K2 / Proflex Riders Group
General => Tech Forum => Topic started by: DugB on December 21, 2009, 08:24:15 am
-
Hello all,
A while back people were talking about all the different ways we could mount double eyelet (e.g. Fox Float) rear shocks on our X56's and X57's...whatever happened to those ideas?
Is there anyone on the list with machinist capabilities or CAD skills who can make/draft something for general sale? I'm thinking of a more refined version of this:
-
Hey Doug, could you email me the pic, as again images are being blocked on my viewer. I have an AutoCad guy on staff here. Got some ideas on how to machine these also.
Terry
-
OK, will do...I actually found some steel rods here I bought as lathe stock that already have a taper on one end, which happens to match the rear strut inner taper well...and they're thick enough to have a channel machined through them to act as a U-channel, in which the lower shock eyelet could be inserted. My only issue is that cutting the channel will be difficult for me, as I have no milling machine. Though it would raise the rear end a bit, I was thinking about a 7.5" Fox Float RP2 might be a nice rear shock. Or maybe 6.5 would be better, though I'd like to have the additional .5" of stroke.
Check your email in a few minutes...
- Doug
-
Here is the picture of what I have done, but I think the adapter in your photo looks a lot neater. I think in the short term I may have to have something like that made up. Mine is functional, but weighty and not overly aesthetically pleasing.
I was able to match the eye to eye measurements of the old set up, but I am not sure what change to the travel was made by going to a standard shock. I suspect it has been slightly increased. Its feel is immeasurably better though.
It probably wouldn't be bad to have a thread where everyone posts their adapters, it may give people a few ideas about doing there own.
(http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k316/sammydogg/bike/955_shock.jpg)
-
Sammydog, I think yours looks way better than the one I posted (I copied the photo from some eBay auction, I think). I like that you machined external flats as well, which would allow for the use of a lock washer under the bolt head. Does it have a taper where it fits into the strut, to match that inside the strut? If so, I think yours is the total package...I think this part would be an excellent candidate for digitization and submission to eMachineShop for quantity production. If the cost is decent I wouldn't mind fronting the cash for a certain quantity provided there is sufficient demand on the list. And the person who creates the CAD file that meets eMachineShop's criteria gets at least one free :-)
- Doug :-)
-
Mine is tapered where it goes into the strut. My issue will be getting it out of the strut as the bolt head has been rounded.
I actually want to put it on my spare strut so I will try and get it off in the Christmas break.
Assuming I can get it off, what do I need to do to get the specifications to someone to submit to eMachineshop?
-
Probably just measurements...I actually started making one last night, but realized that my little lathe was probably making too much noise and keeping people up, so I had to shut down the operation for the night. I have no experience with CAD software, so me using eMachineShop to create a useful part is probably out of the question in the short term. Anyone else have the time to digitize Sammydog's measurements?
- Doug
-
my engineer has working on a production version of this type of thing for a while now - it has been designed to fit the aluminium 97 bikes as well - it has kind of slowed down since we are working on long travel springs for DH bikes.
We've already done the CNC'd bushings for the top frame attachment.
The only thing I can't work out is whether enough folks will shell out for a fox shock AND a cnc'd adapter when that will be not far off the price of a new frame...
-
I would, mainly because used Fox Floats go cheap on US eBay everyday. Plus, buying a new frame might require switching to disc brakes, which would be a costy conversion. What do you feel is a likely ETA, Callum? You might have yours ready for order before my little Unimat lathe carves through the remaining 2mm on the taper I'm machining ;-)
- Doug :-)
-
Other nice shock would be the Manitou Swinger 3. I've heard it works well in the Pro-Flex x57 bikes.
I've one for almost a year sitting on the bench, mainly because I haven't decided how to make the adapter.
-
cumon ;) callam ill put my name down on then list for just the adapter, I have a fox float that I was going to make an adapter for
-
I'm actually thinking about a new fox float rp23 for my frame. So I would be interested to see what you come up with.
-
oh crikey, I've started something! The guys are working on the springs at the moment but I'll sort out the adapter next - I have 97 bike and a 96 856 frames stripped and ready. I've also got a rp23 and hopefully will get an rp2 to test on.
to be honest, it is bloody cold up in the rds loft at the moment !!!
callum
-
After you have sorted it, you could try to fit a Swinger 3 onto it... If it fits, great!!!
