Suspension bits..

OK, my bikes suspension is basicly shot. Not surprising really, considering
that its had my lardy arse on it for 36K miles, and all of those on the
fantastic smooth streets of Our Nations Capitol. Going round corners is now
feeling very vague, and not at all confidence inspiring.

Couple of things:

When replacing the rear shock, is it always the case that you should replace
the fork springs too? Or does a simple oil change do the job?

Is it worth renovating the rear monoshock, or should I just spring (haha)
for a replacement?

The head bearings need replacing soon as well, which may have some bearing
9haha again) on what other work is easiest done when the forks are out of
the yokes...

Please bear in mind that Im not a *complete* mechanical numpty, but most of
this stuff is stuff Im doing for the first time...

Tips please!

 

New fork springs is a good idea, and they're so cheap, really. Decent
springs and new oil will make a helluva difference.

It's way cheaper to have it rebuilt, and often better than buying off
the shelf. Maxton and others do them for as little as £100. Compare this
with as much as £500 for a really good quality aftermarket shock, and
£200+ for a cheapie.

Your problem is having the bike off the road while they do it. A
solution is to buy a cheap used OE shock off Ebay (should be do-able for
£40 or less) and send that off to be rebuilt.

We've covered head races recently. Removing the old ones can be a bugger
of a job. As you say, while the forks are out of the yokes, you might as
well.

I'd really GAMI for the head races. I dunno what bike you've got, but
consider this: if it has no centre stand, propping up the front end can
be awkward with no forks in it! Secondly, you may have to cut the old
races off the steering stem. It's just a sod of a job. I'm happy to do
it on smallish bikes, but on big ones it's a bitch.

If you are DIY-ing, then remember to slather as much grease as possible
on the new races. Then squirt chain lube all over them: the chain lube
carries the grease right into the bearings. Then add more grease and
reassemble.

 

Not too much of a problem, its used to comute mainly, but theres always the
tube for that (Ptah!)

Doh! the one essential fact I left out..

Its a 2001 Fazer 1000

How much are we looking at for GAMI to do the head races?

Is it a complete bitch of a job where you *have to know* what youre doing,
or is it just time consuming and fiddly? Time consuming and fiddly I can
cope with, otherwise I spose Ill have to cough the dosh...

 

About £100.

Both. You're wresting with pipes, wires, cables, levers, hoses, you name
it, and then the buggers won't come out and you don't have the special
tool to get stuck ones out... It's just a horrible job.

For re-assembling them, you have to know how much to tighten them up.
It's very easy to over-tighten them, and thus ensure they'll nadger
again in a few thousand miles.

 

Spike wrote

I could be wrong of course but I always though the criteria for changing
the front fork springs were Based less upon the wear rate of
unassociated parts and more on the relaxed length of said springs.
Times may have changed of course but somehow I doubt it.

" "

Look at the play in all the wheel and steering bearings before you start
spending shedloads on new suspension parts. It not prevent you spending
shedloads on new suspension parts but if you replace the worm ones
either because they are worn or on the basis of "the fucker is apart I
may as well do everything while I am in here" it will improve the
handling of the bike no end.

 

Eventually. <crosses fingers>

New handlebars on tomorrow.
--
| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \
_/_____\_ GL1500SEV/CBR1100XXX/CBX1000Z
|_\_____/_| ..79553../..21469.../..31308.
(>|_|_|<) TPPFATUICG#7 DIAABTCOD#9 WG*
|__|_|__| BOTAFOT #70 BOTAFOF #09 PM#5
\ |^| / IbW#0 & KotIbW# BotTOS#6 GP#4
\|^|/ ANORAK#17 IbB#4 YTC#4 two#11
'^' RBR'06 Points: 75 Miles: 317

 

I've contemplated drilling a tapping a hole in the headstock for a grease
nipple. Maybe when the time comes to change my head bearings, I'll actually
do it. The swing arm on the Zed is already done, although it came with ****
all grease anywhere near it.


--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

Beav said...

How do you propose to get the grease past the outer races and into the
part of the bearing that actually matters?

 

There's a reason for that. The clue is written on the side of the
tank.
--
| ___ Salad Dodger
|/ \
_/_____\_ GL1500SEV/CBR1100XXX/CBX1000Z
|_\_____/_| ..79553../..21469.../..31308.
(>|_|_|<) TPPFATUICG#7 DIAABTCOD#9 WG*
|__|_|__| BOTAFOT #70 BOTAFOF #09 PM#5
\ |^| / IbW#0 & KotIbW# BotTOS#6 GP#4
\|^|/ ANORAK#17 IbB#4 YTC#4 two#11
'^' RBR'06 Points: 75 Miles: 317

 

Not a bad idea, except that you will have to completely fill the
headstock with grease (maybe 500ml?) before it gets to the bearings, and
when it gets warm, guess where that grease is gonna run?

 

On Fri, 12 May 2006 10:27:04 +0100,

How well do the cheaper types of aftermarket shock compare against OE
stuff generally?

 

Personally, I wouldn't go wild on the chain lube, though, and
certainly wouldn't be tempted to use it instead of "normal" grease.

The previous owner of a K100RS I once owned had put some sort of heavy
grease on the head races that was *incredibly* temperature sensitive.
On frosty mornings the steering was noticeably heavy and the bike
would tend to fall into corners.

It came to a head when on one memorable chilly ride home from Hertford
to Cambridge, the bike started rolling heavily whenever the speed
dropped below about 40mph. I did briefly wonder whether I could slow
to a halt without falling off!

Not surprisingly, I replaced the grease the weekend following that
incident. Cured it completely.

 

Quite. Which was why I said use it on the normal grease, and thern add
more normal grease afterwards....

 

Depends how good/crap the OE stuff is.....

 

Depends how good/crap the OE stuff is.....[/QUOTE]

Ask a silly question...

 

3000 psi and a small prayer

My thoughts are that if air can get in, grease can get out if enough
violence is used. And if not, I'll use more violence.

It's got to be worth a try anyroad.


--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

You make a more than valid point Mr Dodger.


--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

I every fucker out to spoil my fun? As to the escaping grease, in't that
what jet washers are for


--
Beav

VN 750
Zed 1000
OMF# 19

 

Ask a silly question...[/QUOTE]

<VBG>