Article [13] ST1300 - Rear Shock Removal

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Joe
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Rear Shock Removal-provided by another member.
You will need a spring compressor or a press to change out the spring. There is some serious tension on the spring. I used a press.

First you need to get the shock out. Not nearly as easy as the shop manual suggests but it is not as bad as it sounds.

Pull both mufflers, you'll scratch them if you don't. Remove the rear wheel. Pull the last two screws that hold the lower cowl on both sides. On the foot peg mount there is a 6mm bolt on the bottom behind the lower cowl, remove it from both sides. Pull the left foot peg mount. There is a tab on the bottom of the foot peg mount that holds the side stand switch
wire and the rubber mat. Put tape on the top edge of the right foot peg mount. It will be clear where to put the tape to protect the paint on the foot peg mount when the shock is removed. Remove the battery. There is a bolt that sits under the battery, remove it. Pull the bolts from the right foot peg mounts. The brake master cylinder will be attached to the
foot peg mount, no need to remove it. The foot peg mount will move enough to get the bottom shock bolt out. Remove the seat adjuster assembly. There is the bolt through the fuel tank, 4 bolts holding the assembly to the frame and 1 bold holding the brake lines to the seat adjuster assembly. Put a jack under the rear drive. Remove the bottom shock bolt. You will need to swing the right foot peg mount out to remove the bolt. Use a box end wrench on the nut on the top shock mount. Use caution and don't drop the nut. Once you get the nut out put a piece of tape around the nut to make it a tight fit in the wrench when you go to reinstall the nut. Don't drop this nut. Remove the pre-load adjuster from it's mount. You will need to remove the brake master cylinder reservoir to fish out the pre-load adjuster oil line. Get the oil line free from it's mounts. Remove the top shock bolt.

Now some help would be nice but it can be done alone. Lift up on the rear grab rails or brake light. You want the rear frame section to swing up about a inch or two. Don't get carried away. The bike is on the center stand so lift the rear frame section but don't rock the bike off the stand. It's not hard. Remove the shock.

With the shock in hand you will see a small hole on the side of the pre-load adjuster. There is a set screw in there, back it off but not out. I used 2 pieces of angle iron and a piece of metal across the top to press on the pre-load adjuster. You must have a gap on the angle iron pieces and they need to be off the shock body so you can remove the clip holding the pre-load adjuster. Get the clip off, back the press off and remove the spring. The HyperPro spring will only go on in one direction. Just reverse the directions and install the clip, back off the press, tighten the set screw, and reinstall the shock.

Really it's not as bad as it looks and with the rear wheel and shock out you can do some serious cleaning to the swing arm.
 
Last edited:
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Re: ST1300 Rear Shock Removal

A couple of observations after changing my rear spring this weekend:

1. before you remove the pre-load adjuster from the shock body mark the position of the hose on the body. This can be done with a marker. While the set screw is there to hold it in place mine did not and the adjuster fell off the shock body. I took several mounts and dismounts to locate the hose so that fitting didn't hit the lower fuel tank.

2. I did not remove the rear wheel or mufflers. You can use a wedge under the rear tire to move it up or down and the right muffler can be rotated down clearing it from being in the way.

3. also I did not have to remove the left hand peg mount; used a long extention with a 17mm socket to remove the lower shock mount nut.

4. Did not remove the seat adjuster. Did raise the tank (using factory prop rod) to have access to top shock nut.

5. Removed the preload adjuster knob being careful not to lose the ball and spring. I also wrapped tape over the open area vacated by the knob removal to protect it. That allowed me to weave the adjuster body through the area easily. I hope this will help.

Sonny
 

dduelin

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Re: ST1300 Rear Shock Removal

I have had the pleasure of removing and replacing the rear shock 4 times and here are my observations added to Sonny's. I removed the right rear muffler. It is quick and easy to get out of the way. It is not necessary to remove the left foot peg mount at all or the muffler if you leave the wheel in place (more later). The right footpeg mount needs to be loosened but not removed and this applies to only the first time. There will be sufficient room by moving the peg mount outboard a few millimeters so the lower shock mounting bolt can be withdrawn. When you replace the lower shock bolt insert it from left to right so the nut is on the outside. I don't know why Honda inserts it from the outside at the factory. After reversing it you won't have to mess around with the right hand footpeg mount at all if you ever have to remove the shock again. I removed the wheel once and not the other times. It is easier with the wheel removed to get at the lower shock bolt and manipulate the shock down and out of the frame but not necessary. I remove the seat adjuster - it also locates the rear brake fluid reservoir so both are out of the way. The battery can stay in place if you remove the wheel. It takes some jiggling but the shock will drop down, back, and out.
 
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Re: ST1300 Rear Shock Removal

Did somebody say something about not dropping the acorn nut on the top end of the shock??? Oppps!!! Now what? Just go get a nut at the hardware store that fits on the bolt?
 
