and currently don't have signals so that's also on the list to remedy . Took it for a mellow test ride and I am still getting some rubbing (see pic) but I routed the plate wires out of a different hole so everything appears to be well out of the way.

Thanks to all who replied for your help

 

[Ruckus]

I jst went through the same exact thing! 1000 lb spring did the trick for me!