Bitubo Rear Shock Installation Problem

[Tommie]

I purchased a bitubo front and rear shock kit for my 96 R1100RT. Problem is, with to of shock installed and bolted, the lower attachment is more than 1/2 from aligning with the shock. Has anyone had this problem with the bitubo, and how did you get it resolved?

[A-Red Bill]

I have Bitubo shocks and struggled with the installation myself. The documntation, or lack of, provided with the shocks added to the frustration. On my bike the offset was caused by interference between the tube connections which connect to the adjustors of the preload and rebound dampening on the shock with the bike. Two things to address the problem. You may need to 180 the shock, second, you can adjust the length of the shock. You will likely need to increase its length. Don't worry that it ends up longer than the stock spring. It's a softer spring and will sag more than stock. It will take some trial and error but you will eventually get it.

 

Hope this helps.

[squints]

I had the same problem as Bill, If you look at the top of the shock where the oil line connects, you can put it in a vise and turn the ball joint so that the lines ends up 90 degrees from where it is our how ever far you need it to be. I think I just used a wrench 14-17mm and put the end in a vise and turned it slightly. Mine was pointing toward the rear of the bike and I think I turned it toward the rt side. Hope this helps.

 

Rich

[Tommie]

So you are say to put the upper attachment into a vise and turn the tube adjustment about 90 degrees?

Will that affect the sealing or operation of the shock itself?

[Dr Klawn]

This is sort of a timely discussion as I've just picked up a used Bitubo rear shock for my RS. Getting it rebuilt has required a bit of investigation as Maxmoto in SF is no longer the US distributor. I had to track down the someone from the Bitubo Italy website to order the new seal kit, but I digress.....

 

Bill, when you are refering to "tubes", etc. do you mean the banjo bolts / hoses to the remote adjusters? I'd assume that these could be loosened and rotated as needed. Not sure of retorque though? Or are you rotating the entire top portion of the shock?

[squints]

If the 96 rear shock is the same as the 04 rear (I think it is) you should have this type of mount on top with a nut underneath it. If you put this heim joint in the vise with just enough pressure to hold it and turn the shock to the left (counter clockwise) it will loosen and you can rotate the shock so that the hose now points the the right of the bike (or wherever it needs to be to fit up in the top shock mount). Make sure that you snug the nut back down to the shock tight enough that you can't move the joint at the top. Afte you have the top mounted you can twist the bottm mount around the shock piston. If this doesn't resemble yours somewhat then I'm not sure and have wasted your time! but I hope not. Good luck.

[A-Red Bill]

Dr. Klawn: As I remember it they were banjo fittings. It has been a couple of years. I did not want to mess with them in any way in case they were pressurized.

[Dr Klawn]

Squints,

 

My shock does have the threaded "eye" on the top. I can actually hand turn it with the shock laying on the bench. From what you and Bill are saying, sounds like I may do a mock installation on the bike to understand height and rotation plus if the banjo bolts need to be rotated prior to the rebuild.

 

Bill, this unit has both the remote preload plus compression modules, with the rebound on the shock itself. I'm assuming that the compression "tank" just sits under the seat since no attachement bracket is provided? Or did you use a hose clamp on this? I can probably find a nice access location for the preload since I have less plastic than the RT.

[A-Red Bill]

Matt:

 

My shocks came with a nice bracket for tank. It mounts in place of the preload for the original shock. The preload for the new shock mounts in place of "the canster". Mine must have come off or something.

[1100RTGuy]

May I ask where you purchased these shock from and what the model number is? I have a '99 RT and will be needing a new set soon.

[A-Red Bill]

Jeff: Bob's BMW had the line for a while and were closing them out when I bought them. I must have bought the last set. When I placed the order they immediately removed the posting from their web site. The model number is BW02HKX92.

 

I love them.

[Dr Klawn]

May I ask where you purchased these shock from and what the model number is? I have a '99 RT and will be needing a new set soon.

 

New Guy,

 

You may want to try Hermy @ [hwbaver@hermys.com]. He's the current US rep. per the Bitubo Italy website. I send him an email about trying to find a seal kit for mine and he got one on his last order. I'm waiting on payment, etc. to have him ship it. That's probably the only drawback to these units - no support right now, but I was told by Maxmoto in SF (previous distributor) that if I supplied the rebuild parts, they'd handle the rebuild.... Time will tell. I'm excited to try this out as it will replace my existing Ohlins rear with no "remote" adjusters. I ride two-up quite a bit and that shock is worse than stock to adjust with the spanner wrench.... VERY tight... I'm hopefull that the Bitubo will be a cheap, successful gamble for what I need.

 

Bill,

 

I'll have to see if the previous owner has that bracket for the compression adjuster. BTW, my "canister" seems to have fallen off as well.....

[Ghostdad]

How are the Bitubo shocks compared to say ohlins / works/ or hagen. Is there a major price difference between these and the other popular brands??

 

TIA

Dave

[Tommie]

I got mines at www.herdan.com. Ask for Herman. Technical support was not the greatest, but the price is right.

[Tommie]

Got the shock in place, had to disregard most of the supplied instructions. The rear shock installation would have required me to removed the charcoal canister, to mount the air tank. I rigged it to the frame instead. The front shock instruction had me mounting the air canister tthe frame which interfered with the oil hoses, I had a bracket made to attach to the lower attachment. So far I very disappointed with the shock as a whole. So far the front shock leaked and the rear shock spring height as sold is limited. Which means that I need to take the shock off send it in and have the spring replaced. Have anyone else had these types of problems with the shock. If I knew that you had to make this many modification to the bike to install the shock, I would have purchased a stock shock and been done with it.

[squints]

Sorry your having so much trouble. My installation was a liitle confusing but not to bad. As far as leak's I haven't seen any and the ride is worlds apart from stock. Mine came with two rear remotes. One replaced the standard BMW preload and the other had a bracket that mounted in front of the stock on the frame. The front remote mounted directly behind the head light on a tab built in to the fairing support. Mine also had a lock nut adjustment to set the spring rate with. Maybe they have different grades. I got mine from ebay so I didn't really shop around. Hope everything goes smooth with the repair.

[Tommie]

squints,

Where did you mount the preloader for the rear shock? And were you able to adjust the preload for 10 mm sag while seated on the bike. I hadnt thought about mounting the front air canister behind the head light, I'm going to have to look at that. I do love the ride, but its a lot harder than than the stock.

[Dr Klawn]

Interesting notes on all of this. Not to hijack the thread again, but have one more question:

 

How are you all mounting the lower bolt on the rear shock? The holes are smaller than the Ohlins, which used two brass bushings along with the bolt? Is it OK to delete these and just use the bolt? I donlt think I want to drill out the lower shock mount to use these?

 

Thanks!

[Tommie]

I used the stock bolt to attach the lower mount. The top mount required insert washers to take up the space between the shocks and internal walls of the upper mounting area.

[squints]

I told you wrong on the rear, mine came with a bracket from the factory the mounts both the preload and rebound on the stock mounting point. The front pics are as if your lokking up from the fender on the pight side of the bike.

[squints]

This is of the front.

[squints]

This is the front shock itself. As for the sag, the adjusting nut is on top on the rear shock. I adjusted it but I can't remember what the measurements were. I do know that it sits higher than it did with stock shocks.

[Tommie]

Okay,

I got it now,

MFG spec's indicates that with bike on centerstand and measure at two datum points and measured again with bike off center stand and rider seated, the deflection should be 10 mm +/-5mm. My problem is that with the while seated on the bike and the preload fully loaded my deflection is 25 mm. I need a spring replacement. And no why should I go two up with the present setup.