Lowering a CB400T2

droyce

New Member
Hello ladies and fellas, new member here! :)

I'm looking to lower the rear of my 78 Honda Hawk, unfortunately its a clevis to clevis (13" bolt to bolt). I'm hoping to use my stock top clevis mount on a shorter shock to lower the bike, say maybe a 12" or 11" shock. Would anyone know if this is possible? If so, what shocks would be a good canidate, maybe the same make/decade (honda/70's)?

Also, what are the pitfalls of lower it this much? The bike sits pretty high as is.

Thanks for the help!
 
Been a while since I looked at shocks, but check out Dime City Cycles (link above). Ideally, you should lower the front just as much to keep similar riding characteristics. But a little lower in the rear won't be too wild.

And welcome to DTT!
 
Already ahead of you Big ;) , I picked up a CM400 tree to swap in. It should allow me to slide the forks up a bit. I just need to figure out the rear.

Ideally I'd like to do this as cheap as possilbe, however I'll check out Dimecity, thanks for the tip.
 
There is definitely a site that sells 11" clevis to clevis shocks, for not too much money. (less than progressive shocks.) Alternatively, you can move the lower shock mount rearward an inch and a half or two, and it will lower the bike at an angle that will also help appearances :)
 
Depending on travel you could cut the shaft and re-thread the top? Then get a shorter spring. I have had both the CM and the Hawk shocks apart and all the parts interchange, I made one good set out of 2.5 pairs. The top of the shaft is threaded to hold the clevis and spring cup, using a wrench to hold the bolt you can unscrew the tops and then cut down the shaft by 1-2 " and re-thread, maybe, someone else may know why that wouldn't work but I can't think of why not. The shocks don't fully compress and loosing an inch or two off the top with shorter springs should be ok, keeping a bump stop in place just in case.

Cheers

Maritime
 
JRK, I considered cutting the spring also, but my concern with clipping the spring is with the stock shock/spring being so soft it may bottom out. That’s why I was opting for a stiffer aftermarket. However, if what Maritime says is true and the stock shock doesn’t fully compress anyway, I should be fine with clipping the spring and not affecting the suspension travel. Unless I’m missing something…
 
If you cut the soft portion of the spring, ie the wide spaced portion it shoulf firm them up some. The only issue you may have if you don't shorton the shaft would be the unloading of the shocks and the spring perch moving on you. These shocks don't have retaining clips for the springs that could fall out so no worries there but the preload my move if the tension is lessoned witht he shorter spring. It may not happen at all and you may be able to just cut down the spring Won't know until you try.
 
and they are stupid cheap for stock shocks... just be sure you grind them down flat after cutting them!
 
I would still like to know if there is another option out there besides cutting the spring. Did any models from that era come with a shorter, but similar shock?
 
not many came with the Clevis to clevis, but there may be a model with a shorter shock and the same screw top you could swap over your clevis top too it? The CM's for sure, not sure if the shocks are shorter or the same. If I could get to my shed I would measure mine, but it is under 9' of snow and I am not shoveling it. It will have to melt.
 
I know this is an old thread, so please forgive if this has been answered. I know a lot of folks lower their CM400s by using 10" rebel eye to clevis shorty shocks. This guy made a really nice tracker: http://www.chopcult.com/BillyT/albums/3784
 
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