Hi did you drill additional halls in your damping rod? is it necessary?

Hey, what did you end up going with for your sportster?

@@HD2O13XL12OOC Harley Sportster Nightster 2008. I installed stiffer springs front and rear, and I think I raised the fork oil height.

As an addition to what jameshisself writes... you basically start out by finding the right spring rate and preload. Then you tune in the rebound damping by means of the oil viscosity. When these parameters are spot on, you can adjust the spring tension and preload on the Emulators to dial in the preferred compression damping characteristics as well... and, voila, the front suspension should be set!

Oh, by the way... standard damping rods partially block the escape route, so that the main holes in the rods are not an issue on rebound. The rebound damping is then controlled by smaller orifices etc, like the small orifice in the Emulators does with low speed compression.

You forgot to mention the air spring (oil level) and the Emulator Valve Plate Bleed Holes (low speed compression). Are this adjusted lastly?

@Hedonist - I have never had a bike with cartridge forks, but do use Gold Valves along with single rate heavier springs (made for me out of the next larger size spring wire to give a 50% higher spring rate) and 30wt fork oil. I do not have as much preload (spacer) on the springs so when fitted with Speed Merchant adjusters I can get almost perfect forks for my requirement. It does take a few attempts to get the Gold Valve adjusters to the 'correct' settings and I find the pre-load adjusters allow for easy adjustment of said preload for general riding or for heavily laden (pillion or touring/camping). Standard springs (and rear shocks) on Harleys are always too soft for my liking, and the large amount of preload with poor damping made the forks (and shocks) more like Pogo sticks than anything else ! My bikes are heavily modded engine-wise (100+ BHP) and maybe that is why......

Changing the viscosity of oil primarily affects the rebound. Try experimenting in various small increments. Also check for free sag, static sag, and rider sag.

@ESR7784 bought them. Have yet to install

According to Racetech's website, rebound damping is not affected much by installing the emulators, so you'd need to play with the oil weight

Yes, you have to take out off the fork cap, washers, spacer, spring and Gold Valve Cartridge Emulator. Then use a 3/8" (9.5mm don't exist) wrench and a 5/32" (4mm) hex key to adjust the preload on the spring. You can also change the Gold Valve Cartridge Emulator Spring & Valve Plate, then there is oil Viscosity, Oil level. Then of course fork springs and there preload. For more information see www.racetech.com/page/title/Emulator%20Tuning%20Guide

Snurre86 so the next version needs to have the nut held in place & a new fork cap with a long adjusting screw running all the way from the cap to the emulator. Then it’s adjustable on the trail.

@@simonmoynihan4476 you just described a cartridge lol

Progressive springs are good for comfort when riding in a straight line on a smooth road; they are bad for handling though, especially when braking or on rougher roads. They are just as bad for stock damper rods as they are for emulators, and putting the emulators in would still make your handling better, it just won't be as good as it would be with straight rate springs.

Turns out it is open only about 0.5mm on one side of the check valve. The check valve spring is about 0.5mm longer on the side where the inactive coils overlap.

so is that a defect ? or that's they the way it should be ?

@@natanmortenfeld5813 I can't know for sure, compare yours and let me know ... ?

Yes, they do. If you don't, they'll still give too much square damping effect. The idea about drilling them is to virtually disable them, so that the Emulators takes over the damping completely.

Good question! , that's the scary part.. drilling/disabling your original rod and then finding out the emulators do not perform like they should...

@@natanmortenfeld5813 trust me they WILL work. Put them in a 03 dyna. Couldn't believe the difference. (Slight exageration ahead) You can take speed bumps, almost at posted speed and feel a..... soft plushness to the front end. Not soft that it'll bottom out n be harsh, but smooth. Dont forget the ass end. NO FUCKING $300 GARBAGE PROGRESSIVE SHORT SHOCKS! If ya ain't gonna spend at least 900 on the rear give up. Ride a barstool instead.

Without drilling the emulators will work but only at lower suspension travel velocities (i.e. over relatively smooth pavement). At higher velocities, the damping would still mostly happen at the original damper rod holes (so it will likely be too harsh).

Look up "DAMPING ROD FORKS and EMULATORS HOW THEY WORK" on Racetech's website. Plugging that hole will make rebound damping extremely high since the oil would have basically no way of escaping chamber B.