Rear shock gone?

[The Buddha]

The airbox is going to get in the way of a piggy back reservoir shock, but not a remote reservoir shock.
That may be a consideration for a MOT - cos without an airbox would you clear that
Cool.
Buddha.

[sledge]

No........there doesn't HAVE to be an external leak or a clunk for a shocker to be faulty. There are internal seals that can fail.

What does the report say? Oil leak or inadequate action? They are two different failures.


I suggest you ask the tester, its all at his discretion 

No the way a GS shock is built, this can not happen. Fluid is passed through metal orifices in he damping rod and big plungers with holes etc, there is no sealing in it from chamber to chamber.

Yes.....and there is a seal on the end of the damping rod were it contacts and slides against the inside of the body..... think piston, cylinder and rings. This seal will have failed and will be allowing the fluid to take an alternative and easier route when under compression by bypassing the restrictive orifices. This in turn reduces its effectiveness and because the seal is internal there will be no fluid loss.





There is a seal on the

[The Buddha]

Sledge - no seal. Not even on a GSXR non remote reservoir shock, which I have one cut open. It has 2 seals on the top side, one on the rod (rod viper seal) and one around the edge but that shock is 1000 times better built, it has adjustable orifices etc etc but no seal internally. There is no need.
Think about it. Its not compressing fluid really. If there is a pressure differential the piston moves till that differential is gone. The resistance to that movement causes the piston to not overshoot and pogo. Simple when designed and implemented properly.

Even a front fork does not have seals except to keep the fluid in. They are not required. There is a metal ring on the damping rod which does a pretty fair job of forcing fluid down the thing instead of around it. Maybe you're calling that a seal There is no other rubber part - how about that.

Your hand moving through a trough of water creates the required resistance - only seal needed there is to keep the water from getting out of the trough.

I will try to pull the cut open shock I have and get a picture.

Remote reservoir, piggy backs, gas charged etc etc shocks need to keep the nitrogen etc etc - whatever - I have not cut these open. The shocks I have sliced - katana, GSXR pre remote reservoir, and GS. These 3 are all no piston seal. Their seals are right at the top where the rod has a rod viper seal, and the edge has a O ring keeping the fluid in.

Cool.
Buddha.

[Endopotential]

Yes, you'll likely have to grind out a bit of the front of the swingarm as the R6 shock spring has some pretty thick coils.  I have some pics in my thread about the area you'll need to work on.

I'm close to your weight, and the R6 shock is awesome.

[mr72]

Yes, you'll likely have to grind out a bit of the front of the swingarm as the R6 shock spring has some pretty thick coils.  I have some pics in my thread about the area you'll need to work on.

I'm close to your weight, and the R6 shock is awesome.

Of course. Or really just replace the shock with another GS500 shock that's not in bad shape. Which will drop right in with no grinding or modification. And costs 1/3 what an R6 shock will and 1/2 what a GSF600 shock will. They are a dime a dozen. And they are not THAT bad.

[Bluesmudge]

mr72 has a good point.

You are light enough that the stock GS500 shock should be just fine. You could get a used one from a more recent bike with low miles for cheap.

[sledge]

O/P?
Your bike failed its MOT on a duff shock.
This fact is now recorded and every MOT station in the UK will know this when they enter your reg into the system
Consequently the station you use for the next test will be paying special attention to the shock and ensuring its satisfactory and serviceable.

Do you really think they will pass something that's had lumps ground out of the metalwork surrounding it.

Do yourself a favour, put a standard shock in. These mods work fine for the Americans because there laws are different than ours, they don't always work for us.........and another thing, check your insurance policy. If you have made serious mods to your bike without telling them they will laugh in your face if you need to make a claim and leave you up shaZam! street.

[MD77]

Not going with the R6, too much hassle.  The GSX600F shock seems as if it'll be a bad ride due to my weight so bought as stock shock of a GS500E....... I'm hoping it'll be decent when it arrives.

Am I still looking at removing the air box etc for a like for like shock

Cheers

[mr72]

Yes you have to pull the seat, tank and air box to get the shock in and out. Might as well get used to it. I've have had to do this so often I considered quick release fuel lines.

[The Buddha]

Yes you have to pull the seat, tank and air box to get the shock in and out. Might as well get used to it. I've have had to do this so often I considered quick release fuel lines.

No, park the bike on a 2X4 and you can drop the rear shock out the bottom unbolting the linkage.
Well the linkage bolt usually is so tight that you may be better off getting it out the top, unless you had an air/impact wrench.
Cool.
Buddha.

[MD77]

Got a shock delivered, like for like from a GS. Fuel tank off, air box off,  f*ck off....can't get the top bolt loose.... into the shop it goes. At least the guy at the MOT station will see I've a new shock, silver lining n'all that