R1100RT Front Shock ReplacementChan

[Stephen_Chase]

Can anyone help me with steps on how to replace the front shock? Is there a tech article I can copy?

Thanks!

Stephen

[Ken H.]

Here's the short version, if you need more detail let us know...

 

With the bike on the center stand so the front wheel is elevated remove the fairings ("tupperware") both sides.

 

Remove the fuel tank retaining bolt on the right rear side of it and slide the tank back a bit. This will give you access to the top strut/shock nut. The tank doesn't have to come all the way off.

 

Remove the nut and the front wheel will sag to the ground.

 

Remove the lower strut bolt retaining bolt from the paralever and the strut.

 

Reverse to reinstall.

[David]

The only thing I'd add to Ken's list is that some aftermarket shocks require that you either remove the horn or just bend the bracket a tad to get the new shock in. Then just bend it back when you are done.

 

It's an easy job. The toughest part is trying to use a torque wrench on the upper shock bolt--I finally gave up and guessed at it.

[smiller]

The toughest part is trying to use a torque wrench on the upper shock bolt--I finally gave up and guessed at it.

 

Join the club. I just tighten the nut until the rubber grommet is compressed a bit, then let a little blue Loctite do the rest. This method has worked for me for many miles and several shock replacements.

[DavidEBSmith]

To clarify for those who haven't done this job, the reason it's hard to use a torque wrench on the upper shock mount is because the nut screws directly onto the shock strut, which has a hex recess in the end so you can keep it from turning when you tighten the nut. (Otherwise it just spins inside the lower part of the shock). Which means you can't get a socket on a torque wrench onto the nut because the hex wrench is in the way.

 

 

So you either have to get a crow's-foot attachment for your torque wrench, and calculate the torque value adjustment for the offset, or guesstimate 47 nM by hand. You don't want to guesstimate too low, but you can safely guesstimate high and not break anything.

 

Other tips for doing this are: Watch out that you don't lose any of the parts out of the rubber mount at the top, which will fall out and roll away when you pull the shock down out of the frame. Stick a piece of 2x4 under the front wheel to help lift it enough to get everything back together. I think it's easiest to reassemble if you insert the shock into the upper mount (getting all the pieces of the rubber mount into place) and hand-tighten the upper shock bolt a couple of turns so it hangs down a little bit and leaves some slack, lever the front wheel up so you can get the lower shock bolt inserted, then tighten everything.

[David]

So you either have to get a crow's-foot attachment for your torque wrench, and calculate the torque value adjustment for the offset, or guesstimate 47 nM by hand.

 

I have a full set of them, but I just sat there and scratched my head about how to do that calculation!

 

Do you know how, David?

[DavidEBSmith]

I have a full set of them, but I just sat there and scratched my head about how to do that calculation!

 

Do you know how, David?

 

No, that's why I just tighten it to uuuummmmMMFFFF.

 

Actually, now that you ask, I looked it up, and found out that:

 

T1=T2 x L1/L2

where:

T1 = torque setting (reading) of the wrench

T2 = actual torque applied (torque needed)

L1 = original length of wrench

L2 = extended length of wrench with crow's foot

 

and this version:

 

X= T(A/A+B). Where X is the adjusted torque reading on the torque wrench, T is the desired torque applied to the fastener, A is the length of the torque wrench from the center of the handle to the center of the torque shaft, and B is the distance between the center of the torque wrench shaft and the center of the crow's foot.

 

The torque applied at the fastener is greater at the fastener than what is read on the torque wrench when any extension is used.

Of course, I don't have any crow's-foot attachments, so I'll still have to do it the old-fashioned way.

[Slartidbartfast]

You have to hold the torque wrench at the handle and measure to that point for the calculation to be valid. If you don't want to bother with the calculation and have enough room, simply arrange the crow's foot to be at 90-degrees to the end of the torque wrench for final tightening. The length is then just about the same and the torque reading is valid.