Alternative shock linkages

[zimm]

just for reference,

NWS linkage (black) v H1 linkage (silver) v L linkage (grubby)




little difference between NWS and H, L has quite different proportions

[banner001]

Hi Zimm, can you please post up the centre to centre distances of the bolt holes for these three, along with the single angle measurement if possible?

That should be all the geometry of the thing then.

[zimm]

next time they are apart.. sure .. not stripping bikes just to measure though

all you really need to know is .. "try an H linkage", if you dont like it swap back .. there's little difference in feel between NWS and H

[AFM327]

Zimm is correct, I have an NWS and an H2 link and they are the same. Hold them up together and all the holes line up. I might have both in a spares box I'll take a look. I know I have an NWS handy that I can measure.

[Leey]

Zimm dropped around to me a H linkage to try out as he runs a nws linkage and they look quite the same.
Hopefully my tyre will stop blistering with the new linkage.

[banner001]

I've got a h linkage to put on my track bike, when I swap that for the l on there I'll measure them up and weigh them...is the nws one just lighter than the h then?

[zimm]

No, quite a bit heavier if memory serves.. Although I've never actually weighed them.

[banner001]

so whats the advantage? im sure that it was mentioned on here that the NWS was better, but if it weighs more, and the mounting points are all the same distance and angle, why would it be different/better?

[zimm]

Better than an L.. H models never came here officially, and were incredibly rare here in the 90's.. so no cheap used linkages about, and no expensive new ones either.. hence the creation/existence of the nws linkage..

[banner001]

ah now i see.

[Leey]

Just fitted my h linkage shall give it a test ride tomorrow

[banner001]

H2 linkage:
Distance from swingarm to dog bone bolts: 52mm
Distance from dog bone bolts to shock mount: 62.3mm
Angle equals 57°
All bolt holes are 12mm diameter.

All are center to center.

[zimm]

actually all this is on here from a number of years back,

(does no-one use search anymore ? )

AFM327 referencing the PB article on RMKD's bike a few years back

viewtopic.php?f=37&t=7930&hilit=linkage

The PB article listed the differences on the standard linkages. 50/50 for H1, 65/45 for H2 and 60/40 for L.

which with some quick mental arithmetic matches the measurements in the previous post

Drew providing part number info on another thread,

The Uni-trak linkage varies between models

39007-1156 for H1/J1 NLA

39007-1189 for H2/J2 NLA

39007-1087 for L1~9 / M1~9 (SP) 8,000 Yen

Dogbones are all the same across models

39111-1087

[zimm]

Just had a quick measure up,

H1 linkage:
Distance from swingarm to dog bone bolts: 60mm
Distance from dog bone bolts to shock mount: 60mm

H2 linkage:
Distance from swingarm to dog bone bolts: 52mm
Distance from dog bone bolts to shock mount: 62.3mm

L linkage:
Distance from swingarm to dog bone bolts: 50mm
Distance from dog bone bolts to shock mount: 65mm

NWS LInkage:
Distance from swingarm to dog bone bolts: 52.5mm
Distance from dog bone bolts to shock mount: 62.5mm

so, assuming all other things to be equal..

H1 most linear (and softest?)
L most progressive (rising rate)
NWS/H2 are essentially the same linkage and somewhere in between the other two.

wonder what the linkage on a ZX400G is .. I dont have any ZX4 bits anymore to check but i know they will interchange, and that my ZX4's rear end was a lot more compliant than any standard ZXR ive ridden..

[banner001]

Cheers zimm, and no it appears that none of the previous 30+ posters checked old posts. Any idea on the angle as well, this affects the rate that the swingarm mover relative to the movement of the shock.