Installing Barons Lowering Kit

[gaillarry]

After reading all the pros/cons about lowering the RSV I bought a Barons rear lowering kit. The instructions aren't the greatest (no pics) so I have a couple of questions on the install.

 

- relocating the brake caliper: is it necessary to remove the mufflers to take out the rear axle?

 

- removing the connecting arms: with the rear wheel off the ground (unweighted), when I remove the bolts for the connecting arms what prevents the wheel from dropping further down or do I have to support the wheel??

 

 

Doug

[Hulign]

I just did this myself. Yes you will have to pull the axle. Its not real hard to do the caliper part. I would just tale the line loose and wait till the caliper is all bolted down to figure out how the brake line needs to lay. As for the links I waited till all the back was done and then did those. I did have the play with the height a bit to get the bolts lined up. I didn't have to loosen anything else. I did cheat and use an air impact to save my knuckles a bit.

 

Good luck!

 

Frank

Edited May 5, 2011 by Hulign

[Hulign]

Almost forgot... I would run a bit more pressure in the rear shock. Also pull off the passenger seat and put a few washers under the bolt that sits centered in the rear fender. When we rode 2up on a couple odd bumps that bolt rubbed the tire. Rick Butler mentioned that in the fine print they might have mentioned this was meant for 1up riding? I have mine lowered front and back and like it a lot. But I do scrape the mufflers from time to time.

 

Frank

[gaillarry]

Had to remove the muffler but all went well, thanks for the info.

[Mike G in SC]

Both my RSTD and RSV are lowered in the rear (Barons kit).

But I didn't want the full 1.5".

 

So, for both, I had a local fab guy make a pair for of links that are half way between the stock and the Barons links. So the rear is dropped more like 3/4".

(Someone here said for each 1/4" you add/sub on the links you lower/raise the rear 1".)

 

Makes a lot less muffler scrapes, less on the kickstand and handling is closer to stock but still give me a better footing at stop, with two up.

 

On the RSTD, I'm also lowered 1/2" in the front. So, close to level.

Would like to lower the RSV front 3/4" but,, not that adventurous.

(Anyone in the SC area who's good at lowering the front on a RSV ($$) ?)

 

Mike G.

Edited May 6, 2011 by Mike G in SC

[Hulign]

Just compared my stock links to the lowering links. There is 3/8 of a difference. I have a set on the way that is 2/8 so that I can have about 1 inch drop. I actually did the measurements 3 times cause it just seemed like there should be more of a difference!

 

I dropped my front as well...wasn't bad but did turn the tubes out a bit so the air valves would clear the bars. Sad that I got it most of the way reassembled before we noticed...haha

 

Frank