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Refitting a rear suspension unit


Graham NZ

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Graham NZ

Despite having done that a few times one thing I still find a challenge is pushing the Allen head screw in through the top of the suspension unit.  Even with the left side footrest mounting plate removed and a cloth over the top chain run I struggle to push the screw through.  I do not remove any left side plastic which may be my problem.

 

On the right side I bored a 1" hole through the plastic to give direct access to the nut on the top screw and into the hole is fitted a plastic body-plug.  On the left side the frame members are in the ways of doing the same trick.

 

I'd rather bore access holes in plastic panels than muck about removing the fiddly things and the many fasteners involved. 

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I'm just about to strip, clean and re-grease the rear suspension today. I'll take a few photos to show how I get to the top fixing without removing any panels. 

 

Martin

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outrunner

If I remember correctly it took about 1/2 hour to change the shock on mine, no panels removed and no holes bored. Mine is a 2016 750X so panels may be different.

 

 

Andy.

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Graham NZ

8ace

Your panelwork is different from my 2014 S.  I added an access hole to insert the socket and extension through.
It isn't accessing the top fixing nut which I have trouble with, it's pushing the cap screw in from the left side.  Not enough room to get my hand in properly while holding the cap screw to push it in through the shock top eye.

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Can't you just get a driver that holds the cap screw? It would make life a lot easier and remove the need to try and get your hand in.

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Graham NZ
10 hours ago, Mr Toad said:

Can't you just get a driver that holds the cap screw? It would make life a lot easier and remove the need to try and get your hand in.

 

Yes I can offer the screw in on the end of an in-hex driver but not at a direct enough angle.

 

It seems that it would be best to remove the left side body panel and offer a hand holding the screw over the vee of the frame tubes.  I hate mucking about with the body panels on this bike.  So many weird fasteners involved.  I won't replace the inaccessible air filter until a fuel consumption increase is noticed.  Why are bikes these days made so convolutedly?  Where did QD rear wheels on most chain driven bikes go? And effective mudguards on many.

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Slowboy
1 hour ago, Graham NZ said:

 

Yes I can offer the screw in on the end of an in-hex driver but not at a direct enough angle.

 

It seems that it would be best to remove the left side body panel and offer a hand holding the screw over the vee of the frame tubes.  I hate mucking about with the body panels on this bike.  So many weird fasteners involved.  I won't replace the inaccessible air filter until a fuel consumption increase is noticed.  Why are bikes these days made so convolutedly?  Where did QD rear wheels on most chain driven bikes go? And effective mudguards on many.


Those of us who do our own maintenance feel your pain Graham.

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1 hour ago, Graham NZ said:

 

Yes I can offer the screw in on the end of an in-hex driver but not at a direct enough angle.

 

It seems that it would be best to remove the left side body panel and offer a hand holding the screw over the vee of the frame tubes.  I hate mucking about with the body panels on this bike.  So many weird fasteners involved.  I won't replace the inaccessible air filter until a fuel consumption increase is noticed.  Why are bikes these days made so convolutedly?  Where did QD rear wheels on most chain driven bikes go? And effective mudguards on many.

 

So they can justify the exorbitant service costs. In the eighties I had a Honda VF1000 Bol D'or. I asked the dealer what sort of cost a service was and he came back with some absurd amount of money. When I asked him what the hell it was all for he said a major part of the cost was the labour for removing and refitting the panels, it all had to come off for access. I got round that problem by removing the bodywork myself before dropping it off. 

 

They weren't best pleased that I'd done the easy, if most time consuming and most expensive, part of the job myself.  

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fj_stuart

A friend sent me this video about replacing the spark plugs on a BMW K1600 (this is part 1 of 2!)

 

 

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Defender

I didn't remove any panels when I changed my rear shock last month, I was able to pull the RH side panel up enough to get the socket on a long extension on to the retaining nut.

The hex bolt access is somewhat restricted, but I managed to get the bolt out and back in again without too much hassle or pain etc, but I did have an assistant to put the nut on whilst I held the bolt in place.

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Defender
29 minutes ago, fj_stuart said:

A friend sent me this video about replacing the spark plugs on a BMW K1600 (this is part 1 of 2!)

 

 

Wow, that's a heck of a job, makes the rear 3 plugs on a transverse Alfa V6 seem easy to change! 

Jay wasn't much help, was he?

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Graham NZ
21 hours ago, Defender said:

I didn't remove any panels when I changed my rear shock last month, I was able to pull the RH side panel up enough to get the socket on a long extension on to the retaining nut.

The hex bolt access is somewhat restricted, but I managed to get the bolt out and back in again without too much hassle or pain etc, but I did have an assistant to put the nut on whilst I held the bolt in place.

 

Once the cap screw is inserted and the lower linkages are in place, the weight of the wheel stops the screw from rotating and the nut can be fitted and tightened without the need to hold the cap end of the screw.  Put the bike on it's wheels and the screw is even more resistant to turning as the nut is tightened.

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Graham NZ

A bit more investigation shows that removing my left side panel would not help with hand-access to the cap end of the mounting screw but it would give better access for a tool to carry the screw into position.

 

Doubtless, during factory assembly the suspension unit was fitted long before other components which subsequently inhibit access to the top mounting screw.

 

While my Nitron R2 was away for further tuning I refitted the original factory unit, which had covered less than 5,000km from new.  Just a short ride was enough to remind me why I ditched the pathetic thing 25,000km ago.  Worsening hip and spine arthritis makes me keep chasing the best ride compliance I can get on this bike, which I bought solely because it has no clutch and gear lever.

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Defender
20 hours ago, Graham NZ said:

 

Once the cap screw is inserted and the lower linkages are in place, the weight of the wheel stops the screw from rotating and the nut can be fitted and tightened without the need to hold the cap end of the screw.  Put the bike on it's wheels and the screw is even more resistant to turning as the nut is tightened.

That's a very good point Graham, I must admit I put the top bolt in first as it's the more difficult to access and with the bottom unbolted and dog bone links out of the way to give as much movement as possible at the top end.

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