Raked bike with factory forks????

[Fro-]

To those of you that have raked your stock frame 35-40degress. How much ground clearance in the front would you say that you lost once you raked it???I would like to go with 37degrees and use the stock forks but don't want the front sitting lower than the back and end up having to buy aftermarket forks to get the front raised back up.
I'm going with a 5" stretch hardtail and want to maintain around 4" of ground clearance. Help me out fella's. I'm ready to order my hardtail just want to make sure I've got my thoughts correct. Thank You for any help.

 

[Bonez]

I'll be watching this thread.

I'm in the middle of trying to figure this out for my set up as well. Was looking into a possible 21" front instead of the 19". I've seen people talk about 35,36, and now 37 degrees. I know the rear size rim and tire plays into it as well too. I was looking into the longer fork tube replacements as well. Hopefully somebody with more experience will chime in.

Are you looking for a stretched front or something a little longer then stock?

 

[Fro-]

I'm sticking withthe factory 19front and 16rear for now but will rake it to 37degrees with factory forks and stretch the rear 5inches.

Hows Annapolis? I love that area was stationed there in the Navy in the early 90's. Spent alot of time in the Glen Burnie area chasing skirts.LOL

 

[Ghetto]

Cut it up and see how it sits. Running a 21" wheel is easier than swapping forks.

 

[Brothermist]

If memory serves me correctly Greatscott/Gordonscott had his black & white bike set up with 40° rake and stock forks. Maybe he can chime in with info on measurements.

Also, remember that switching from a 19" to a 21" will only gain you 1" of height, as ½ of the 2" difference is above axle centerline.

 

[XSLeo]

When you swap from the 19 inch wheel to a 21 inch wheel you need to look at the overall hieght of the tires. A 100/90-19 inch tire is about 26 inches tall. A 90/90-21 is about 27 inches. So it will lift the axle 1/2 inch. At half way between the axles it will raise the frame 1/4 inch.

 

[Fro-]

Thanks for that info but I don't plan on swapping to a 21" wheel anytime soon. Once I get the bike apart on sitting 4 1/2 inches off the work bench I'll just break out the tape measure and angle finder and ge tsome ballpark numbers that way.
I was just thinking someone that has recently raked their bike might have this info. Thanks Anyway

 

[da evil one]

Spacers in the forks to push the fork legs out further? I cut a couple of approx. 4" lengths of steel and slid them down into the fork tubes over the springs and it raised the bike up enough. I dont know what the guy that built the frame was thinking before I aqquired it but it was 2" off the ground when I got the roller all put together. I was pretty bummed and thinking I was gonna have to cut and reweld the neck but I put those spacers in there and it raked it out a little more which brought the frame up to about 4". I havent put the end socket caps back in on the bottom and put fluid in them and tested what its going to do but it seems like it will work. I also dont know what its going to do to the ride if it does work. Just a thought. Im a total newbie building this thing frame up.

 

[gggGary]

Long tubes from forking by frank have been solving engineering problems like this since at least the 70's. Somebody used to sell threaded extensions for stock tubes, just thread em on and raise the triples! Gulp. They are specifically banned in Wisconsin DOT regulations, wonder why??? Actually as long as the seam was between the triples they were probably fine.

 

[Phyberoptic]

Spacers in the forks to push the fork legs out further? I cut a couple of approx. 4" lengths of steel and slid them down into the fork tubes over the springs and it raised the bike up enough. I dont know what the guy that built the frame was thinking before I aqquired it but it was 2" off the ground when I got the roller all put together. I was pretty bummed and thinking I was gonna have to cut and reweld the neck but I put those spacers in there and it raked it out a little more which brought the frame up to about 4". I havent put the end socket caps back in on the bottom and put fluid in them and tested what its going to do but it seems like it will work. I also dont know what its going to do to the ride if it does work. Just a thought. Im a total newbie building this thing frame up.

Got photos?

So is that the equivalent of getting 4" over tubes?

I picked up a frame from one of the members here with 40 degrees rake and 5" stretch. ( ex chopper with a springer)

Hoping to use stock forks on it with the 19/16" spokes off my 81 special. Thought that running a taller tire up front would work?

 

[BigGeorge]

Somebody used to sell threaded extensions for stock tubes, just thread em on and raise the triples! Gulp. They are specifically banned in Wisconsin DOT regulations, wonder why??? Actually as long as the seam was between the triples they were probably fine.

If memory serves me correctly in the 70s they were called "slugs" and before they were banned in NY state many back yard mechanics used them to save a buck but ended up seriously injured or worse when their front forks suddenly snapped off .

 

[emzdogz]

are you selling the springer by any chance?

 

[Phyberoptic]

All I got was the frame... Don't know the disposition of the other parts.
-=Steve

 

[da evil one]

No i dont have pics. I just took steel tubing that had the same diameter as the springs and cut 2 approx. 4" lenghts and slid them in the fork tubes on top of the springs and put the fork caps back on and it pushed the lower legs out the same distance as what i cut. I cant really seem to think of a reason as to why this wont work or make the bike dangerous or anything. As to how it will affect the ride i dont know. The springs when stock only know the distance between the bottom of the fork legs and the fork caps so how are they gonna know the difference between the bottom of the fork legs and the bottom of the spacers? Again it makes sense to me but im waiting for someone to come along and shatter my theory. As for ride height it went from 2" to 4" and it didnt raise the front up higher. Its even. Cant explain that one. Whats cool about it if it works though is that you could keep tweaking the spacer length until you get just what you want.

 

[gordonscott]

If memory serves me correctly Greatscott/Gordonscott had his black & white bike set up with 40° rake and stock forks. Maybe he can chime in with info on measurements.

Also, remember that switching from a 19" to a 21" will only gain you 1" of height, as ½ of the 2" difference is above axle centerline.

Yes I had 40deg rake, with Dunlop tires it had 3 1/2" ground clearence and with the Firestone replicas it was 4 1/2" off the ground. I had planed on using those tires before the frame was built. Hope this helps Fro-