new WORKS shock install

[Seaking]

Hi guys, Happy New Year.. what better way to spend the evening than in the garage working on the bikes eh? (gosh I need to get a life!!)

 

My new shiny WORKS Performance shock finally arrived today and wow, it's real purty! Almost too purty to mount it under a bike. Its all preloaded and ready to go.

 

Though I'm mechanically inclined and have all the tools to install this shock, is there something out of the ordinary or 'don't forget to do this' notes I should do to install this shock properly and such?

 

Oops, just read through the manual and looks like i have to pull the rear wheel, bags, fender and pipes to change the shock?! Ouch.. is this true?

 

Thanks in advance for any advice or comments

 

Cheers

Edited January 1, 2011 by Seaking

[Rick Butler]

Seaking,

 

I have changed out shocks both ways and I really like taking the rear wheel off with the bike up on the lift and installing it from the inside of the rear fender. You can do it with the wheel on but it's really more of a pain where you really need help getting it in place and stabbing the bolts (where small hands help). But to get the preload on the money, you need to check the burdened sag with a passenger on the bike and get it to around 30mm. But if you have to change it, you will have to pull it out and screw the collar down or up. I ended with the ring down 12mm from the top of the threads.

 

You are going to love this shock,

 

Rick

[Seaking]

Thanks Rick, much appreciated.. I just had the wheel off and put back on the other day for something else and it's like.. argh.. lol I'll give it a try with the wheel on just because I'm frikken lazy about it.. But push come to shove I'll rip it off and do it that way..

 

I'm going to do a vid clip of how weak the Yammy shock is.. my buddy is surprised at how much my bike dips when you press down on the right side of the bike.. his basically barely moves at all.. So this shock will take some getting used to but it will be of the good kind.

 

The adjustments were made based on the info I provided them at Buckeye.. Weight, single rider etc.. I seldom EVER ride double.. hopefully that will be spot on.

 

whooooooo looking forward to the first ride for sure!

 

3 more months... SIGH...

[Guest]

I changed my rear shock with the wheel mounted although removing the rear wheel makes access much better. If you leave the wheel on, remove the passenger floorboards and backing plates to access the upper bolt. Good time to grease the shock fulcrum with some Honda Moly 60. Pay attention to how its together before taking it apart. I had a little bit of a problem with the top bolt when I was installing it. A long punch coming in from the floorboard area helps the bolt slide into the shock hole.

[Kregerdoodle]

Squidly acme over 12/26/10 and helped me install mine, we left the rear wheel on, just removed the Pass. floor boards. We had to put a jack under the rear wheel to help align everything, but it went pretty fast. the fun began when we installed the after market bag rails...had to do some tweaking on those to get them right..Thanks Squid for the major help!! I took it for a ride yesterday and so far it is great!! No more groan when I sit on it either... Best of luck, but I know you will like it.

 

K

[Tom]

Last one I put on took about 45 minutes to an hour..I left the wheel on but I removed battery and tray and top bolt was super easy to see and get to. That is the way I do it and I am definitely not a super mechanic.As said the right floorboard,I think passenger...you will see,may have taken left off cant remember.

[Seaking]

Superb feedback, gents! Just what I was looking for indeed.. Documentation will show you what you need to do but doesn't give you the little details that make it easier =)

 

I had planned to do Honda Moly up the bolts and such back there.. good reminder, thanks =)

[Seaking]

I installed the new Works! shock this evening.. fun fun.. i did with the wheel, bags and fender on the bike.. It would have been TONS easier with them off of course but I just recently had them off for other work and didn't want to go through all that again.. so I did it the hard way.. not too hard though, kinda surprised..

 

Taking the left and right passenger pegs off and side covers made for easier access. Using an articulated socket also made it a lot easier and I think essential for this method of access, otherwise you can't get a square on purchase with the socket and will risk rounding off the nuts. Man.. the book calls for 59 top and 50 bottom NM torque but I almost upended the bike taking the nuts off those bolts.. wow. ape fisted lunatic torqued those on last time the shock was replaced under warranty..

 

Re lubed all the bolts and joints down there while she was up on the stand.

 

The ONLY problem I had was with the upper bolt nut and washer.. I had to get my daughter with her dainty little girlie hands to reach in and get them on for me.. I couldn't even reach the bolt with my manly man-hands.. wow. tight fit..

