MyR1100RT Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 (edited) I just had my bike brought to my new house in NH, it'd been in storage for a year. The moving company was offloading the bike and I noticed that they were having a hard time doing it. (I didn't want to help because if something was wrong, or it got dropped, it was on them). Once it was on the ground I took inventory - the bike was sitting like a '60's low-rider on the rear tire. I also noticed that both rear drive and fork seals were leaking. I've done some of my own maintenance over the years (including upgrading the shocks a couple of years ago), but I've never changed the seals. How difficult is it in comparison to changing the shocks and balancing my throttle bodies? Or is it even comparable?\\ Just looking at options on the rear suspension, I have Ohlins on both the front and rear of the bike, can the rear be rebuilt? If so, does anyone have experience with someone that can do the work? I'm in talks with the moving company about the rear suspension being broken. Thanks D Edited February 6, 2019 by MyR1100RT Added information Link to comment
AndyS Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 4 minutes ago, MyR1100RT said: ...the bike was sitting like a '60's low-rider on the rear tire. I also noticed that both rear drive and fork seals were leaking. I've done some of my own maintenance over the years (including upgrading the shocks a couple of years ago), but I've never changed the seals. How difficult is it in comparison to changing the shocks and balancing my throttle bodies? Or is it even comparable? Oh yeah, I'm in talks with the moving company about the rear suspension being broken. Thanks D 1/. Rear drive leaking from what area? This is important, because if it is from where the rubber boot of the FD joins the swing arm, it is VERY likely that it is NOTHING to worry about. However if it is leaking from the interface between the FD and the rear wheel, then you need to address this with some urgency. 2/. Is there any play in the rear wheel when you try to tilt or side to side and top to bottom. 3/. The amount of work depends on the answer to questions 1 and 2. Link to comment
James in OK Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 Absolutely, Ohlins rear shocks can be rebuilt. It will effectively be a new shock for about $300. Link to comment
MyR1100RT Posted February 6, 2019 Author Share Posted February 6, 2019 Yes, it's leaking from where the drive-shaft connects to the rear wheel. There is minor (very minor) play in the rear wheel when I try and move it side to side. The up and down movement of the wheel, well, it's just free play, that's why I think they busted the rear shock. D Link to comment
dirtrider Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 29 minutes ago, MyR1100RT said: I just had my bike brought to my new house Once it was on the ground I took inventory - the bike was sitting like a '60's low-rider on the rear tire. I also noticed that both rear drive and fork seals were leaking. I've done some of my own maintenance over the years (including upgrading the shocks a couple of years ago), but I've never changed the seals. How difficult is it in comparison to changing the shocks and balancing my throttle bodies? Or is it even comparable? Oh yeah, I'm in talks with the moving company about the rear suspension being broken. Thanks D Morning MyR1100RT That sitting low is a puzzler?-- Did the shipping/storage company leave that bike strapped down tight to a shipping pallet for that year of storage???? Fork seals are not a real big deal but definitely more difficult than a TB balance & slightly more difficult than a shock change. With proper knowledge & some basic tools a fork seal change is possible at home. On the final drive seals?-- That depends on what seal or seals are leaking. The crown bearing seal isn't a real big deal & is possible using most standard home tools. Now the final drive pinion seal IS a big deal to do at home as it takes special tools (or specially adapted/custom homemade tools) & is MUCH more difficult to do as a home repair (WAY more difficult than a shock change or TB balance) Link to comment
James in OK Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 Is the top or bottom mounting bolt broken or missing on the rear shock? Sounds like the spring is not engaged whatsoever. That's not a shock problem. Link to comment
MyR1100RT Posted February 6, 2019 Author Share Posted February 6, 2019 I'll have to go out and check on that James, still trying to find where I placed my shop light :-) Link to comment
MyR1100RT Posted February 6, 2019 Author Share Posted February 6, 2019 DR - The bike was behind the other stuff I had delivered, I didnt get to see how tightly they had her tied down, I do know that she was tied to the wall of the truck. I have video of them loading the bike at the storage place, there were not issues that were recorded. Link to comment
dirtrider Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 3 minutes ago, MyR1100RT said: DR - The bike was behind the other stuff I had delivered, I didnt get to see how tightly they had her tied down, I do know that she was tied to the wall of the truck. I have video of them loading the bike at the storage place, there were not issues that were recorded. Morning MyR1100RT The bigger question is how was that bike stored for that year it was in store? Link to comment
MyR1100RT Posted February 6, 2019 Author Share Posted February 6, 2019 13 minutes ago, James in OK said: Is the top or bottom mounting bolt broken or missing on the rear shock? Sounds like the spring is not engaged whatsoever. That's not a shock problem. Well crap! You were right James, the bottom bolt is completely busted!! How in the heck did they do that??!?!?!? Link to comment
