GStwin.com GS500 Message Forum

Main Area => General GS500 Discussion => Topic started by: squidscareme on November 23, 2003, 05:56:57 PM

Title: upside down kat shock?
Post by: squidscareme on November 23, 2003, 05:56:57 PM
hello. this is kind of a weird question but here it goes:

a mechanic  friend  recently took off the stock shock off my gs and put on a katana one for me. the only problem is it looks upside down. the numbers etched on the shock used to measure the stiffness are upside down and it seems impossible to to adjust the stiffness because the dog bones are in the way. is this right? it doesn't look right to me but my friend says it looks like the only way the shock can fit. he's a hell of a lot smarter than me when it comes to this i figured i'd get a second opinion.
btw, i can't test it yet because there's no wheel on it yet.  :(  
i'll try to get a pic posted if that will be helpful.

thanks everyone!
Title: upside down kat shock?
Post by: JohNLA on November 23, 2003, 06:31:52 PM
Here is a link to my step by step Katana shock install
http://johnla2.tripod.com/shkmd01.html
Title: upside down kat shock?
Post by: pantablo on November 23, 2003, 10:58:05 PM
the katana shock looks identical pretty much to the gs stocker. Should go in same as gs one. Only one way. Eyelet on top, clevis on bottom.
Title: kat shock
Post by: squidscareme on November 24, 2003, 06:05:35 AM
thanks for the replies.
pantablo, are the preload adjustment numbers on your shock upside down? that doesn't seem right to me. thanks!
Title: upside down kat shock?
Post by: pantablo on November 24, 2003, 01:51:13 PM
Don't remember-JohNLA has it now.  The_Good_guy also has one. Maybe one of them can comment or you can PM them?
Title: upside down kat shock?
Post by: JamesG on November 24, 2003, 02:01:11 PM
If you CAN install it upside down, then you don't have a Kan-o-tuna or any other kinda Suzuki shock.

Might be from a Honda or a Yamaha...
Title: thanks!
Post by: squidscareme on November 24, 2003, 02:51:08 PM
thanks for the response.
i got this shock for free and the person who gave it to me told me it is a kat shock. guess it's not. oh well.
thanks for clearing that up!
Title: upside down kat shock?
Post by: mrslush50 on November 24, 2003, 02:57:54 PM
find out what it is and let us know how well it works.  sounds interesting.
Title: upside down kat shock?
Post by: Casimir on November 24, 2003, 06:37:57 PM
Just took a look at my '97 Kat 600 shock and the numbers are upside-down. I don't know why, but that's how it is.

I took (19 blurry) pictures.

(http://www.geocities.com/casimir_couvillion/k6collar.txt)

Yes, it's tight in there, as it is with the stock shock. You CAN move it, but it takes persistence. Put it on the center stand and you have a little more room.
Title: upside down kat shock?
Post by: JohnNS on November 24, 2003, 06:57:09 PM
I have a 600 Kat shock I haven't installed yet, so I just had a look at it. The numbers are, in fact, upside down on the spring preload adjuster, even though the shock is rightside up. I'd post a pic, but I don't have a site to post it on, sorry.  :dunno:

John
Title: !!!
Post by: squidscareme on November 24, 2003, 07:30:33 PM
i guess i do have a katana shock. great.
thanks everyone!