Rear shock question

[dread_au]

How much of a gap do you need between the spring and the swing arm when the bike is on centre stand. I am attempting to put in the Yamaha R6 shock in. It is not quite the straight up bolt in on my bike. It is hitting the swing arm so I am grinding away there. Any help will be gratly appreciated thanks.

[cboling]

EDIT: Are you having difficulty getting it into the mounts? Is it hitting the swingarm while trying to put it in? If so, remove the brake caliper stay (long arm holding the brake caliper.) This will give you more clearance to slide it in.

It should be a straight bolt in. Where exactly is it hitting the swingarm? You shouldn't have to grind anything unless for some reason the coil on yours is much larger. Let me know and I will try and help as much as possible.

[dread_au]

It is hitting on the swing arm (or was before the grinding) on the lowest coil. Did you replace the gs lower bush with the yamaha one(the lower spacer that the bolt goes through). If you are using the oringal gs bolts on the bottom of the shock there will be 2mm of freeplay. Would this be why you can clear the swing arm and I did not?

[cboling]

I'm not sure. I will have to check the bushing again. I did not have to change anything on the shock that I have. None of the coils hit and there is ample clearance. I did have the rear end pretty well stripped down so I am wondering if I had more room to get everything into place? Once it was in, it literally bolted right into place. I haven't noticed any free play in the shock but I will double check. Now I am wondering if I have a shock that has a completely different spring.

Do you have a way to take some measurements? Coil outer diameter. Bolts (Center to center) etc... to see if there are big differences?

[dread_au]

Sure. I will try in the morning. It is all on the bike and all done up to spec. I hope I dont need to pull it all apart again

[The Buddha]

Cboling - if you're is 89 or 90, you may have had the alloy linkage - that has a slightly different set of proportions than the rest of the linkages.
Else, there is the great loose tolerances from suzuki again ... so all bets are off.
Cool.
Buddha.

[Bluehaze]

yep. i had the same problem with mine using the GSXR 600 shocks from Buddha.  Per buddha and most of the lucky shock modders,  the shock fit in without hitting the swingarm.  Mine... well nothing comes easy on my bike.. it likes to be special.

[The Buddha]

No bluehaze you bought a 90-95 GSXR 750 shock. That shock is always needing stuff to be ground, linkage, swingarm etc.

The katana 600/750 series fit in without mods.

These 2 are stuffing in an R6 yamaha shock and who knows what that is going to do.
Cool.
Buddha.

[dlighthill]

not wanting to hijack the thread, but has anyone ever tried an rf600 shock?

[The Buddha]

RF6 and B6 shocks are slight ... how do I put this delicately ... garbage.

I have a B6 sitting around, yea its a bit heavier than GS, but no rebound ... its sorta not worth the effort without rebound.

RF6 - same way I believe.

Cool.
Buddha.

[cboling]

My bike is a 96 so, not sure about the linkage issues for 89-90.

[dread_au]

I measured the gs shock to be approx 65mm wide. the yamaha r6 one is 76mm approx. My gs is a 2005f model.