I have had a 5k mile replacement OEM shock for my bike for over a year, but have dreaded doing this job for that long. The original shock was tired, about 87k miles. Yesterday I decided to tackle this since I had the rear wheel off anyway for a tire change.
I have a shop manual and I also gleaned the wisdom of this forum before doing this job - but, it was an awful experience. I did it yesterday afternoon and to start with, it was 95 degress in my garage. I kept finding liquid under the bike thinking that the thing was leaking, no, it was my own sweat.
The parts I thought would be the hardest turned out to be the easiest. I was worried about getting the top bolt/nut off but a 14mm box end obstruction wrench with tape over it saved the day on that one. I had already removed the seat adjustment hardware. The lower bolt was more difficult, but loosening the footpeg hanger cleared the way to remove that.
My bike came with an excellent Austrailian electronic cruise control installed. Plus, all of my electrical farkles wiring originate under the seat. The wiring and added hardware made getting the remote damper routed out, then back in and installed very difficult. Also, I had to loosen the battery box to get the old shock out and the newer one in. Lessons learned:
1. If you have lots of farkles wired under the seat, probably best to disconnect them before doing this job.
2. If you have an electronic cruise control, like mine, get ready for problems with the remote reservoir.
3. The manual says install a new top bolt, I did, but I think I would have just as well off using the old one and blue lock tite.
4. As many have said, install the lower bolt opposite from the way it came, with the nut to the outside, to ease future removal.
5. I applied blue lock tite to the lower bolt threads too.
6. I greased both bolts at articulations with waterproof grease.
7. Do this job with the rear wheel removed.
8. If you can, get another set of hands.
9. Do it on a much cooler day!
I have a shop manual and I also gleaned the wisdom of this forum before doing this job - but, it was an awful experience. I did it yesterday afternoon and to start with, it was 95 degress in my garage. I kept finding liquid under the bike thinking that the thing was leaking, no, it was my own sweat.
The parts I thought would be the hardest turned out to be the easiest. I was worried about getting the top bolt/nut off but a 14mm box end obstruction wrench with tape over it saved the day on that one. I had already removed the seat adjustment hardware. The lower bolt was more difficult, but loosening the footpeg hanger cleared the way to remove that.
My bike came with an excellent Austrailian electronic cruise control installed. Plus, all of my electrical farkles wiring originate under the seat. The wiring and added hardware made getting the remote damper routed out, then back in and installed very difficult. Also, I had to loosen the battery box to get the old shock out and the newer one in. Lessons learned:
1. If you have lots of farkles wired under the seat, probably best to disconnect them before doing this job.
2. If you have an electronic cruise control, like mine, get ready for problems with the remote reservoir.
3. The manual says install a new top bolt, I did, but I think I would have just as well off using the old one and blue lock tite.
4. As many have said, install the lower bolt opposite from the way it came, with the nut to the outside, to ease future removal.
5. I applied blue lock tite to the lower bolt threads too.
6. I greased both bolts at articulations with waterproof grease.
7. Do this job with the rear wheel removed.
8. If you can, get another set of hands.
9. Do it on a much cooler day!
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