Rear shock installation woes

i recently had my rear shock fluid and O ring replace and am having significant difficulty re-installing the unit. Does anyone know the correct procedure to do this? i have the rsv on a lift and have tried to install the bottom bolt first and have been able to get it partially in on the right side but cant line it up so it will exit the left shock mount.

I would really appreciate some guidsnce from someone who has done this before.

thank youi

i recently had my rear shock fluid and O ring replace and am having significant difficulty re-installing the unit. Does anyone know the correct procedure to do this? i have the rsv on a lift and have tried to install the bottom bolt first and have been able to get it partially in on the right side but cant line it up so it will exit the left shock mount.

I would really appreciate some guidsnce from someone who has done this before.

 

thank youi

Ok, your bike is on a lift. Is your swingarm free to move up and down? That is what you need is a little up-down movement on the swingarm. SAFELY jack up the back end of the bike, while on the lift, another inch or so to give you the clearance you need. Do you have a drop out plate on your lift for the rear wheel? Same thing. Grease all the joints while you are there by the way.

Page 7-66 of the service manual avail on here will help you out.

Here are the instructions I use:

To remove the rear shock on the RSV:

1. Remove the Passenger Floorboards

2. Remove the Side Covers

3. Remove the Plastic Covers

a. Just to the rear of the Side Cover

b. The Passenger Floorboards bolt through these covers.

4. Remove the Rubber Ring from the Shock Air Adjustment Valve

5. Remove the nut from the Shock Air Adjustment Valve

a. Push Shock Air Adjustment Valve out of position.

6. Loosen the nuts on the Shock Mounting Bolts

a. You will need a socket extension and swivel to do this step.

7. Lift the bike with a motorcycle jack and a lift bracket like the one sold by Carbon One.

a. Be sure to strap the motorcycle to the jack.

b. Rear wheel should just be off the ground about ¼”

8. If your RSV has a vent hose, coming off of the rubber flex, boot un-clip it from the frame.

a. This hose will come off of the back of the shock and will be clipped to the rear and above the shock with a plastic clip.

b. Note where it is attached to the frame.

9. Remove the nuts from the Shock Mounting Bolts.

10. Remove the Top Shock Mounting Bolt.

a. You may have to “bounce” the rear tire to relieve pressure on the bolt.

11. Remove the Bottom Shock Mounting Bolt.

a. At this point the shock will be detached from the bike and can be removed.

To re-install follow the instructions in reverse keeping in mind the following:

1. Inspect the new shock to ensure that the top and bottom mounting holes are parallel.

a. If not, you will have problems lining up the top holes.

2. The Air Adjustment Hose and Flex Boot Vent Hose are installed toward the rear of the motorcycle.

a. Thread them towards where they belong after installing the Bottom Shock Mounting Bolt.

3. After installing the Bottom Mounting Bolt use a line-up punch to line up the top bolt hole.

a. I found this is easiest to do from the left side.

b. “Bounce” the rear tire or use the jack to assist in lining up the top bolt hole.

4. Install the top bolt from the right side using a socket, swivel and extension.

a. This may require some patience, if the line-up punch is effective this job will be easier.

Good Luck!

Use a pry bar or if you have room, a 2x4, under the rear tire to lift it slightly to take tension off brackets.

Ok, your bike is on a lift. Is your swingarm free to move up and down? That is what you need is a little up-down movement on the swingarm. SAFELY jack up the back end of the bike, while on the lift, another inch or so to give you the clearance you need. Do you have a drop out plate on your lift for the rear wheel? Same thing. Grease all the joints while you are there by the way.

Page 7-66 of the service manual avail on here will help you out.

thank you

Here are the instructions I use:

To remove the rear shock on the RSV:

1. Remove the Passenger Floorboards

2. Remove the Side Covers

3. Remove the Plastic Covers

a. Just to the rear of the Side Cover

b. The Passenger Floorboards bolt through these covers.

4. Remove the Rubber Ring from the Shock Air Adjustment Valve

5. Remove the nut from the Shock Air Adjustment Valve

a. Push Shock Air Adjustment Valve out of position.

6. Loosen the nuts on the Shock Mounting Bolts

a. You will need a socket extension and swivel to do this step.

