Ducati Monster Forum

What kind of changes to the rear shock would i need if i increased my ride height?

What are the effects of ride height adjustment? for S2R bikes i assume the space between seat and the pegs will increase since they sit on the pivot point and engine casing? How much do i add on the bar and how much does it reflect on actual ride height adjustment?

Increasing ride height on the S2R will not change peg position.  They are attached to the frame/engine.  The only thing that changes angle is the swingarm.  Therefore, you will need to readjust the chain.  By increasing the ride height, it will put more of your weight forward due to the more forward attitude.  What do you mean by adding on the bar?  If you're referring to increasing the length of the rod, I found that the more you add, the quicker the bike turns.  It's really up to you to see how the bike feels best.  I have my forks slid up about 25mm and have 4.5 threads showing on the rear rod.  But since the front suspension is properly upgraded and set, the front is less drastic than with OEM forks.  I'd just say to try it out.  Keep messing with it till you're happy.

Here's a thread I posted earlier in the winter about adjusting mine (same as your 1000).  You may give it a go when it's on the bike, but those heim joints are generally locked up tight.  Hell, there's still one of them I didn't even get loose when I had it off the bike, I just extended the other end. 

http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=46390.0 (http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=46390.0)

According to Speeddog, the ratio is about 3:1 so if you extend the linkage rod .5", it will raise your rear 1.5".  I did mine at the same time I installed clip ons so I honestly can't say if the rear adjustment did that much.  I think the clip ons had more of an effect than the rear end did, but I only jacked the rear up a half inch or so.

do i have to back off preload if i add ride height?

Nope...preload remains the same.  Also, very important, there should be no more than 5 threads or 7.5 mm of threads exposed on the ends of the ride height rod. 

alright 10 threads maximum, 5 on each end.

 my main goal is to not have the rear so low when i load a ton of weight on it and to stop my plate from crunching so often on the big big potholes without changing springs.

my spring is already matched to my weight and it is great on track, too stiff for street unless i ride 2 up.

It should help with that, yeah.  The modicum of clearance I added made a big difference when it came to the plate crunchers.

how much did you add in the end to the ride height bar?

Not much at all.  I may have added a quarter inch total, but I doubt it. If you can manage 1/8" on either end, i'd say that would be sufficnet.  That depends though on your inseam and what that seat rebuild you finished did to your ride height.

The ratio on the rocker arm is 1.37 : 1
One turn of the rod is 2 x 1.5mm = 3mm

It means that one turn lifts the bike, at the shock area, ~4mm

If you measure the ride height changes further back, it will be more.
Don't know if there is an official spot to measure ride height at, so I guess the answers will vary.

it gets greatly amplified at the rear rear end, i guess ill go with 1 turn increments.

I can do it from the top end of the shcok right its easier access up there then going into the swingarm.

The seat i made only adds about 1/2" of height....after i took off 1.5" of foam from the stock seat.

Easier from the top?  You mean under the seat?  I found it easier to just go around the rear exhaust header and get at it by the swingarm.  I may be confused though.

There should be a lock nut on both ends of the linkage rod, so no matter which end you go to to do the actual adjustment, you'll have to get a 17mm wrench on each one of those lock nuts.  That is, of course, if both of those heim joints are free.  The bottom one was is one of the most stuck bolts I've ever had to deal with.  I just gave up, turned the top joint a few turns and called it a day. 

yea i meant under the seat. I rememebered from powdercoating my swingarm last time that that it was a lot of fussing around to get the shock swignarm and ride height to line up wit that bolt. I  guess ill just see if the bottom bolt is free. maybe i should just remove the whole damn bolt and give it a good lub and cleaning.

I wish i had done it then, but in all hoenstly it is only now that im comfortable riding the bike and not touching the floor ( my leather 1 piece only allows one foot down at a time)

Just to confirm what you are doing, you adjust the ride height by the following:

-Loosen top and bottom lock nuts with 17mm wrench
-Turn ride height rod with 17mm wrench to either increase or decrease ride height
-When proper height is found, secure lock nuts with 17mm wrench

There is no need to remove either of the mounting bolts to adjust ride height.  You'll be doing much more work than needed.

The heim joints on either end of the linkage rode are seized on some (my) bikes.  Even once the linkage rod was off the bike, I had to get some extra wrenches and a pair of carefully placed vice grips to get the one end free, and that's after a day or so of pb blaster bathing for the threads.  If you can just loosen those lock nuts and twist the damn thing, sir, you are a lucky man :)

If I had to do the whole removal again, it wouldn't be nearly as bad now that I know what I'm doing.  As long as you have a front stand/chock and a jack of some sort to pull/add weight from the swing arm it should be cake. 

As a note, one thing I noticed after I lengthened the rod was that the top part of the rod (where it attaches to the rocker arm) wasn't accessible due to its new location behind one of the frame spars.  If memory serves, I had to remove the bolt from the top of the shock so that the linkage rod could come down far enough to where I could get a wrench on it.  Then reaffix the top bolt, then put both of them through the bottom bolt.  It seems like a hassle, but it's not to bad.  I just had the misfortune of having to assemble/disassemble/assemble/disassemble, etc.

that is assuming the threads arent siezed though. I am automatically assumign they are just because i ride in salted snow roads/rain/acid rain/never wash my bike.

I will try to do it without removing it. I dont have a 17mm, but i have an adjuistable spanner, which i rather not use... no prefered but lets see how it goes.

I only had the one 17mm as well, but the pawn shop is your friend :)  Found a full set from 6mm-18mm for like ten bucks.  Decent brand too.

pawn shop? where the hell do i find a pawn shop? lol Ill just use my craftsman adjustable and hope i dont strip anything LOL thats a big gamble.