Does anyone knwo if it’s possible/advisable to remove the 115-160 u turn spring stack from my 08 Lyriks and replace it with a Lyrik DH 170 spring to increase travel for downhilling duties?

I’ve heard that the lowers are the same between models so stanchion overlap is not a problem, not sure what the affect on the damping will be though…

Anyone heard of this being done?

Cheers,

Rich

I know there’s a chap on Pinkbike has machined up a spacer to increase travel in his lyriks, I reckon you’d be going one better by using the proper kit instead.

I think it’s definitely possible/easy to do on 2012 ones, you just put in the 170mm spring assembly. The lowers and uppers are 170mm compatible.

2008 i think are too early so the lowers/upper will be for 160mm. It’ll be a risky thing to do.

I doubt the damper will be long enough.

Someone on MTBR did this with older Lyriks and got the travel, but a nasty clumk at top-out to go with it.

Do you really need that 10mm?

deanfbm – Member

2008 i think are too early so the lowers/upper will be for 160mm. It’ll be a risky thing to do.

It’s been done:

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/lyrik-riders-how-heavy-are-you-and-what-spring/page/2

Konastoner’d be the man to talk to.

old lyriks 2009 and earlier..had the same casting as the domain with 180mm ..so no problem for 170mm with all lyriks
I have my 2008 u-turn lyrik travelled with an 10mm spacer ..so 170mm now…
no changings on the damper side necessary..
if there is a klonk at top out you just turn the u-turn knob in a bit (half winding max) and it should be gone…

the pic (borrowed) shows a too long spacer (15mm)but gives an idea…

My mod is slightly different, you’ll need to remove the u-turn spring and grind off the bottom coil of the spring. This then allows you to wind out the extra 10mm, refix the spring in position with good quality epoxy resin. Job done, no topout issue (although you do lose the u-turn facility). I have been running my mod for nearly a year now with no issues.

accu, with that spacer on the end of the rod, do you change the spring as well or do you keep the u-turn spring (and function…125 to 170mm?) I piece of the right size bar with a hole in it is easy to make

nothing changed, still have my old u-turn spring and function 125 to 170mm…
only thing is ..with more travel now the spring is a bit harder, needs a bit more “load” to compress completely..so I would like to try a softer u-turn spring..soft instead of medium..
found this drawing on another forum…(borrowed pic again)
just shortened it a bit, shown is 12mm…would`t recommend anything longer than 10mm !!.made mine in steel not alu and used loctite to fix it on the rod….
]

right, project, for dad and the lathe 🙂 I have a soft spring that I bought and never fitted…been meaning to return it but think I will need it now.

I presume the allen screw/cap screw is a standard thread M8?

That is a nice neat, and reversible mod…sounds neater than konastoners which I’d been contemplating.

srcew is M 8×30..standard thread…

Been running this mod for well over a year now. Works perfectly.

Yep and 170 owners can also go the other way (170 down to a uturn internal for 80quid.

can you not just buy the correct 170 spring and top cap? rahter than a mod?

You can, but you lose the U-turn ability (to me, rather important as my big bike is also my trail bike and needs to be winchable up steep climbs)

yes – fair dos. Kind of thinging about it on my mega as with the steep seat angle I don’t need to wind down at 160 – wondering I would get away with another 10mm and still climb OK. or just use an old toe strap like I used to on my old Maz forks!

Will ‘just’ need a spacer then! Any ideas where something suitable might be procured? Apart from a lathe…

Interesting! thanks for the massive response!

Does adding the spacer not just increase the axle-to-crown length but retain 160mm travel? Whilst it indicates 170 on the u-turn stanchion do you still only get 160mm travel, but the benefits of a slacker head angle? Also, have you had any issues with spring binding?

Regardless of travel i think the geometry effects is one of the major benefits i’m after. Think i may use the spacer and also employ a works components headset to slacken things out. I’m fitting it to an Ironhorse 6point and it’s great bike but does have a slightly steep head angle. This should sort it a treat!

Fork spacer will raise the front a bit whilst the angled headset will lower it back down, but with a slacker headangle.

Cheers guys,

Rich

Does adding the spacer not just increase the axle-to-crown length but retain 160mm travel? Whilst it indicates 170 on the u-turn stanchion do you still only get 160mm travel, but the benefits of a slacker head angle? Also, have you had any issues with spring binding?

no…the u-turn springs of he old 160mm lyriks have actually around 180mm travel before being fully compressed…even the x-firm spring..
so the spacer gives real 10mm more travel..
ride the spacer mod since nearly 2 years without probs..
no binding of the spring and no clunk noise at top out on mine..

I’m trying to work out how it stiffens the sprng as said above, does it not soften the spring?

won’t the spring rate stay the same? it’ll just compress further hence take more *oomph* (technically speaking) to get full 170?

@accu: that’s good to know, thanks!

yes ..welll errr no…the spring isn’t linear wound, its progressive.

If the extra travel comes by the spring end up 10mm more compresssed (and it starts at the same amount of sqidge as pre-mod) then the only differnce would be the last 10mm of travel, with a continued ramp up of spring rate (stiffening). If the extra 10mm comes at the start fo the travel (ie.e the spring starts off 10mm less squidged) then no differnce will be noticeable once riding really, just the sag will be 10mm more as the rider mounts up.

ah…think I just answered my own question….the extra travel comes at the end of the stroke, as the spring is ramping up/stiffening…so using it will require a bigger hit than using full travel before…yes that seems to make sense.

accu,
can I just check the measurements of the spacer please. It goes on the bottom of the u-turn spring’s shaft right? Well I just measured the shaft with a micrometer at 0.430″ (or 10.9mm) and the reduced diameter at 0.388″ (9.3mm). So the diameters on your borrowed diagram are slightly oversize.

neilnevill…right, measurements on the diagram are not absolutely exact, I think it is to cover up tolerances..
as I started making my spacers I used aluminium, and I made my first one too long ..and the second one too loose, the third one was made with the spring at hand the result was a proper one in steel, 10mm long and perfect fit..I used loctite to fix it on the spring..and since that time it just works..
note..the diagram shows a 12mm spacer..
I think I have another diagram, if I find it I will sent it to you..

cheers, since I have changed the spring in one of my lyriks to a soft, I’ve the medium in the garage and can give that to dad with instructions…’it needs to fit there, please’ but if you can tell me what size drill you used to countersink the hole that would be handy…0.388″ is a very odd size…I may have to check that again as I’d expect it to be a common imperial size 😕