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Re: ST1300 Rear Shock Removal

Just finished swapping out the shock. Thanks to all who contributed to this thread. The information helped a lot.

I removed the nut for the seat rail bolt (re-install to 31 FTLBS) to get a bit more access to the shock bolt nut. To help keep track of the nut on the upper shock bolt. I put some honey on a 14 MM box wrench to trap the nut in the box. To re-install I wraped the the nut in teflon tape so it fit tightly in to the box wrench. In the intrest of making the bike less atractive to field mice I didn't want to leave any honey behind.

Len
 
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Re: ST1300 Rear Shock Removal

The shop manual says the socket-bolt, 10x55 (#1742887-001, $5) on the upper shock eyelet is a throw-away item.
Same is true on the brake stopper bolt (#235693-001, $20) that holds the caliper to the swing-arm.

Order them in advance.

(*)Thread lock is not the answer. They're supposed to be replaced because they're subject stretch, or shear loads, and failure would be serious.
 

dduelin

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Re: ST1300 Rear Shock Removal

Use a drop of Loctite blue on the old one's threads, good to go.
 
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Re: ST1300 Rear Shock Removal

I think Honda's advise to replace bolts is a bit of CYA. If they where serious they would include the bolt with the replacement unit. I replaced the shock with a Honda unit, no new bolt. I've bought Honda rear brake pads with out a new bolt being supplied. I've never had a dealer replace the stopper bolt when installing a tire.

Len
 
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Re: ST1300 Rear Shock Removal

"CYA"

Here's 2 pics of the rear caliper 'brake stopper bolt' with 15,500 miles.
Locktite is not going to fix this, unless you'd rather order a new bolt and casting together.
The upper shock bolt also is a wear item.
 

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dduelin

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Re: ST1300 Rear Shock Removal

"CYA"

Here's 2 pics of the rear caliper 'brake stopper bolt' with 15,500 miles.
Locktite is not going to fix this, unless you'd rather order a new bolt and casting together.
The upper shock bolt also is a wear item.
The last time I examined the stopper bolt it looked nothing like that and mine was at 68,000 miles.
 

Tom Mac 04a

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+2... what was done that made it look that bad? Did it once work loose? Don't think I've ever seen one gouged up unless it had other problem.
The biggest problem is that it is time consuming to clean the old lock-tight out of the threads, but thats what a beer , stool, and razer blade are for! :)
 

970mike

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I just installed a Wilber's shock on my wife's ST 1300 that lowered it over 1" I followed some of this thread and found I needed to remove the rear tire to get the shock out. If anyone needs to lower their bike for your short legs this is the way to go. I have cut my wife's seat down and now this and she can touch the ground with no problems now and she is 5' 5" :D

The one draw back to this is you can not get it up on the center stand without a piece of wood under the rear tire now as it is a real low rider!
 

trm

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Anyone have pictures of the process? I've read every thread and the service manual, and I'm stuck trying to remove step/peg bracket! I took out the 4 bolts, and the muffler bolt, removed lower cowl and bolt behind lower cowl (all not mentioned in manual) and its still mounted to the rear brake pedal and master cylinder??? The manual doesn't mention wheel removal, muffler removal, rank raising, etc. So what am I doing wrong?

I'd love to order a replacement shock, but no point if I can't figure out how to get the current one OUT!

Thanks, TRM in SA
 

dduelin

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Anyone have pictures of the process? I've read every thread and the service manual, and I'm stuck trying to remove step/peg bracket! I took out the 4 bolts, and the muffler bolt, removed lower cowl and bolt behind lower cowl (all not mentioned in manual) and its still mounted to the rear brake pedal and master cylinder??? The manual doesn't mention wheel removal, muffler removal, rank raising, etc. So what am I doing wrong?

I'd love to order a replacement shock, but no point if I can't figure out how to get the current one OUT!

Thanks, TRM in SA
The passenger peg (step plate) bracket only has to be moved out far enough so you can slip the lower shock bolt out. No need to completely remove the step plate. When you put it all back together slip the lower shock bolt back in from left to right so the nut is to the outside.
 
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just recently rebuilt my rear shock and thought I would share a couple of observations. I didnt have to loosen the footpeg bracket to get the lower shock bolt out. With the rear wheel removed, I removed the upper shock bolt and just moved the swingarm up and down, until the lower bolt slid out as far as it could into the deepest section of the cavity in the backside of the peg mount. At that point the bolt turned sideways and fell out. Second, I removed the shock out the bottom, but when I installed it, I just tried to drop it in past where the the master cylinder would have been and it dropped right in. I was concerned because it was a tight fit getting the shock out the bottom past the plastic inner fender and the new spring is much larger than the stocker. Going in through the top literally took less than a minute and the size wasnt an issue... there was lots of room
 
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