-
will need some measurements:
+ eye to eye for the swinger
+ the diameter of the holes on each end of the shock
the nice thing about modern shocks is that they only need to be at about 2.75:1 ratio for an 856 - modern buikes use much harsher ratios for travel.
one small problem is that the 97 and 856 bikes might need the bottom of the seatpost chopped off. Both mine are already chopped (so I can't test fit) because we used to sell long travel kits that needed every mm of room for the 5" of wheel travel! I rode a 5" travel 856 for years - the UK bike journalists at the time said "No one needs 5" on an XC bike". hmmm. my Orange 5 has 5" of travel and it is considered 'normal' nowadays!
callum
-
will need some measurements:
+ eye to eye for the swinger
+ the diameter of the holes on each end of the shock
the nice thing about modern shocks is that they only need to be at about 2.75:1 ratio for an 856 - modern buikes use much harsher ratios for travel.
one small problem is that the 97 and 856 bikes might need the bottom of the seatpost chopped off. Both mine are already chopped (so I can't test fit) because we used to sell long travel kits that needed every mm of room for the 5" of wheel travel! I rode a 5" travel 856 for years - the UK bike journalists at the time said "No one needs 5" on an XC bike". hmmm. my Orange 5 has 5" of travel and it is considered 'normal' nowadays!
callum
tell me more about the long travel kit ... :)
I am about to have my 856 powder coated so now would be a good time to mod the frame :)
-
sammydog i was just wondering if it would be possible for you to weld a couple of plates onto your mount to square it off so there was no chance of the shock ever compressing sideways after a bad hit and bending everything? thats always been my idea but i never got round to it.
-
Any new news on this project? I'm anxiously awaiting someone to come up with an adapter for my 856.
-
If you're looking to weld plates on the top and bottom of the strut top to form an eyelet mount then an 855/955 strut might be your best bet...they have less of a protrusion for the strut-to-shock through-bolt than the 756/856 one does because the former doesn't use the conical interface. I thought this might be a nice idea, but you may be a little limited by the eyelet widths found on available shocks.
I did finish my adaptor, but mainly as a mockup...I'm not a machinist, and would love to send it to someone who could better it for production, possibly in 7075? Mine is steel, and very rough.
Thoughts?
- Doug :-)
-
I thought of a design like this before, but I was concerned that it was going to put shear forces on the bolt and the pivot that the pivot wasn't designed to handle. After all, the pivots are designed to rotate to keep the compressive force transmitted parallel to the length of the shock, and while well-lubricated lower strut bushings should do that properly, I for one had to fight with my strut bushings for a couple of years before I got them to rotate as smoothly as I wanted them to.
Has anyone figured out yet how to make sure the shock doesn't snap off at the pivot in case of a hard landing? And what about mounting shocks that have external nitrogen/valve canisters that need to be pointed in a certain direction to work properly, like the Swingers? I don't think it will work right if the canister is rotated 90 degrees like the brackets in this thread require.
-
Doug, I feel sure I can fix you up.
-
Doug, I feel sure I can fix you up.
Do Tell! Do Tell!
-
Doug, I feel sure I can fix you up.
Yes, tell us all!!
I have the same problem as Doug.
I've been trying to get a spare rear strut for a x57 bike, but with no sucess...
-
Well I'm a machinist and a Pro Flex rider but I only have experience with elastomers and ODS shocks so far. I 'm sure I can help you out with adapters I would just need your dimensions, details, drawings, pictures and ideas on the more modern shocks.
-
any updates?
-
Hello all. I’m not sure I will receive a reply, in view of only a decade slipping by.....but I have an 857 in need of a means to replace the. Noleen NR2 rear shock. Did anyone finalise a cunning plan please?
-
Hey!
I think a bunch of us are still connected to the forum...but I also see a lot of the same names on the K2/Proflex rider group on Facebook.
My recommendation would be to look in the Files section of this forum for any drawings you can take to a machinist. The Noleen shock is still available, as are Risse air shocks, for the rear of the 857. Folks have also experimented with a shock eyelet adaptor that, because it rotates the lower eyelet of a standard shock 90 degrees, had linear rigidity to it. I bet you'll find some photos of it in the Media section.
My recommendation would be to go with the Noleen or Risse.
- Doug :-)
-
Thanks Doug. I am still learning to navigate the site via iPhone, which is a pain. I did get a guy called Christian from Simply Bearings try to help (a company mentioned in some ancient blogs) but he needs seal dimensions from the shock, which I thought was an NR2, but maybe NR1? (It has the conical lower insert). If I fail with media 😂 I may ask someone to strip the shock and try to measure the internals. I have a friend in engineering if any patterns for adapters show up. I’ve had the bike from new, so would be nice to get it working again. Thanks for the response.
-
Nollen is still in business. You can send it in to be re-built or sometimes you can find rebuild kits on ebay