[kraaazymike]

*This is intended for reference only. I hold no responsibility for damages or injury as a result of you using this guide.

Materials Needed:

• 
  [li]Lowering Dog Bones http://www.pacificcoaststar.com/pcs/stryker_suspension.htm[/li]

There are multiple brands of lowering kits. This is only one of them.

Tools Needed:

• 
  [li]17mm socket[/li]
  [li]crescent wrench[/li]
  [li]5mm allen wrench[/li]
  [li]motorcycle jack[/li]

Step 1: Remove the lower belt guard (optional).
This step isn't entirely necessary, but it makes it easier to visualize what you're doing. Using the 5mm allen wrench, unscrew the allen bolts depicted below. Place the screws and washers in a safe place.

Step 2: Remove the link nuts using the crescent wrench and the 17mm socket wrench. Keep the nuts and washers in a safe place. You will use these again.

Step 3: Remove the OEM Hardware
This step takes a little finessing. No it isn't hard. But you need to raise and lower the bike using the bike jack to take weight off the bolts and you need to maneuver the bolts a special way to get them in and out.

a. Once the weight is off the bolts, simply remove the left side dog bone. You'll notice that you don't have enough room to remove either of the bolts just by pulling them out. The bottom one has the frame in the way and the top one has the coolant reservoir in the way. Here I want you to notice the bolt sleeve that the bolt sits inside of, pictured below.

b. to remove the lower bolt, you need to pull the bolt out half way to the right, apply downward pressure to the head of the bolt and while applying pressure move the bolt back to the left. The bolt sleeve should pop out enough to grab and remove.

Now you have enough wiggle room to remove the lower bolt.

c. to remove the upper bolt, lower the bike enough for the bolt to clear the top of the coolant reservoir. Once it's low enough, it will pull straight out. Removing the bolt sleeve isn't necessary here.

(Guardian bell pictured above, thanks Toby!)

Step 4: Install Lowering Links.

a. Install the new links with the top bolt in the orientation pictured below. Hand tighten.

b. Reinsert the lower bolt through the right link and into the lower shock bracket. Reinstall bolt sleeve into shock bracket and feed the bolt all the way though to the left lowering link. Hand tighten the nut.
It should look like this before you put the nut on. The bolt needs to rest in the rear slot for the 1" drop. Front slot for the 2.25" drop

c. When the nuts are hand tight, fully lower the bike off the jack. Double check placement of the bolt and slots. It has the tendency to automatically move to the 2.25" position when you lower the jack.

d. Tighten the nuts to 36 ft/lb for the top bolt and 35 ft/lb for the bottom bolt.

Step 5: Reinstall Lower Belt Guard

Step 6: Enjoy!

 

[The_Joker]

Nice write up mike........as usual....

Makes me want to get the PCS lower links.......

I already have L&M's spring (not installed yet since I'm not sure I can do the install without the press) Will the lowering links work with the LM spring?

 

[kraaazymike]

Nice write up mike........as usual....

Makes me want to get the PCS lower links.......

I already have L&M's spring (not installed yet since I'm not sure I can do the install without the press) Will the lowering links work with the LM spring?

Thanks! You can do the spring compression with this tool here. I've used this tool on other vehicles and it works great! The good thing is that it's a fairly cheap tool.
http://www.harborfreight.com/macpherson-strut-spring-compressor-set-3980.html

Off the top of my head, the PCS links at the 2.25" settingwould probably work with the LM spring but I'm not sure about the 1" setting. The lowering links position the swing arm relative to the frame in such a way that it compresses the spring and shock by pulling the swingarm into the fender. The LM spring is literally just a shorter spring. As long as the PCS 1" position allows the shock to compress enough to keep the LM sprin seated, it shouldn't be a problem. This is definitely a question that should be asked of PCS or LM.

 

[11Stryker]

L&M has stated that the lowering links will not work with their 1.5" lowering spring. Plain and simple.
Here is quote from L&M- This is the only safe way to lower the bike if your going to use a 240-250 tire. If you change the dog bones with the larger tire then your tire will hit the frame when bottoming out.
LM
Here is link- http://www.yamahastarstryker.com/index.php/topic,198.msg2824.html#msg2824

 

[bigboi18184]

Plan on putting their lowering link and progressive shock on mine, have the link ordered but forgot to do the slam kit so I'm just going to order them separate and eat the 13$.

Have read hundreds of postings trying to find out if the 2.25" drop would work with the 240 back tire. From what I have seen the 2.25" drop will work with a Avon 240/40/R18 tire. It is the shortest 240 I have been able to find the measurement for.

Per: dejablu110, thanks for the info too


Metzeler: 240/40R/18 = 25.8" tall
Dunlop: 240/40R/18 = 25.91" tall
Avon: 240/40R/18 = 25.5 " tall
_________________________________

Dunlop: 250/40R/18 = 26.2 " tall
Avon: 250/40R/18 = 25.8" tall
Metzeler Does Not Make A 250/40R/18 Tire

 

[kraaazymike]

L&M has stated that the lowering links will not work with their 1.5" lowering spring. Plain and simple.
Here is quote from L&M- This is the only safe way to lower the bike if your going to use a 240-250 tire. If you change the dog bones with the larger tire then your tire will hit the frame when bottoming out.
LM
Here is link- http://www.yamahastarstryker.com/index.php/topic,198.msg2824.html#msg2824

Well then that answers that.

 

[kraaazymike]

Plan on putting their lowering link and progressive shock on mine, have the link ordered but forgot to do the slam kit so I'm just going to order them separate and eat the 13$.

Have read hundreds of postings trying to find out if the 2.25" drop would work with the 240 back tire. From what I have seen the 2.25" drop will work with a Avon 240/40/R18 tire. It is the shortest 240 I have been able to find the measurement for.

