12 replies to this topic

[steve27bha]

 - is a right PITA.

 

I want to take my shock to Dumfermline Motorcycles while they are still fettling suspension bits. It's done over 40,000 miles in its 10½ years and, while I can't identify any specific problems, for the price it seems a good idea while I'm doing the annual service.

 

BUT getting the bu**er out is blithely skimmed over in the workshop manuals, both plain and ABS. Also any results from a Search here were short of details of how to overcome the intrusion into the working space by the bits displaced by the ABS components, specifically the coolant overflow bottle that sits to the left of the upper shock mounting bolt and interferes with removing said bolt.

 

So for the benefit of others who may want to remove theirs here's my notes.

1. Remove wheel, hugger, suspension link bolts. (I took it all off for the annual grease)

2. Lower swingarm as much as the brake hoses allow and support it.

3. Undo nut and washer holding coolant bottle, behind LHS fillet. Spring its tab off the bolt and force bottle as high up as possile. This will align a recess in the bottle with the shock's top bolt.

4. Get good lighting on the top of the shock. See pic #1

5. Assemble tools: a long strong screwdriver, two 14mm combination spanners and a third about the same size, hammer. An assistant who can stand you swearing will be a bonus.

6. Fit the spanner ring ends over the bolt head on LHS and nut on RHS. To get the required torque I interlinked the extra spanner's ring onto the  open end of the nut's spanner. See pic #2.

7. Remove the nut and its washer. Push the bolt as far left as the bottle will allow.

8. Now use the screwdriver as a lever against bits of chassis to squash the bottle as much as you dare, and manipulate the bolt to the left. It will jam slightly diagonally in the recess in the bottle, temptingly close to coming out and releasing the shock, but not quite.

9. Practise your swearing, then apply the screwdriver under the bolt head flange from outside the RHS of the bike and hammer the bolt to the left.

10. Repeat #9 varying the angle of the s'driver. Repeatedly!

11. Shout jubilantly when the bl**dy thing surprises you by popping out and dropping the shock down.

12. Put the bolt back in the clevis from the RHS, add the washer and nut and tighten to see how much thread sticks out of the end of the nut,

13. Remove bolt and file its end down to leave just one thread outside the nut. You need to leave enough for the nut's locking part to work.

14. When rebuilding put the bolt in from the RHS, i.e. how the factory should have done it in the first place.

15. Bolt the coolant bottle back in place, checking the two hoses are correct.

 

I had planned to take the shock over on Friday, but various dead-end attempts held me up (I now know how to swear at the battery too!) and now it'll be Monday. I'll report back on progress.

 

 IMG_0360.JPG   226.45KB   5 downloads

 

 

(Earlier problem of no pic posting fixed - thank you Studley.)

Edited by steve27bha, 17 February 2020 - 05:31 pm.

[chrisr]

Yep, sounds like another “I’m just going to do a bit on the bike, it should take half an hour” all day job to me! Had a few of them myself.

[leehenty]

Yes three go's at the lower bush afaik.

[chrisr]

I didnt think youd ever want to mention that again Lee!

Edited by chrisr, 16 February 2020 - 07:42 pm.

[dablik]

Poor fella cant help it, he did mine after yours, dont blame him for not doing em now...

[steve27bha]

I've just had a thought while reviewing post #1.

 

If you can source a replacement top bolt and have the right tools, change step 7:-

 

7. Remove the nut. Cut/file the end off the bolt to shorten it. (Leave the washer on to protect the clevis from damage.) Push the bolt out to the left.

 

This might make steps 8 - 13 unnecessary, and at least easier!!!

 

Also note the bottle is pictured in the raised position.

[leehenty]

I'm still having counselling after Chris R's bottom bush.  

Joking aside they can be a right pain, it's a silly design, why not have same sized eye both sides and a longer bush. Easy to draw out then. AliG is currently going through all this.

[dablik]

If the linkage was taken off could it not then be reamed out so the eye's are equal ? or would that be detrimental to it's strength ! other linkages dont have this do they.

[steve27bha]

Is this some sort of record?- five of the eight posts so far have been on a completely different subject!

 

So, to balance things up a bit, here's my progress.

 

I took the shock in to Paul @ DMC, had a great chat about the lack of basic engineering skills in the population and discussed some antique bikes he has in to prep. for selling for a collector's estate (eg a Triumph with only hand controls and a belt drive to the back wheel). I got educated on some symptoms of shock failure and left mine in his clearly capable hands.

 

My breath is bated awaiting Thursday's agreed collection.

 

I have a question regarding the access to the shock bolt. On the underside of the battery box there is a chunk hanging down. It can be seen in pic 1 above, to the right of the reg/rec. It appears to be a holder for summat small inserted from above and has holes at the bottom, possibly for drainage. Mine is empty and I cannot think what it could be for, presumably on a non-ABS model. Anyone know? I am considering sawing it off to improve access.

[dandywarhol]

I seem to remember taking the top mount off from under the seat where it fits to the frame - seemed fairly straightforward 

[steve27bha]

The nut holding the top clevis is immediately below the chassis cross-bar below the back of the tank, so that would need to came off at least. I dead-ended by trying to remove the battery box to access said nut from the rear. I was considering cutting the front off of the box to get to the nut, but went back to attack from below, as described above.

 

Even if I could have accessed the nut, it appeared that only a combination spanner could get in there, and I don't know if there is some form of auto-alignment for the clevis when putting it back.

[TKH]

When I did my rear shock it was fairly straight forward albeit 6-7 years ago so might not be so easy now....

[Bjørge]

Yeah, mine was easy, too....but maybe yours is not an ABS version either?