[solved]Rear suspension

dodgymob131 wrote:..... when we go over smallish dips in the road not going excessive speeds the rear suspensions some times bottoms out, I'm a safe rider and even safer with a pillion, has anyone else experienced this?

Deece wrote:Is it pretty straight forward to replace the rear shocks? Someone told me that you need a specialist tool to compress the springs to enable fitting?

chromedome wrote:
Not at all difficult.

Bike on centre stand, Remove side panels and there are bolts holding each shock top and bottom. Completely remove these. You will have to reach up under the rear plastic to get to the top eye of the suspension unit, pull it out slightly to give room to withdraw this.

And as it says in all good Haynes manuals, reassembly is the opposite of disassembly (just remember to put the top eye in first). You might need a screwdriver to gently lever/position the bottom eye on the swing arm mount before you can put the bolt back in.

Sorted..... and not a compression tool in sight.

Grarea wrote:I know it is an old thread, but I thought better than starting a new one?
Anyway, I was wondering what I am looking at to get the suspension setting right.
Given it is dependant how worn each bike is, I guess it is down to how easily it bottoms out.

On the third notch it was bottoming out on speed bumps with just me and quite often with pillion.
So have put up a notch. What should I expect it to bottom out on to get the best ride?

Also, the exhaust side is substantially harder to tighten than the other side.
Is that normal? Or a sign that the non exhaust one is more on its way out?

(I used a C spanner from bicycle bottom brackets. It didn't fit properly but did the job without heathen tools )  :D
(I wondering if that was too easy)

eternally_troubled wrote:
On my (probably) knackered original ones I just kept upping the tension until it felt better - if you go over the top you'll notice (will be more bouncy and you'll get a pain in your arse!).  I went up to setting four (that is, two higher than the 'standard' second step) for solo riding and 5 (top setting) with a pillion.

Grarea wrote:



The other thing was whether the two adjustments are normally different to adjust?
One is much easier than the other.
I am just wondering if one is more gone than the other?

trevor machine wrote:Have you noticed them leaking? Tbh, I don't really understand how they *can* go unless they start to lose oil. I guess the steel in the spring can become "fatigued", theoretically. But it's being compressed not stretched, so I don't really see how that can happen. Anyway - good question. I'd like to know the answer too.

Grarea wrote:It makes me wonder if they might be (relatively) easily repaired?
I see most people replace them though, so I assume not.

Beresford wrote:

High quality shocks eg. Koni or Ohlins are usually designed  so they may be taken apart and serviced and repaired. Cheaper items are sealed units , designed to be replaced if worn out.