Adjusting rear with no tool.. help any one?

[pprider]

so i didnt get a toolkit with my GS. and i would like to stiffen up the suspension. is there a way to do it without the tool kit or is it just easier to buy the tool? if i get the tool do i need to remove the tire to adjust it and what settings do you keep your GS at?

Thanks!

[Jake D]

I don't have a spanner wrench either.  You can take a big center punch and a hammer and put the center punch in one of those slots and hammer it at an angle and get it to spin.

[pprider]

hmmm i dunno if i wanna do that lol

[tdan553527]

I just used a long flat blade screwdriver

[pprider]

you remove the tire to do so?

[tdan553527]

nope, went in from the side

[pprider]

hmm ill have too look at it when i get home what is your setting at? would leaving it on the stiffest be a bad idea?

[tdan553527]

I don't know about the stiffest, might be too jumpy. I just moved mine up to number 5 (from 4 stock), a big difference.

[pprider]

hmm i think ill try this on the weekend

[DerekNC]

A bicycle bottom bracket spanner wrench may also work if you happen to have one.

Derek

[Blueknyt]

sounds like Davipu needs to make some spanners for shock adjusting

[davipu]

or you could learn how to use a large standard screw driver. (it works better than the spanner wrench.

[sledge]

The tool used to adjust the setting is known as a c-spanner, they come in several sizes and  good engineers merchants or specialist cycle shops will stock them. If they dont stock an adjustable one you will have to quote the radius of the ring you want to turn to get the correct size.

[raylarrabee]

do yourself a favor and just replace the rear shock with a used Katana 600 shock (see Pantablo's site and numerous postings here for details on proper medel years and installation tips).  You can get one for marginally more than the price of a new wrench, install it in 30 minutes, and the ride quality will be immeasurable better.

[gs500fu_2006]

Here's a video I made on how to adjust the rear suspension
http://www.sharebigfile.com/file/13827/GS500F-AdjRearSusp-23Jul06.avi.html
I read a ton of posts after having my own trouble with the spanner tool.  The trick here is not to use the spanner tool and instead use a crowbar.  DO NOT USE A PHILLIPS HEAD SCREWDRIVER.