Stoffi Spring Installed on Front of 1963 Allstate
|
Hooked
1963 Allstate, 2005 Vespa PX150, 2001 Harley 95 ci Dyna
Joined: UTC
Posts: 320 Location: Central Ohio |
UTC
quote
My 1963 Allstate, with the original front spring, had the typical pogo effect and was not too stable. I wanted to install a heavy duty spring and based on the superb advice of Rob Hodge, I went with the Stoffi spring. The spring was listed as "Stoffi's STO Spring Front 155 mm, Vespa VNB/VBB/VB1/VBA." I had Capital City Scooters in Columbus Ohio install the spring and it took just an hour. The results are amazing. The ride is firmer, more stable, and with greatly improved handling. I would highly recommend the Stoffi spring for any Allstate front fork suspension.
|
|
|
UTC
quote
I just installed a new spring in my '65 Allstate earlier this year and the problem is that the swing arm keeps moving down until the spring contacts the fork as there is nothing to stop the downward movement of the swing arm. So after a few weeks, the bottom of the spring popped out of the lower spring retainer. Luckily the spring did not pop out and the lower attachment just turned sideways and sheared off the lower spring plate and the grease zerk. How the lower attachment rotated and the folk never popped out is beyond me.
|
|
|
|
Hooked
1963 Allstate, 2005 Vespa PX150, 2001 Harley 95 ci Dyna
Joined: UTC
Posts: 320 Location: Central Ohio |
|
Hooked
1963 Allstate, 2005 Vespa PX150, 2001 Harley 95 ci Dyna
Joined: UTC
Posts: 320 Location: Central Ohio |
UTC
quote
Bottom Anchor Plate for Front Suspension Spring
Below is a photo showing two lower front fork anchor plates for the suspension spring. The one on the left is the original from my 1963 Allstate. (It was found to be broken in the center.) The one on the right is a new anchor plate. The one on the left fit the bottom of the original spring and thus would allow the connection pivot (trunnion) to rotate up allowing the spring to be mounted vertically. The new anchor plate was too large in diameter and when installed would prevent the pivot from standing up vertically. I traced the old original anchor plate on the new one with a marking pen and then, using a grinding wheel, removed the material down to the black mark. The new anchor plate then fit nicely on the bottom of the new Stoffi spring without any overhang and allowed the spring to be rotated up vertically to complete the installation at the top. Thus, free movement of the pivot on its axle was insured.
|
|
|
UTC
quote
RB, can you provide where you got your spring and what the part number is? I think I found the issue with mine. The replacement spring I got is about 3mm wider at the bottom so when the swing arm moves down, the spring wants to push the bottom of the spring backwards and that is what tore the bottom of the spring off the spring bottom retainer and the trunnion.
Here you can see that the replacement spring is fatter at the bottom.
Here is the different using calipers. The replacement is about 3mm fatter at the bottom.
|
|
|
|
Hooked
1963 Allstate, 2005 Vespa PX150, 2001 Harley 95 ci Dyna
Joined: UTC
Posts: 320 Location: Central Ohio |
|
|
⬆️ About 4 years elapsed ⬇️
|
Addicted
1975 Rally 200, 2007 GT 200
Joined: UTC
Posts: 631 Location: San Francisco Bay Area |
|
|
UTC
quote
I've used the STO springs for several years now.
I like the SIP spring better. Same idea and function but the spring fits better in the upper fork area. Sometimes on the STO spring you have to grind on it to fit. Add a Pinasco front drum to complete. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hooked
1963 Allstate, 2005 Vespa PX150, 2001 Harley 95 ci Dyna
Joined: UTC
Posts: 320 Location: Central Ohio |
UTC
quote
My old 1963 Allstate had the "pogo" effect with the original spring, I bought a new heavy duty spring but it would not fit properly. I had to grind the ends so the anchor plates would screw into the spring. The new bottom anchor plate was also slightly bigger in diameter compared to the original plate and had to be resized with a grinder (see "Bottom Anchor Plate for Front Suspension Spring" above in this thread).
I then bought a Stoffis spring for $45 and got the correct length of 155 mm. Installation was easy and the fitment at the bottom and the top was very good. The "pogo" effect was gone and the ride was very good on normal roads. However, on rough roads, the front end would bottom out and I later modified my front fork by adding a damper. I used the same Stoffis spring with the new modified fork and it has worked out extremely well. Overall, the ride is firmer with the Stoffis spring compared to the"normal" spring. Ride quality is a personal thing and I prefer the stiffer ride I get with the Stoffis spring. Overall, the Stoffis spring was far superior to the normal spring available from most Vespa parts stores. The fitment was very good and the spring required no grinding. The stability and handling with the Stoffis spring were much improved. As for the SIP spring, perhaps SIP gets them from Stoffis and puts their name on them. I don't really know. But, from what was said in this thread, it looks like the SIP spring would work very well too. 
1963 Allstate with original spring.
1963 Allstate with new Stoffis spring.
Bottom attachment with anchor plate screwed well up into the Stoffis spring.
|
|
|
⬆️ About 2 years elapsed ⬇️
|
Molto Verboso
1964 Allstate Cruisaire, 2022 Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, 1972 Suzuki T500J
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1088 Location: York, PA (the intellectual center of the universe) |
|
Molto Verboso
GL, PK, PE200 with hack, Sears Rust Badge
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1347 Location: Deep in the heart of Texas |
|
Molto Verboso
1964 Allstate Cruisaire, 2022 Husqvarna Vitpilen 401, 1972 Suzuki T500J
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1088 Location: York, PA (the intellectual center of the universe) |
Modern Vespa is the premier site for modern Vespa and Piaggio scooters. Vespa GTS300, GTS250, GTV, GT200, LX150, LXS, ET4, ET2, MP3, Fuoco, Elettrica and more.
Shop on Amazon with Modern Vespa
Modern Vespa is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com
Modern Vespa is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com
[ Time: 0.0296s ][ Queries: 4 (0.0177s) ][ live ][ 334 ][ ThingOne ]