7. Lift the bike with a motorcycle jack and a lift bracket like the one sold by Carbon One.

a. Be sure to strap the motorcycle to the jack.

b. Rear wheel should just be off the ground about ¼”

8. If your RSV has a vent hose, coming off of the rubber flex, boot un-clip it from the frame.

a. This hose will come off of the back of the shock and will be clipped to the rear and above the shock with a plastic clip.

b. Note where it is attached to the frame.

9. Remove the nuts from the Shock Mounting Bolts.

10. Remove the Top Shock Mounting Bolt.

a. You may have to “bounce” the rear tire to relieve pressure on the bolt.

11. Remove the Bottom Shock Mounting Bolt.

a. At this point the shock will be detached from the bike and can be removed.

To re-install follow the instructions in reverse keeping in mind the following:

1. Inspect the new shock to ensure that the top and bottom mounting holes are parallel.

a. If not, you will have problems lining up the top holes.

2. The Air Adjustment Hose and Flex Boot Vent Hose are installed toward the rear of the motorcycle.

a. Thread them towards where they belong after installing the Bottom Shock Mounting Bolt.

3. After installing the Bottom Mounting Bolt use a line-up punch to line up the top bolt hole.

a. I found this is easiest to do from the left side.

b. “Bounce” the rear tire or use the jack to assist in lining up the top bolt hole.

4. Install the top bolt from the right side using a socket, swivel and extension.

a. This may require some patience, if the line-up punch is effective this job will be easier.

Good Luck!

thanks very much

Here are the instructions I use:

To remove the rear shock on the RSV:

1. Remove the Passenger Floorboards

2. Remove the Side Covers

3. Remove the Plastic Covers

a. Just to the rear of the Side Cover

b. The Passenger Floorboards bolt through these covers.

4. Remove the Rubber Ring from the Shock Air Adjustment Valve

5. Remove the nut from the Shock Air Adjustment Valve

a. Push Shock Air Adjustment Valve out of position.

6. Loosen the nuts on the Shock Mounting Bolts

a. You will need a socket extension and swivel to do this step.

7. Lift the bike with a motorcycle jack and a lift bracket like the one sold by Carbon One.

a. Be sure to strap the motorcycle to the jack.

b. Rear wheel should just be off the ground about ¼”

8. If your RSV has a vent hose, coming off of the rubber flex, boot un-clip it from the frame.

a. This hose will come off of the back of the shock and will be clipped to the rear and above the shock with a plastic clip.

b. Note where it is attached to the frame.

9. Remove the nuts from the Shock Mounting Bolts.

10. Remove the Top Shock Mounting Bolt.

a. You may have to “bounce” the rear tire to relieve pressure on the bolt.

11. Remove the Bottom Shock Mounting Bolt.

a. At this point the shock will be detached from the bike and can be removed.

To re-install follow the instructions in reverse keeping in mind the following:

1. Inspect the new shock to ensure that the top and bottom mounting holes are parallel.

a. If not, you will have problems lining up the top holes.

2. The Air Adjustment Hose and Flex Boot Vent Hose are installed toward the rear of the motorcycle.

a. Thread them towards where they belong after installing the Bottom Shock Mounting Bolt.

3. After installing the Bottom Mounting Bolt use a line-up punch to line up the top bolt hole.

a. I found this is easiest to do from the left side.

b. “Bounce” the rear tire or use the jack to assist in lining up the top bolt hole.

4. Install the top bolt from the right side using a socket, swivel and extension.

a. This may require some patience, if the line-up punch is effective this job will be easier.

Good Luck!

i am not familiar with what a “line up punch” is?

A long tapered steel rod. A foot or so, maybe a handle.

Sent from my LM-V405 using Tapatalk

i am not familiar with what a “line up punch” is?

This is called a "PryDriver"

:thumbsup2:

I can’t imagine the problem, I just did the job two weeks ago. I replaced the top bolt first, then the bottom. The hardest problem I had was getting the nut on the top bolt. Ended up putting grease on the outside of the nut, so it will stick and stay in the socket, then putting it in the socket on a swivel, then working with it a few minutes and finally got it. Bottom was a piece of cake. And as Du-Ron showed, a screwdriver works well. I did use a Philips instead of a flat head.😀

Bill

Make sure your bolts are straight and the bearings are well lubed (and in good shape) before reassembly. When I R&R's mine the bolts were bent and bearings were shot. It would suck to do it twice.

BTW - This is a good time to add leveling links to help with low speed handling (assuming you are not vertically challenged and the additional height would be a problem).

FYI - I had about 140k on the bike at the time.

RR