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[JoeVibe]

My Bitubo's came in this week and I went for a long two up ride today. I set the spring preload on the stiff end of the limit (according to directions), have the compression damping at 10 clicks from soft and the extension damping set in the middle of the range. The ride was much, much better than the air shocks for sure but according to the rubber snubbers the bike is bottoming out.

My guess is I need to stiffen the springs more but I wanted to check with those with experience. Your help is appreciated.

Joe

[110tHunDer]

 
Joe, did it feel like it was bottoming out?  You will know from the jolt.  If so, give them a couple more rounds of preload and see what happens.  You might be able to get rid of it with the dampening, but sounds like you have quit a bit of stiffness dialed in.

[JoeVibe]

I honestly didn't feel the hard jolt that I would associate with it bottoming but Janet thinks she could. It definitely wasn't a stiff jolt to me but the rubber snubber is pretty soft and could have softened the blow. I did take it on a pretty good test road and there were a couple of significant bumps along the way. I'll try a couple more turns on the preload springs and see if that does it.

Other than running out of threads (I'm no where near that) are there any other adjustment limits I should be aware of?

Thanks.

[110tHunDer]

 
Not really.  You just want to try to leave yourself some room, if you can, for loads, etc.  Cant screw anything up, though.

[JoeVibe]

Thanks Brian! I'll keep playing with them and let you know how it turns out.

By the way, I added a 1/4" rubber washer between my saddlebags and the mounting brackets. I checked and it looked like I had clearance but the nitrogen canister definitely hit my bags on both sides and scratched a small spot off the bags. Not big damage but I'm going to try spacing the mount away from the frame, like you said you did for a more solid move.

[DrSpencer]

Did you mount the Bitubos with the canister down/facing rearward, or down/facing forward?
Thanks

[FUZZNUTS]

Thanks Brian! I'll keep playing with them and let you know how it turns out.

By the way, I added a 1/4" rubber washer between my saddlebags and the mounting brackets. I checked and it looked like I had clearance but the nitrogen canister definitely hit my bags on both sides and scratched a small spot off the bags. Not big damage but I'm going to try spacing the mount away from the frame, like you said you did for a more solid move.

Sounds like ya mounted them upside down...................(don't ask me how I know)..................Fuzz

[DrSpencer]

Sounds like ya mounted them upside down...................(don't ask me how I know)..................Fuzz

Are you suggesting the correct way to mount them is with the canister up, or down?
Thanks

[Boatman]

Dan at Traxxion told me it makes no difference (cannister mounted up or down, front or back).  Traxxion mounts them with the cannister down and Brian (110thunder) has his pictured on this site with the cannisters up and towards the front.  I do not have them, but I would have to mount them cannisters foward and at the top (like Brian)  as the Bushtec hitch is in the way to mount them cannister back.  With the SEUC with power saddleback locks (mounted cannisters up and to the front) could make them more difficult to disconnect the lock wire plugs.  FWIW..

[JoeVibe]

I mounted the canister up and to the rear to clear the wires that go to the bags. This is the way the picture in the instructions was and it made the Bitubo label look right. Does the canister clear the bag if it's down?

[110tHunDer]

 
Mine are canister up and forward. LOL

[sadunbar]

Mine are canister up and forward. LOL

Mine are canister up and to the rear.  Of course mine are on the FXR....

[DrSpencer]

Dan, from Traxxion Dynamics, told me that while they can be mounted in any direction, his staff have had the best luck mounting them with the canister down/facing forward.

[JoeVibe]

Variety eh? I guess you can't get'em wrong!

Got the preload set today. Went for a ride before more rain came in, no more bottoming, not even close.   I didn't go very far and was more concerned with hitting every bump I could find than actually paying attention to the ride but I'm pretty sure I'm going to love it!   Still may have to adjust a little to ride with Janet but I believe I'm real close. I couldn't get her on it today to test it out. Too cloudy for her.  Maybe tomorrow.

[JoeVibe]

Dan, from Traxxion Dynamics, told me that while they can be mounted in any direction, his staff have had the best luck mounting them with the canister down/facing forward.

I'll flip them over once I'm sure I've got them adjusted right to see if they clear the bags without any shimming. I talked to Dan today about them hitting but he never mentioned which way to mount them. I'll post what I find.