Rear Shock Service/Re-build

[Chicknstripn]

No- your shock should not settle down and cause a height change. If it does I would take it back to the company the rebuilt it!
Does your rebuilt shock have a preload adjuster? I know that a stock shock does and the tool to adjust the preload is found in your tool kit. Take some preload out of the rear shock. You should be able to lower your rear ride height that way. Then go for a test ride. Insure you record where you started so if you don't like it you can always go back.

Correction- just saw that a previous post stated that you have your rear preload at zero.

I guess you have adjusted that. Do you like the ride quality?

Has this changed from a matter of ride quality to an issue over ride height?

 

[Tbone]

It has a Hydraulic pre-load adjuster knob that is turned all the way out, counter clockwise.
More Quality than height, I think the height maybe effecting the cornering quality? She is trying to stand up in the corners and I am forcing the bars down to make the corner. Like it is out of balance or something causing it resist as before it was effortless to dive into the corner? So I think when it had a saggy a$$ it was more centered, between the front and rear wheels. Now it feels like the front end requires more of a turn in and fight to keep it cornering at the bars?

 

[Cooter]

Oh! This is a ULY! hahahahahaha. I think both Chicken and I didn't see the forum (I just do 'new posts' typically) and thought it was the ring you turn with a spanner. In fact its a hydraulic sleeve that extends....

Double check that thing is on the shock right side up and i think it sits on locating points, so it might be rotated wrong and hung up on those? Lemme look for a exploded view

And look at your front tire really objectivly. When they square up they handle exactly what you're describing and you ride hard enough to do that to a front tire:angel:

In fact, if the rear is indeed higher than the front it should quicken the turn in (less rake) not make it harder.

 

[Chicknstripn]

Sorry, I didn't notice this was a uly thread. I'm such a FNG!
Either way, if your preload is all the way out on the shock and near zero on the front fork, the issue might be what Cooter mentioned with the tires.
You're rear suspension was shot all this time so you probably didn't notice the way the front tire was effecting the performance. Check your tire pressure as well

 

[Cooter]

I can't get the pic to post here I went to twin motorcycles and looked up the exploded view of the Uly rear shock. I can't really see clearly how the hydraulic pre-load adjuster locates on the shock body. If my beer soaked memory serves, it slides on before the coil (of course) but i think it has tabs it locates on to clock it right on the body, not just a ring to hold it.

I'm thinking it may be clocked wrong (or upside down?) and sitting on those tabs instead of being seated all the way. If thats true then it would be pre-loading the coil quite a bit even with the adjustment at zero.

Look at where the pre-load adjuster is in relation the the shock body and google image Uly shock to see if its the same. A little difference at the shock will make a BIG difference at the rear wheel.

 

[Tbone]

Yes it is a Uly. I will have to remove the rear shock, dang!, I just installed a comfort kit fan shroud, PITA to remove rear shock now. Will be worth it if it gets to the bottom of the issue?
On July 3 on this thread I put a picture of the shock tore down, I can see in the picture where the lock ring on the body is located below the nipple for the reservoir. Not apparent there are tabs or any clocking there, or on the top of the pre-loader, which is were the small hydraulic line is looks pretty smooth, no notches for any tabs. I remember that Keith who rebuilt the shock says he also replaced the main piston rod seal and bushing assembly with an All Balls Seal bushing assembly. Since this goes on the piston rod which is underneath the piston, is it possible it could have have been shorter than the stock assembly, allowing more travel for the piston to go down the cylinder and creating more height?
Found this on Ebay, 15mm spring plate, do you thing this would allow enough sag to lower the height an inch?
If the shock has increased length, this plate would only have an effect of lowering the pre-load beyond what it is now only, not restrict shock travel is what I am thinking?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/TECNIUM-Lowering-Kit-Setting-15-Buell-XB9-XB12-/162573943051?hash=item25da29810b:g:xucAAOSw3YJZV~Jw&vxp=mtr

 

[Cooter]

If that all balls bushing assy was shorter you 'might' get a little more travel, but it wouldn't affect the ride height.

$150 for that piece of billet!?! If you need that piece, there's something wrong with the shock. Fixing it would be preferable. I would think getting the shock back (or riding the Uly) to the shock guys if they're close enough would be easier.

 

[Tbone]

Few Parts of the shock are not stock anymore i.e. piston, bushings, bladder, seals, etc... I was going to remove the shock, bring it back to the guy who rebuilt it and have him check out the assembly of the pre-loader and spring, and if it is all good put the 15 mm plate in. I think this plate will not change the length or travel of the shock at all and any extra travel might be good thing to have? I think it will only give the spring 15mm more sag, which I am hoping will lower the ride height under my weight at least 1 inch and no more than 2. Yes this plate is $134 plus $30 shipping from France, all the one's I can find are from Europe and some are 20 to 25 MM which I think will create too much sag, since I will need to be able ride 2 up as well. Are there other options for suppliers for this part, I could only find VTwinmotorcycles and Tecniun that even carried such a part as a plate or ring? Hyper pro and other's kits basically include shorter springs and cost even more. So I think this maybe the most inexpensive solution if there are no issues with the shock?

 

[Chicknstripn]

I would call the guy that did the rebuild and ask him if there's a solution for shortening/lowering your ride height while maintaining preload adjustability.
I would do this before ordering parts.
Also, before ordering such an expensive part, if that's your only option, I'd inquire with a few machine shops if they can make the part for cheaper price.
My 2cents

 

[Silverrider]

I would ghetto lower it before I would spend $150. for .59 " IMO.