MyR1100RT Posted February 6, 2019 Author Share Posted February 6, 2019 4 minutes ago, dirtrider said: Morning MyR1100RT The bigger question is how was that bike stored for that year it was in store? I changed the oil, minimal fuel (with stabilizer), new break fluid and I had a friend go over four times to start her up. She wasn't taken on the road. Link to comment
dirtrider Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 6 minutes ago, MyR1100RT said: I changed the oil, minimal fuel (with stabilizer), new break fluid and I had a friend go over four times to start her up. She wasn't taken on the road. Morning MyR1100RT I wasn't referring to that type of storage. I was referring to how the bike stored as to being strapped down, or free standing, or on center stand, or ????? OK, disregard as I see the shock bolt is broken. A broken (or fractured) lower shock bolt usually happens at rear shock change. More than likely the shipping tie down & truck jouncing was the final straw that allowed it to fully fracture. Link to comment
MyR1100RT Posted February 6, 2019 Author Share Posted February 6, 2019 18 minutes ago, dirtrider said: Morning MyR1100RT I wasn't referring to that type of storage. I was referring to how the bike stored as to being strapped down, or free standing, or on center stand, or ????? A broken (or fractured) lower shock bolt usually happens at rear shock change. More than likely the shipping tie down & truck jouncing was the final straw that allowed it to fully fracture. It was free standing while tied to the truck, it took all three of us to lift it high enough to get it on the center stand in the home garage. Its almost a relief that it's "just" the bolt being broken, but not really - I could've been on the road and had it happen D Link to comment
dirtrider Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 6 minutes ago, MyR1100RT said: Its almost a relief that it's "just" the bolt being broken, but not really - I could've been on the road and had it happen D Afternoon MyR1100RT Easily, the best place to find something like that is at home. Link to comment
Michaelr11 Posted February 6, 2019 Share Posted February 6, 2019 As said already, the front fork seals are not very difficult to change. There are a couple of different approaches to it, one is the remove the tubes from the top, the other is to drop the tubes from below. There are YouTube videos for both of those methods. Personally I was very comfortable with the from below method. Is there any chance that the fluid at the rear drive is oil from the broken shock? Link to comment
Eckhard Grohe Posted February 7, 2019 Share Posted February 7, 2019 A broken lower bolt on the rear shock!!!!!!! I would be worried about the condition of the swing arm as well. That setup has a 10 mm bolt that is in double shear. It would take a tremendous amount of force to break on of these. Just looked up some tables and it looks like a grade 8.8 bolt in shear at the shank and thread will break at 65kN or about 14,500 lbs. The values offered are guesstimate as I am not an engineer and this is not the result of any analysis. Link to comment
dirtrider Posted February 7, 2019 Share Posted February 7, 2019 6 hours ago, Eckhard Grohe said: A broken lower bolt on the rear shock!!!!!!! I would be worried about the condition of the swing arm as well. That setup has a 10 mm bolt that is in double shear. It would take a tremendous amount of force to break on of these. Just looked up some tables and it looks like a grade 8.8 bolt in shear at the shank and thread will break at 65kN or about 14,500 lbs. The values offered are guesstimate as I am not an engineer and this is not the result of any analysis. Evening Eckhard Grohe I have seen a couple of those bolts break (or go missing) . Best I can figure is the bolt is compromised during shock removal/ installation then completely fails ( & piece falls out) sometime thereafter. I saw one bolt that was broken right at base of threads (was caught when remainder of bolt came out). Every bolt that I have seen broken (or missing) was after a rear strut replacement or strut disconnection. Link to comment
AndyS Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 I don't envy the removal of the remaining part of the bolt! As to the bolt breaking, I'm with Eckhard Grohe. I can't believe that bolt could shear in terms of the bike being strapped down. However, it is feasible to see someone shear it when removing it. However normally I'd expect to see threads strip out if it were during insertion. Time will tell as this story unfolds. Link to comment
AndyS Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 Ah, scratch that part from me about removing the remaining part of the bolt, as we are talking about the 1100, not the 1150. So you can get to either side of that lower bolt. Phew! Link to comment
MyR1100RT Posted February 9, 2019 Author Share Posted February 9, 2019 On 2/8/2019 at 5:27 AM, AndyS said: I don't envy the removal of the remaining part of the bolt! As to the bolt breaking, I'm with Eckhard Grohe. I can't believe that bolt could shear in terms of the bike being strapped down. However, it is feasible to see someone shear it when removing it. However normally I'd expect to see threads strip out if it were during insertion. Time will tell as this story unfolds. I'm still in the process of moving into the house, so I've not had much time to look at the bolt. From what I have seen, it appears that it was loose and fell out Again, VERY lucky that it didnt happen on a ride..... D Link to comment
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