Per: dejablu110, thanks for the info too


Metzeler: 240/40R/18 = 25.8" tall
Dunlop: 240/40R/18 = 25.91" tall
Avon: 240/40R/18 = 25.5 " tall
_________________________________

Dunlop: 250/40R/18 = 26.2 " tall
Avon: 250/40R/18 = 25.8" tall
Metzeler Does Not Make A 250/40R/18 Tire

All totally useful information! I'm only going to elaborate on this further because I'm a curious person and I find this interesting. The overall tire height is good and all, but what we're really concerned about here when we're talking about tire/fender clearance is the distance from axle to tread, not overall height. The measurements above are overall diameters and we're concerned about radii. So.... I decided to see what the physical difference between the three tires was (in millimeters because it's easier to measure) from axle to tread. I think you guys might find this interesting.
Methods used:

• 
  [li]d/2=r [/li]
  [li]mm= 25.4mm/1 inch x r[/li]
  [li]rounding to the nearest whole number[/li]

 

[bigboi18184]

So if the Avon clears the fender and the next shortest doesn't.....then really the Avon is only missing the fender by 3 millimeters ?

May have to run a 1" drop and use the parts unlimited low rider seat which supposedly will lower my butt approx 2-7/8"

Also have you tried adjusting it, is it really a 3 minute job as they say.

 

[kraaazymike]

So if the Avon clears the fender and the next shortest doesn't.....then really the Avon is only missing the fender by 3 millimeters ?

Also have you tried adjusting it, is it really a 3 minute job as they say.

Yes and yes. I stared the write up with the PCS installed, went to OEM and back all in 20 minutes all while taking pictures.

 

[bigboi18184]

Running mine on 1" setting the 2.25 was really low and sat the bike at a really cool looking stature....but they felt really weird in the curves almost like the rear end didn't want to turn into them. Raised it up and it felt alot more natural, will be ordering my Parts unlimited Low Rider seat next week hopefully.....

Got pulled over yesterday and got a ticket for not changing my address on my license after moving....no idea what it's going to cost but hopefully not so much I can't get my seat.

So far I have side mount plate, license frame, R1 tail light and relay coming in next week. Next will hopefully be my seat or if the ticket is high i will be getting my scootmod forward extensions instead.

 

[Craig]

from L&M- This is the only safe way to lower the bike if your going to use a 240-250 tire. If you change the dog bones with the larger tire then your tire will hit the frame when bottoming out.
LM
Here is link- http://www.yamahastarstryker.com/index.php/topic,198.msg2824.html#msg2824

So what I am getting here, that if you run the PCS dog bones only, you can't run a 240 tire without losing safety and bottoming out? Can anyone with this setup confirm or disagree?

 

[_M_]

There's really is hundreds if posts on this. Depends on so many factors, but bottom line is that a 240 tire on 2.25" drop with stock fenders and everything will rub some. The amount depends on how fast and how hard the bumps are, how heavy you are etc. Riding 2-up with this combination is pretty much out of the question.

I run the Dunlop 240 and PCS 2.25 drop everyday to work and back when it's nice. I weigh about. 195 lbs it does rub sometimes but only when I hit a hole. If I hit something big real hard it'll bottom out real hard. It's all tolerable to me, but I definitely adjust my riding as to avoid holes/bumps and take them slower if unavoidable.

When I want 2-up, I just flip it to the 1" setting and it's no problem. Changing the settings is super easy. Can be done with 2 people if you don't have a jack just as easy as 1 person with a jack.

 

[Craig]

Thanks M for the clarification.
I just want to do it right the first time.
I want to drop it now, and later go bigger on the rear later.
Would be nice if someone made a 1.5" drop bone, might be a perfect ride solo or 2 up.

 

[kraaazymike]

If I'm not mistaken, the LM spring is a 1.5" drop. I don't know any bones that have that setting though.

 

[Craig]

Just received my bones form PCS, They look different then the ones I've seen posted. Anyone have ones that look like this with notches on both endts? If so, top bolt goes in which notch?

 

[Craig]

Just received my bones form PCS, They look different then the ones I've seen posted. Anyone have ones that look like this with notches on both endts? If so, top bolt goes in which notch?

Cancel my last, called PCS, they sent the wrong bones. These are for the 1100, and have three settings. He is sending out the right ones. Bad news is I got to wait another week and a half to get them.

 

[kraaazymike]

Sucks that you have to wait longer, but I'm glad you got this figured out.

 

[Killian]

So I got my PCS links in yesterday. I contacted the local dealer to see how much they'd charge to put 'em on, mainly because I don't have a bike jack... and I figured as easy as it looks to install them, they couldn't possibly charge that much. Yeeeaaahhhhh... I was wrong. They wanted ~$270 to put the things on. ****, I can buy a nice jack of my own for half that.

I'm considering using a regular jack, a paddock stand, and maybe some blocks of wood to MacGyver something together and get this done. All that, I own already.

$270... ummm, nope.

Is there really no option for getting a bike worked on by a shop that's not waaay overpriced? I think all the non-dealer bike shops around here are only used to fixing HD's... they probably don't even have metric tools!

 

[Killian]

Welp, that was easier than I thought. Used the paddock stand to lift the back, then used the car jack to lift the frame up just enough to take the weight off, and everything swapped right out... no problems at all.

Thanks for the pics and writeup Mike. Made it trivial to install.

 

[stryker_559]

I installed the 2.25" lowering dog bones and like it. Other than scrapping pegs easier in turns its flippin' awesome looking. Plus it controls my urge to wild out. JMO though. Ride on brothers