 

[Cooter]

I'm totally against ghetto suspension fab.
And I totally agree with what Silver said.

No matter what do NOT modify the shock until you are CERTAIN it is stock dimension and you really want to lower the rear past where the factory wanted it. Upsetting the balance of the bike, increasing the rake, and drastically changing the handling (usually not for the better).

 

[Silverrider]

I'm totally against ghetto suspension fab.
And I totally agree with what Silver said.

No matter what do NOT modify the shock until you are CERTAIN it is stock dimension and you really want to lower the rear past where the factory wanted it. Upsetting the balance of the bike, increasing the rake, and drastically changing the handling (usually not for the better).

Very well worded thx !

 

[Tbone]

Finally removed the shock, measured it eye to eye and it is about 37mm, so the shock is not any longer than stock which I believe is 14.8" (37.59cm). Checked out the preloader and it appears to be all the way seated and installed to the retaining ring on the shock body. Also measured both of my heels are 2.5 inches off the ground after the rebuild, before the rebuild I was nearly flat footing or at least within an inch or less of flat footing. Maybe I am shrinking? Thanks Silverrider, that maybe an option? Not sure what is going on, but will be bringing the shock back to the rebuilder as well as the 15mm spring plate. Unless he can find something wrong with the shock I think the best option. The rebuilder's solution was to add a spacer on the top out bushing, to me that would change the travel of the shock so I think that is a bad idea and now that I know the shock length is correct more of a bad idea. The only other option I think is good would be a shorter spring. With the plate or shorter spring I think I will be able to possibly add shims to the spring plate to tweak the Height if I need to?

 

[mmcn49]

Newcastle has them listed at $321.40 plus shipping. Sounds like for an extra $60 or so to get the Racetech treatment is a fair deal.

What was the name of the shop that did your rebuild and how was their turn around time?

Hi not1044, Can you Newcastle's link. Thanks

 

[Fatty SS]

Is there a chance the shock rebuilder changed the spring itself? If your stock spring was too light for your weight, a proper weight matched spring would reduce your sag dramatically while leaving the unladen shock length as-stock. That could explain it.

 

[Tbone]

Hello Fatty SS, It sounds crazy but it is the original spring? I went back to the re-builder and he took the spring off and we could see the Pre-loader was installed correctly, as it seats directly on a lock ring on the shock body as well. He installed a Tecnium 15mm extended spring plate creating more sag and lowering the bike under my weight about 1.5inches. The only other thing that was changed was the comfort kit fan shroud which I added, everything else is stock. I may have shrunk or lost a lot of weight? Today was my first ride with the plate on it and now it is closer or the same height it was before the rebuild. So far the ride is very different from stock and time will tell if it was worth it as I get used to it?

 

[Tbone]

Here is a pic of the plate installed on the shock.

 

[Cooter]

This is such a weird situation. I'm happy he took a look again, at least nothing obvious is wrong and it got to the height you like:up: I hope you're not getting shorter! haha.

You say it rides very differently. How, specifically? Or do you mean handles differently?
I'm a little concerned it's banging off the bump stop:upset: That would be bad. Put a thin zip tie around the shock shaft and see how far the shock is compressing after a normal to hard ride (no jumping!)

If it's handling weirdly, you might have to lower the forks to match the sub-stock height you have now. That could mean shorter springs (perhaps from a stock S?) shorter spring spacers (chop saw:upset, or maybe pull off the c-clips and slide the forks up the triples if you have room for that to the bars?

 

[Tbone]

Yes to both, handling and ride are both different. The rear end is very stable and does not move much under throttle and braking or sag much when I sit my 211lbs (prolly 230lbs with gear) on it, which is why I added the plate so I am not on my toes as much and the height is about the same as before. It is weird that even with this new plate it still does not sag much. My wife just had hernia surgery so she is not going to be a pillion for a while, maybe I can get her just to sit on the Uly to see how much it sags. Handling on the bike stock had a lot of rocking horse motion, so when cornering it was very sensitive to throttle input and would easily shift the weight to the rear tire by twisting the throttle. Now accelerating in the corner the front feels heavier, so I increased the pre-load in the forks to 5 turns total to balance the front and rear more. The ride also feels a lot different, does not have that Uly cushiness, but is very reactive with good rebound and is comfortable on a rough road. On a smooth road it is a little choppy feeling, not much though. On any road I get a lot more feed back through the bike and does not feel like it is any where near bottoming out. I will try to get a cable tie on the rear shock rod to see how much sag there is under just the bike weight and rider weight? Cooter I also see some lines on the fork tubes above the top yolk, it appears these are marks for raising the front end and I may try that as well to lighten the front wheel with less than 5 turns on the front pre-load?

 

[Tbone]

Well I raised the ride height on the front to the top ring on the fork tube, about 6mm, left all other settings the same. There is nothing in the owners manual about this ring, and there were 2 rings visible when the tube was installed up to the lock ring. Will check the shop manual tonight. Anyways I am glad to say she is grabbing the corners now, and I am scraping the soles of my boots. May raise the front a few more mm in the future if the fork feels like it tops out I can lower the front pre-load down from 5 turns. Currently the fork sags 1 inch with bike weight only, and over 2 inches with rider on it so statically it is ok, but the proof is always in how it handles on a gnarly road.