knackered rear shock??

mrr1 · Traffic Copper Joined: 24 May 2009 Karma :

right - I ride a MY2000 first gen fazer 600 to and from work every day - about 60 miles round trip. Bike is well maintained (albeit by myself) and currently has 34k on the clock. Until about 2 weeks ago all was well then one morning I found the front tyre (cheapo Maxxus touring 120/60 17 with 5k on it) was totally flat. I pumped it back up and rode off very carefully stopping every couple of miles for a "bloody good squeeze" (and, yeah, I know what you're going to say - why TF didn't I take the cage.....). Alls been well for the 2 weeks since with no pressure drop whatsoever - possibly down to the Goop in the tyre. There are no tacks, screws, whatever and the valves seems fine. Front forks had an oil change about 7k ago - slightly thicker than std oil & forks dropped 5mm. Bars are Renthals lowish profile.

Rear has been raised 25mm and rear is fitted with a matching Maxxus cheapo special with less than 1k under its belt and running at 42psi. All the rear end was stripped, cleaned and repacked with grease a year ago (very slight amount of corrosion here and there but nothing of any note. )

I've noticed over the past three days that the back end feels like its "wandering" a bit - you know that icky feeling you get when you get a rear puncture - not that bad but something generally "not quite right". The rear shock is the original so I know its done pretty bloody well to carry my 17stone of lard around for the past 20k miles and still be in one piece.

I know I need to get the shock swapped or refurbed pretty soon but want to know whether I'm just being paranoid or its a sure sign to sort the shock or I'm simply seeing the symptoms of cheapo tyres or there's something else I need to be looking at. Current lack of funds means I can't go splashing out hundreds on anything that "might" be the cause or would simply make an old bike a little bit better.

Any advice greatly appreciated
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TRX850, TDM900, ST1300, CB650SC Nighthawk, ragtop Saab, gym membership, messy divorce, large chested blonde fiance
Damn, I'm loving my midlife crisis.

neatbik · World Chat Champion Joined: 27 Jun 2007 Karma :

Firstly, are you sure 42psi is the reccomended pressure for your bike? Seems a fair bit high to me.

mrr1 · Traffic Copper Joined: 24 May 2009 Karma :

42psi rear, 36psi front.
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TRX850, TDM900, ST1300, CB650SC Nighthawk, ragtop Saab, gym membership, messy divorce, large chested blonde fiance
Damn, I'm loving my midlife crisis.

SuzukiTom · Nova Slayer Joined: 18 Apr 2011 Karma :

ok with the bike upright, compress the rear shock with you hands on the rear seat - if it takes longer then one complete second to return to the original position, it looks a look at.

check around the shock for any leaks too.

id check the rear wheel bearing for play and the linkage and swing arm bearings for play too.

finding a used shock, thats the cheapest method, a rebuild could cos up to 200£ at some places.

0l0dom0l0 · World Chat Champion Joined: 21 Oct 2009 Karma :

42 and 36 is what I run on my Fazer Thumbs Up

What's the preload set to? Might be worth upping that a couple if you can.

Other than that not much else I can suggest really.
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Bikes: 2007 Derbi GPR 50, 1998 Yamaha Fazer 600 (written off), 2002 Yamaha Fazer 600, 1994 CBR 600F, 2003 Triumph Daytona 600, Kawasaki ZX6R J1.....Current: 2006 Yamaha FZ6, 1998 Suzuki TL1000R and a Honda VFR 400 NC30.

mrr1 · Traffic Copper Joined: 24 May 2009 Karma :

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mrr1 · Traffic Copper Joined: 24 May 2009 Karma :

mrr1 · Traffic Copper Joined: 24 May 2009 Karma :

just pulled out the rear shock and lower link assembly. The centre bearing on the link (the one that links to the dog bone struts) had corrosion inside floating around with the needle rollers. I've given it a bit of a wipe with a clean rag and packed some red racing grease into the top shock bolt mounting + the three pivot points n the lower link. I also popped in an old shock I bought off fleabay thats done more miles than mine but most likely hasn't been carting around 17 stone for the past 20k miles (big assumption, I know but the preload was on a very low setting so I'm hoping it hasn't had a hard life).

Bike feels a lot better through corners - back end seems to dig in rather than "kind of do its own thing" - not sure how much of that is down to the shock and how much is that bearing.

My question is whats the best way to clean the link bearing up? Drop it in a pot of paraffin overnight & attack with a toothbrush? Ignore? Replace bearing? (not sure where from.....)
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TRX850, TDM900, ST1300, CB650SC Nighthawk, ragtop Saab, gym membership, messy divorce, large chested blonde fiance
Damn, I'm loving my midlife crisis.