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[ultrafxr]

I have noticed for quite a while that the ride on my '07 cuse with the Traxxion AK20s is harsh to put it mildly.  It really became apparent after I got the '11 but I thought that was just the way it is.  Recently I had the fairing cap off to do the passing lamp mod for high beam and I noticed the adjusters on the fork caps.  I emailed Dan at Traxxion asking about them.  Here is his reply:

The adjusters adjust rebound damping.  We had to manufacture fork caps anyway, and it was easy to add an adjuster, but most people end up with them adjusted at our baseline spec anyway.  They are set up to give you a range of adjustment of 3 turns, with our baseline setting at a turn and half. Rebound adjustments affect how quickly or slowly the fork rebounds, or re-extends, after hitting a bump. It will make the fork feel a bit firmer and more controlled, or looser.  Turning the adjuster all the way in, seats a needle in a bleed orifice, which would send all of the oil through the shim stack, slowing the fork down. All the way out allows more oil to flow around the shim stack, allowing the fork bounce right back up. If set too slow, (rebound adjuster screw turned in) the fork will continue to pack down over a series of bumps, because it cant react fast enough, which will make the ride harsher. Too fast, and the fork will bounce like a pogo stick, picture a car with worn out shocks, all spring.  Since you now know where the baseline setting is, feel free to experiment. To get back to the baseline, turn the adjuster in until it stops (gently because this is a small needle) and then back it out a turn and a half.

So today I pulled the fairing cap and checked them out.  I found the left at about 1 1/2 turns but the right was turned ALL THE WAY IN!  Holy chit, almost no rebound!  I had my local Harley dealer service the forks a while back and obviously the tech (and I use that term loosely) failed to set up the right fork.  Why should I be surprised? 

So after adjusting them properly I went for a spin and now I am happy, happy, happy.  It is a crying shame that  we have to follow up behind these overpriced 'techs' to make sure the job is done right.

[Midnight Rider]

Glad it turned out well, Jerry.  

I could get to the adjusters realy easy on the Vrod, so messed with them a bit, per Max's instructions, which was basically to do 1/4 turns in or out.  The needle valve is very sensitive, as you discovered.

[smkblwr]

Glad you got it figuared out. last time i took mine in, I made sure that they wrote on the work order"DO NOT SERVICE OR MESS WITH SUSPENSION" and then I told the tech myself. He was suprised how well it rode being lowered. I told him that it was still set up from the trip the wife and i had taken so it was a little stiff in the rear. He asked for some info on Traxxion

[pwatson]

are these better than progressive

[JR]

are these better than progressive

I believe they are from the responses I've heard and for the money I haven't heard anyone complaining. I was going to get them on my SEEG until I bought my Ultra. I haven't got to the point to spend the extra money yet...maybe after the first of the year!

 

[pwatson]

Is the adjuster an extra or does it come on all cartridges.

[tazmun]

I believe they are from the responses I've heard and for the money I haven't heard anyone complaining. I was going to get them on my SEEG until I bought my Ultra. I haven't got to the point to spend the extra money yet...maybe after the first of the year!

 

I think Traxxion is great, but a much less expensive alternative is the Progressive Mono-Tubes. Come with a lifetime
warranty, just like the shocks, and they need no service. It may be worth a try at $500 or less installed.
Just my 2 cents.

[JR]

Is the adjuster an extra or does it come on all cartridges.

Comes with it. There are some threads out there that may help you decide. As Tazman has said the progressive's are cheaper and an alternative. Just search Traxion Dynamic and enjoy the reading or PM ultrafxr or TCnBham, they both have the traxion and can answer your questions!

 

[Midnight Rider]

Is the adjuster an extra or does it come on all cartridges.

It's standard, if it can fit under the cover.

[Midnight Rider]

I think Traxxion is great, but a much less expensive alternative is the Progressive Mono-Tubes. Come with a lifetime
warranty, just like the shocks, and they need no service. It may be worth a try at $500 or less installed.
Just my 2 cents.

Not to disagree, but nothing is maintenance free if it has moving parts.  The progressives have fork oil, and they use the stock bushings and seals.  The bushings will show considerable wear at 20K...guaranteed.  And the fork oil gets dirty and loses viscosity, just like any other oil.  Progressive may CLAIM they don't need servicing, but that is BS.

[TN]

progressive cartridges are gas charged, the oil is mainly to bathe insides. traxxion has gas charged cartridges but not sure it's applicable to HD's.

I take that back, enough cash will cure anything, in this area.




TN

[tazmun]

Not to disagree, but nothing is maintenance free if it has moving parts.  The progressives have fork oil, and they use the stock bushings and seals.  The bushings will show considerable wear at 20K...guaranteed.  And the fork oil gets dirty and loses viscosity, just like any other oil.  Progressive may CLAIM they don't need servicing, but that is BS.

You may be an expert on the subject, but they say they come with a lifetime guarantee like the rear shocks.
I have no idea what wears out, but "if" they are like the rear shocks, I know those are lifetime.
What does it cost to maintain the Traxxion? They say you have to maintain every 20k!
I know a few people who have done the Mono-tubes, which came out in 2011, and they only
have 5/10k so far and love them! 

Just saying they are an alternative!

[Midnight Rider]

Don't misunderstand me...I'm not dissing Progressive.  It is an alternative, and MUCH better than stock.  The cartridge is gas charged, but it is inside a fork tube that has oil in it, and uses the stock bushings and seals (there is no other choice...Traxxion does the same thing).  The bushings have some sort of coating on them, and they wear, contaminating the oil.  Not to mention that the springs are rubbing the inside of the fork tubes, causing additional particles to contaminate the oil.  Traxxion reccomends a "service" at 20-25K, and pulling the cartridge out at 40-45K to check for wear on the components.  I don't know what the regular service costs, but it's in line with a regular fork service, if done properly, which means replacing the bushings and in all likelyhood, the seals.  Pulling the forks is the main cost, because of the labor involved, but that is the case no matter what's inside the tubes.  Progressive warranties their cartridges for life, but you still have to get them out of the forks for replacement/rebuilding, and they WILL fail at some point in time, just like the shocks.  Nothing lasts forever, no matter who makes it.  Shocks are easy to take off and send back, but fork servicing is a different ballgame.  Suspension wear happens slowly over time, so goes unnoticed until it is practically worn out.  The stock HD stuff is crap to begin with, and is total chit by 20K, front and rear.  But people ride on it with tens of thousands of miles on the stock stuff...that doesn't mean they should, just that they do, because they have no basis for comparison.  I've ridden a bike with the Progressive Monotubes and it is far better than stock.  I have also owned three bikes, and ridden others, that have the Traxxion components in the front end.  For me, there is no comparison.  You get what you pay for in most cases.  I choose what I want, and some do nothing, or make other choices.  I have no vested interest either way.

[JR]

I agree Terry about the shocks, maintainece, and how they slowly wear out and you don't notice it right away. On my 05SEEG I had over 40,000 on my progressive rear shocks.After returning from our Bar Harbor MA trip I niticed some oil on the inside of my saddlebags. Sent them in to progressive and got them back like new. What a difference!!! I would have my front end oil changed at 10,000 intervals and at 30,000 I had the seals and bushings replaced when I had the Ricor Intiminator installed. They covered my seals and bushings under warranty!