Weight testing

P

Paul

Beta Tester
On our shortcut to Montana. ( see "Let them eat cake") The load goes as follows. The bike left pannier dress shoes for wedding and sneakers.bag on top my sleeping bag. Right pannier wife's bed roll.
Trailer left front my clothes right front her clothes.
Hard box cake making supplies
Cooler a couple bottles of pop no ice.
Sag set to specs. Awesome ride a bit more weight on front of trailer. Riding in auto road height on the bike.1750 miles just fine.

Stop at wally world and grab the cake making stuff. We added about 40lbs to the rear of the trailer. I was worried as I try to keep more weight forward. I had to add a little more air to the trailer suspension to adjust sag. We balanced the weight in the cooler and metal pannier. The headed the last 60 miles with the
A couple twisty spots and 75mph on the interstate. Pulled the same as it had the entire trip.
We are staying 30 miles from the wedding venue. I have removed all the soft luggage. So the weight of the cake stuff will all be on the rear. I will readjust the sag and head the 30 miles and see how it effects the ride.
 

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Maybe I missed it, but is there a way to determine how much sag there should be per 10# or whatever? Tony says he's going to add a gauge to the fill valve to determine what works best for his setup, can a gauge be added to each ADV1?
 
PBKrarup said:
Maybe I missed it, but is there a way to determine how much sag there should be per 10# or whatever? Tony says he's going to add a gauge to the fill valve to determine what works best for his setup, can a gauge be added to each ADV1?
Click to expand...
When I picked up the trailer at Luke's house. Rod said there should be between 1.5 to 2" of up travel. So I don't worry about adding 12 lbs weight and set at "X" psi. I add the weight then sharply push down on the rear of the trailer and release. And watch what it dies. If it pops up to the top. I let out just a quick psst of air.when the trailer drops down then pops up and settles 1.5 to 2" then I'm good.if it rides at the top the ride is ruff and handling feel ridid. Let out just a little air and things settle down.
 
Paul is exactly right!

Here is a link to PDF instructions on how to adjust the shock and set the sag.

The PSI doesn't matter and I would suggest you don't ever need to measure the PSI of the shock. What matters is amount of sag...which is how many inches the top of the trailer is from being at the highest point. You want the top of the trailer to be 1 to 2 inches below the highest point, where the shock is fully extended.

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After you remove weight or add weight, push down on the back of the trailer, let it spring back up, and see where the sag is.
  1. If you've REMOVED a lot of weight, you may have no sag—the deck of the trailer might be at the very top of the travel. That's not good because the trailer might bounce if hit something at speed. Let out a tiny amount of air, push down again, let it spring back up, and see if it now settles an inch or two below the top.

  2. If you ADDED a lot of weight, you may have too much sag—the deck of the trailer might have settled more than 2 inches below the top of travel. This isn't good because the suspension might bottom out if you hit something at speed, and that would mean it might bounce!
So, leave the pressure gauge to the tire...adjust the shock by thinking about sag, not PSI.
 
Yesterday's weight test results. The bags on the bike are empty. Top case empty front panniers removed. So 20lbs in the metal pannier and ice chest. Sag adjusted speed limit was 70mph with a few sweepers.
The handling was reminiscent of riding without the trailer and 55lbs in topbox. It took 50mph corners just great. No ill effects.
 
roddesu said:
Paul is exactly right!

Here is a link to PDF instructions on how to adjust the shock and set the sag.

The PSI doesn't matter and I would suggest you don't ever need to measure the PSI of the shock. What matters is amount of sag...which is how many inches the top of the trailer is from being at the highest point. You want the top of the trailer to be 1 to 2 inches below the highest point, where the shock is fully extended.

View attachment 358

After you remove weight or add weight, push down on the back of the trailer, let it spring back up, and see where the sag is.
  1. If you've REMOVED a lot of weight, you may have no sag—the deck of the trailer might be at the very top of the travel. That's not good because the trailer might bounce if hit something at speed. Let out a tiny amount of air, push down again, let it spring back up, and see if it now settles an inch or two below the top.

  2. If you ADDED a lot of weight, you may have too much sag—the deck of the trailer might have settled more than 2 inches below the top of travel. This isn't good because the suspension might bottom out if you hit something at speed, and that would mean it might bounce!
So, leave the pressure gauge to the tire...adjust the shock by thinking about sag, not PSI.
Click to expand...

PDF printed and going into my "PASQ ADV1 Trailer" 3-ring binder. Not that I'm excessively detail oriented or compulsively orderly, I just have too much other stuff going on to lose track of all the things... Initiating freakout in 5... 4... 3... 2... :D
 
I'll add a gauge if I can do it easily and accurately. Or maybe I won't because...
I've played (too much) with the ADV1 shock PSI/ADV1 tire PSI/my spinal fluid PSI. to be objective.
I need to levelset.
So my plan is to load the ADV1 for my upcoming trip, ignore numbers and set the sag for one inch-ish. Ride a day and see how that goes....
 
Tony D. said:
I'll add a gauge if I can do it easily and accurately. Or maybe I won't because...
I've played (too much) with the ADV1 shock PSI/ADV1 tire PSI/my spinal fluid PSI. to be objective.
I need to levelset.
So my plan is to load the ADV1 for my upcoming trip, ignore numbers and set the sag for one inch-ish. Ride a day and see how that goes....
Click to expand...
I didn't think the sag would make that big of a difference. But it does. As Sharon is following my I ask her quite often what the trailer is doing over bumps and potholes. If the sag is to tight it bucks a little. If too loose it shakes more at slow speed.
 
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