How to adjust rear suspension on an F800

I understand that the upper adjustment is for preload:clockwise for more preload.

How should I adjust the lower damping to make it stiffer: clockwise?

I'll post what your friend el manuel has in it if you'd take a sec to open it up!

I've looked at that page in my manual and find it confusing regarding damping.

When they refer to pre-load, they specifically use the words "clock-wise" or "counter-clockwise". But not when talking about damping. And when they write that you should turn the screw in the direction of the "H" to stiffen damping...I read that as turn the screw "counter-clockwise", but that would seem to soften damping by loosening the screw. So....do you turn the screw clockwise or opposite to stiffen damping?

Damping setting...forget about preload for just a minute.
to the left = H or hard (firmer setting)
to the right = S or soft (softer setting)

Not a dumb question at all. It does seem odd that on one they would use clockwise/counter then switch to "in the direction of" on the other.
I think you could just as easily look at that pic and say H is clockwise as you could look and say H is to the left and thus counter clockwise.

The H <--> S notation is below the screw, so I would guess clockwise is harder, Counter clockwise is softer.

now back to basic questions. Is this screw for Compression or rebound? I hope compression, but I have a feeling it is rebound.

rebound

Funny, I would guess just the opposite. If the arrow were curved, or on top of the screw rather than below it, it would be less confusing.

David

Exactly. I was just thinking the same thing: "If they'd made that double arrow curved around the screw head this wouldn't be so confusing for everyone".

Clockwise makes rebound damping harder. Counterclockwise makes rebound damping softer.



or

Guess I too read this wrong. Or so we think. (But the rationale is valid.) So I guess your questioning is quite valid.

Thanks for explaining what we already new...

Maybe I should have started by explaining that I do not understand the manual and that I was expecting a clockwise or counter-clockwise instruction, as with any turning adjustment.

Right or left is meaningless when rotating... at least to me.

I guess I'll follow your later advice and assume it would have been a curved arrow beneath the adjuster, making clockwise for harder rebound damping

Thanks

After deeper thinking, I believe this to be true.

But as far as "right" and "left" go, always assume clockwise to be right (from the topmost reference) and counterclockwise to be left.
Thus the (handy) phrase "righty tighty - lefty loosey".

Seems simple, but easy to overthink it. Try turning fully in one direction and ride, then fully in the opposite and repeat. Then put your own marks on it for prompts.

Dudes, this isn't rocket science. This is what it is:






Righty tighty (clockwise) makes the rebound damping harder. Left loosy (counterclockwise) makes the rebound damping softer.

I'm confused and to how you guys are still even talking about this.

aren't we all?:huh

'Cause it's The Internet...and it's what we do...

True.

The OEM rear shock is a Showa. I am not aware of a single major manufacturer (Showa is "major") that uses a damping screw that should be turned counter-clockwise (loosened) to firm the damping.

Tightening the set-screw to full, and then backing it off 1.5 turns would loosen the damping(rebound, in this case) by 1.5 turns. If you then turned the set-screw clockwise 1/2 turn, you would have firmed up the damping by 1/2/ turn...*not* loosened it.

I think it's the shock itself that is poorly stamped. As someone else wrote, Showa should have embossed a semi-circular line with H and S at opposite ends. The straight line is confusing.

<TABLE border=1 rules=all cellSpacing=0 borderColor=black cellPadding=0 width="100%" valign="TOP"><TBODY><TR>This is what the CD Repair Manual has to say about it under the Technical Data Section.

<TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 1mm; PADDING-LEFT: 1mm; PADDING-RIGHT: 1mm; PADDING-TOP: 1mm" class=fOne vAlign=top colSpan=4>33 52 - Shock damper
</TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 1mm; PADDING-LEFT: 1mm; PADDING-RIGHT: 1mm; PADDING-TOP: 1mm" class=fOne vAlign=top>Basic setting of rear-suspension damping characteristic
</TD><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 1mm; PADDING-LEFT: 1mm; PADDING-RIGHT: 1mm; PADDING-TOP: 1mm" class=fOne vAlign=top>Full load of fuel, with rider 85 kg
</TD><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 1mm; PADDING-LEFT: 1mm; PADDING-RIGHT: 1mm; PADDING-TOP: 1mm" class=fOne vAlign=top>Turn adjusting screw as far as it will go clockwise, then back it off 1 1/2 turns.
</TD><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 1mm; PADDING-LEFT: 1mm; PADDING-RIGHT: 1mm; PADDING-TOP: 1mm" class=fOne vAlign=top>
</TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 1mm; PADDING-LEFT: 1mm; PADDING-RIGHT: 1mm; PADDING-TOP: 1mm" class=fOne vAlign=top colSpan=4>33 53 - Springs with mounts
</TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 1mm; PADDING-LEFT: 1mm; PADDING-RIGHT: 1mm; PADDING-TOP: 1mm" class=fOne vAlign=top>Type of rear suspension
</TD><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 1mm; PADDING-LEFT: 1mm; PADDING-RIGHT: 1mm; PADDING-TOP: 1mm" class=fOne vAlign=top> </TD><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 1mm; PADDING-LEFT: 1mm; PADDING-RIGHT: 1mm; PADDING-TOP: 1mm" class=fOne vAlign=top>Direct-pivot central spring strut with steplessly adjustable rebound-stage damping
</TD><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 1mm; PADDING-LEFT: 1mm; PADDING-RIGHT: 1mm; PADDING-TOP: 1mm" class=fOne vAlign=top>
</TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 1mm; PADDING-LEFT: 1mm; PADDING-RIGHT: 1mm; PADDING-TOP: 1mm" class=fOne vAlign=top>Basic setting of spring preload, rear
</TD><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 1mm; PADDING-LEFT: 1mm; PADDING-RIGHT: 1mm; PADDING-TOP: 1mm" class=fOne vAlign=top>Full load of fuel, with rider 85 kg
</TD><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 1mm; PADDING-LEFT: 1mm; PADDING-RIGHT: 1mm; PADDING-TOP: 1mm" class=fOne vAlign=top>Turn the adjusting screw counter-clockwise as far as it will go
</TD><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 1mm; PADDING-LEFT: 1mm; PADDING-RIGHT: 1mm; PADDING-TOP: 1mm" class=fOne vAlign=top>
</TD></TR><TR><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 1mm; PADDING-LEFT: 1mm; PADDING-RIGHT: 1mm; PADDING-TOP: 1mm" class=fOne vAlign=top>Spring travel at rear wheel
</TD><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 1mm; PADDING-LEFT: 1mm; PADDING-RIGHT: 1mm; PADDING-TOP: 1mm" class=fOne vAlign=top>At wheel
</TD><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 1mm; PADDING-LEFT: 1mm; PADDING-RIGHT: 1mm; PADDING-TOP: 1mm" class=fOne vAlign=top>215 mm
</TD><TD style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 1mm; PADDING-LEFT: 1mm; PADDING-RIGHT: 1mm; PADDING-TOP: 1mm" class=fOne vAlign=top>
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>