Rear shock oil change

[Chris near Kansas City]

According to the manual, you fill the shock up all the way and then remove 160ml of fluid. Sounds too easy. The 230ml that is also listed in the manual, is that the total volume of the inside of the shock, or just the amount of fluid that should be left after removing the 160ml?


Chris

[SgtSlag]

Been a while, but the Manual should specify what the 230 ml refers to. You are correct, I remember reading that you fill the Shock with oil, then drain out the specified amount. Didn't make sense to me to do it that way, but that's the technique. Probably has to do with air in the system, or maybe it's more accurate to achieve the needed volume within the Shock? Best of luck. Cheers!

[JHD]

A real pain to drain the oil out of the left shock. If you have a vac system that would be the way to go. I used a grease gun hypo needle on a syringe to help remove and to fill the shocks. I also thought that so many people replace there stock shocks that getting another right side shock would be easy to obtain and would make the oil changes easier. But in reality these shocks are probably only good for one service before they should be renewed with a pair of Progressive's. If you think about the oil filling procedure it makes complete sense. Fill to top remove 160 ml. There really is no other easier way to do it properly.

[Chris near Kansas City]

I had thought of the 2nd RH shock scenario last night. Got my little rig set up and remembered some of the stuff I had laying around. Got it figured out mostly. You're right though, that LH shock is just stupid on refilling.

Chris

[debron]

I got the DVD from NorCal Voyagers on how to change the oil and changed mine. What a difference in performance, ride, and handling! The time consuming part was hanging the shocks to let the oil drain out. I got tired of waiting for the left shock to finish draining so I used my rubber bulb thing (the sucky thing mothers use to clean out infants noses,) squeezed some air into the shock, essentially pressurizing it, and when I removed the rubber bulb thing the oil just shot out! Really sped up the job! (Be careful if you do this!)

When putting the new oil in I think I put a set amount in (don't remember the amount) rather than filling it up and removing 160ml. The latter process might be more accurate, but seems to work well the way I did it.

[Chris near Kansas City]

That's what I did, Ron. Pressurize it with the bulb thing to help shoot the old fluid out. Flushed twice with mineral spirits and then put new oil in with the bulb. Took around an hour for both shocks off the bike. Probably won't know if there is any difference as they were put back on the '01 and it probably won't have any miles put on it until we decide what to do with it.

The '90 however, runs awesome with the Progressives on the back!!!! <--------(that's 4 exclamation points)

[kjsett]

The '90 however, runs awesome with the Progressives on the back!!!! <--------(that's 4 exclamation points)

I was going to do the oil change thing while doing all the other stuff to my '03 when I remembered it has been exhibiting a slow leak issue for a while which is why (operator error contributing factor as I should have not packed the pump where I couldn't get to it) I dropped the bike last July. Normally just have to add air once a week, but i was max loaded and had a significant drop in pressure overnight on a trip last July in New Mexico.
Found $217 heavy duty Progressives on Amazon with Prime shipping (2 day free) so I ordered them. Finally get to work on the bike today and will prep for them when they come in tomorrow.
Front end will hopefully get done next month.
Thanks for the pointers - Ken

[Chris near Kansas City]

I want to say, that I remember having to shorten one of the spacers on the Progressives when they were new. Like 1/8 of an inch or something. Otherwise, no hassle to get them installed.

[kjsett]

Waiting for UPS to install new Progressives.
Question: as I have no plans of putting these back on, is there any reason to save them (rebuilding?)? I don't know where the very slow leak was, so it could have been a hose for all I know, so these could be bad or ok. I just don't know.
If anyone wants them, let me know (but it would be early April before I could ship).

Leak rate: about once a week I had to put 10psi more back in to bring them back up. On my trip with max load on back, I had to check daily.

[the2knights]

Where did you find a UPS driver who will install motorcycle parts

[Scott-(Altoona, PA)]

Where did you find a UPS driver who will install motorcycle parts

I thought the same thing! Sorry Ken it just read funny.