I've had a '06 Hawkeye for 2 years. I use it only for chores, and it has just 12 hours on it. One reason I haven't used it more is that, if I load a deer on the back, or hitch it up to a wagon full of firewood, it squats badly, and ends up tearing up the turf.

Now, I understand I can increase the pre-load on the springs. The owners' manual may a well be in braille for all the help it is. I fabricated a spanner wrench that looks like it should work, but:

1. Which way to turn, to compress the springs further?

2. How much adjustment is there..........x number of complete rotations of the "nut"?

3. Why do they act as if they won't budge? (All very clean, no mud, rust, etc)

4. Does it help to raise the machine, remove a wheel, or disconnect the anti sway feature?

Thanks!

 

hi, welcome to the forum,i use a Giant pair of channel locks.if you have the big nut adj.it goes to the right to tighten....i never needed to to take the load off....

 

it helps to lift the wheels off the ground to release the suspenion. most likely has about 6 notches to adjust to make it stiffer. just take a close look at where it tuens and you pretty much can figure it out on which way it goes and how many clicks it willl take to get it to max. stifferness.

 

Got it. Once I looked at it in better light, the adjustment was obvious. The spanner wrench I fabbed worked great, but I did have to remove the wheel on the left, and the sway bar rod on the right, to have enough clearance for the wrench to swing. I can probably thin it down some. It was on the softest setting, so this should help put my Hawkeye to work! Thanks guys!