 

Everything is bolted up, torqued up and looking pretty.. as soon as the bike touched the floor off the stand I knew it was an improvement.. before, on the replacement OEM shock, the bike would literally lean over when you pushed down on the right side of the rear seat.. but now the bike barely budges.. good shock.. Annoys me that Yamaha couldn't make a proper shock for this bike.. two shocks in less than a year.. Now the bike is out of warranty and I won't waste coins on a possible failure again..

 

Now just have to wait a couple of months for riding season to start when the ice melts around here..

 

Now to tackle the fuel filter since I got half of the junk out of the way..

[KeithR]

Hey Seaking

 

 

Can I be bold and ask what it set you back including shipping etc ?

 

Keith

[Kregerdoodle]

Mine ran me $712.00 to the door.

 

 

Hey Seaking

 

 

Can I be bold and ask what it set you back including shipping etc ?

 

Keith

[Seaking]

Hey Seaking

 

 

Can I be bold and ask what it set you back including shipping etc ?

 

Keith

 

The shock was $700-ish plus $79 custom/duties/taxes at the door.. can't remember shipping.

 

From what I've read and heard people tell about this shock, is that it is a set shock, meaning you can't easily adjust it like you would the OEM one with extra air or less air.. but there is a dampening adjustment which is relatively easy to reach at the bottom of the shock with an allen key wrench. The ride is reported to be a little stiffer than stock, but when you think that I went through TWO OEM shocks in one year, stiffer is better than fluffier.. no? Rick will preset the shock for you based on info you provide him so at least you get a better ride out of it.. I do prefer a stiffer ride, as I have progressive springs in front of the bike and now this shock.. cornering SHOULD be wildly impressive =)

 

Though the OEM shock would have set me back between $600-700 depending where I got it, (bike is out of warranty).. and this Works shock cost me close to $800, it's still a good deal since THIS shock can be rebuilt and services unlike the throw away useless OEM shock Yamaha sells..

 

Though it costs more, this shock certainly outweighs the deficiencies of the OEM shock..

[sadicarnot]

I went out to the garage the other day and saw a new oil stain under my '09 RSTD. Sure enough I looked underneath and the bottom shock mount is wet with oil.

 

I have only had the bike for 1.5 years so it is still in warranty. I am inclined to just go ahead and buy an aftermarket shock and be done with it and not have to deal with the stealer.

 

I am leaning between YSS and Works performance with the Works being tops in build quality and YSS almost equal but leading on price.. Reading the posts I think these are the top 2 choices with Hagon being less optimal.

 

Would I be mercilessly be made fun of if I did not go the warranty route and just went ahead and got an aftermarket?

[wrenchrob]

I went out to the garage the other day and saw a new oil stain under my '09 RSTD. Sure enough I looked underneath and the bottom shock mount is wet with oil.

 

I have only had the bike for 1.5 years so it is still in warranty. I am inclined to just go ahead and buy an aftermarket shock and be done with it and not have to deal with the stealer.

 

I am leaning between YSS and Works performance with the Works being tops in build quality and YSS almost equal but leading on price.. Reading the posts I think these are the top 2 choices with Hagon being less optimal.

 

Would I be mercilessly be made fun of if I did not go the warranty route and just went ahead and got an aftermarket?

I would go ahead with the aftermarket shock but first of all I would get the new shock from. the dealer and sell it to help pay for the better aftermarket one

[sadicarnot]

I would go ahead with the aftermarket shock but first of all I would get the new shock from. the dealer and sell it to help pay for the better aftermarket one

 

WOW!!! THAT IS A GREAT IDEA!! I did not even think of that. Thank you for that.

 

How much do you think I can get for a shock with about 20 miles on it?

[wrenchrob]

I would ask about 3/4 of the dealers list price.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

I would go ahead with the aftermarket shock but first of all I would get the new shock from. the dealer and sell it to help pay for the better aftermarket one

 

 

 

Me too.

 

[allwx]

I'd try them both on the bike to see which one I liked the best. Then sell the other one. Or keep it as a spare.

[sadicarnot]

I decided to go with the YSS. Less money and 2 yr warranty than the Works. 2-3 week delivery.

 

Any way just to double check I have an '09 Royal Star Tour Deluxe. Klaus quoted me a model #MZ 506-255 TR. Just want to make sure this is the right one.

 

Thanks for all of the help.