Rear shock slop in top mount?

[RSTDdog]

So I am pulling the rear wheel for a tire change and once the wheel is off I am checking the swing arm, shock etc.

 

WHen I pick up on the swing arm, there is up and down slop where the bolt goes through the top shock mount. Bolt is tight, its like the mount hole in the shock is too large. I would figure this to be a near zero tolerance fit where the bolt passes through.

 

Sufficient slop that you can make impact noise with it if you push up and down slightly on the swing arm. Amounts to about 1/8 inch movement up and down at the axle just from the slop in the bolt.

 

Anyone else seen this before? OEM shock 22,000 miles. There is also oil on the bottom of the bellows. Still holds air and no excessive bouncing I can tell, but likely not long for this world.

 

Thanks,

 

RSTDdog

[Marcarl]

Sounds to me like I would pull that apart to find out what's causing the problem, doesn't sound like anything normal to me.

[Rick Butler]

Derrek,

 

I have noted this same slop in the top shock bolt mount....on every RSV I have checked including two of my own. If you look into the inner top mount of the shock, you won't see any evident wear. And if you take a new 12mm shock bolt and slide it into this mount, you will see there is some slack in these two parts. I feel this is just the way it is and once you place the bike on the ground with the weight of the bike on this suspension, there is no negligible slack that will effect the operation of the suspension. In other words, until you observe any wear on either part, I would just keep it lubed with grease and not worry about it.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Rick

 

 

So I am pulling the rear wheel for a tire change and once the wheel is off I am checking the swing arm, shock etc.

 

WHen I pick up on the swing arm, there is up and down slop where the bolt goes through the top shock mount. Bolt is tight, its like the mount hole in the shock is too large. I would figure this to be a near zero tolerance fit where the bolt passes through.

 

Sufficient slop that you can make impact noise with it if you push up and down slightly on the swing arm. Amounts to about 1/8 inch movement up and down at the axle just from the slop in the bolt.

 

Anyone else seen this before? OEM shock 22,000 miles. There is also oil on the bottom of the bellows. Still holds air and no excessive bouncing I can tell, but likely not long for this world.

 

Thanks,

 

RSTDdog

[RSTDdog]

Thanks Rick. May be that's the ".1" in the 4.1" inches of suspension travel......

 

Out of curiosity, do the aftermarket shocks also have this looseness for lack of a better word in the top mount?

 

I have never heard any unusal noises when operating the bike, except the typical groan if you bounce the bike stationary .

Was going to skip the swing arm bearings for a while longer since that seems tight (no side slop), but see some grease build up on the frame around them. May just take it all apart and grease everything.

 

After looking closer it seems there is also some slop though not nearly as bad in the large dog bone joint too, more so where it pivots at the frame. Bottom shock mount and Level arms (links) seem to be pretty good. Every thing is stock with 22k miles. Maybe just expecting more precision in these components than they have by design. Slop may be there to promote movement and prevent binding in the absence of routine maintenance.

 

 

Thank You.

 

Derrek

[allwx]

I've had a RSTD and now a Venture, and both of them have the slop you note in your bike. I think it is normal. My RSTD had a different shock, though, than the Venture. The RSTD (1997) had a horizontal shock that had a needle bearing pressed into the top mount. I can't recall if there was slop around that mount, but I do recall that there was a general slop to the whole thing with the wheel off.

 

Not a bad idea to repack your swingarm bearings, at that mileage. I usually spooge some grease into the needle bearings in the dogbone operation, too. I'm not sure it helps anything, but I feel better about having done it. There are small grease seals on the bearings. Good time to clean those off and put some grease on them.

[Rick Butler]

No Derrek,

 

My Works shock has this same issue with the top mounting bolt.

 

Now on the lower suspension components, these mounts all have roller bearings rather than bushings. And I have found cases of the bolts getting corroded and causing some wear on the bolt itself. When I found this on my 01, I went ahead and replaced all of the lower bolts and greased everything. You might want to pull the lower bolts and check them for wear.

 

Rick

 

 

Thanks Rick. May be that's the ".1" in the 4.1" inches of suspension travel......

 

Out of curiosity, do the aftermarket shocks also have this looseness for lack of a better word in the top mount?

 

I have never heard any unusal noises when operating the bike, except the typical groan if you bounce the bike stationary .

Was going to skip the swing arm bearings for a while longer since that seems tight (no side slop), but see some grease build up on the frame around them. May just take it all apart and grease everything.

 

After looking closer it seems there is also some slop though not nearly as bad in the large dog bone joint too, more so where it pivots at the frame. Bottom shock mount and Level arms (links) seem to be pretty good. Every thing is stock with 22k miles. Maybe just expecting more precision in these components than they have by design. Slop may be there to promote movement and prevent binding in the absence of routine maintenance.

 

 

Thank You.

 

Derrek

[RSTDdog]

Yes, Going to take it all apart. Prepping for an up coming trip. Now need to decide on the shock. Wasn't really in the budget. Leaning towards the Hagon based on price and availability.

 

Derrek

[ragtop69gs]

I'n m not trying to hijack this thread but, I'm in the process of doing the same thing to my 01 RSV. I have the relay arm out, connecting arms and will clean and lube bolts & bushings. I'm ready to remove the top shock bolt but I am unsure where to disconnect the shocks air line. I tried loosening the large nut near the shrader valve but it doesn't want to move, can I undo it at the shock? Also where does the large vent line go thats on the left side?

[Rick Butler]

You have it Jay,

 

Just put a 19mm (I think) socket on it and remove that nut......and the line will drop down. And that vent line hook goes on the right side of the battery and usually has a clamp holding it, but it will pull out with the shock. It's part of the boot.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Rick

 

 

I'n m not trying to hijack this thread but, I'm in the process of doing the same thing to my 01 RSV. I have the relay arm out, connecting arms and will clean and lube bolts & bushings. I'm ready to remove the top shock bolt but I am unsure where to disconnect the shocks air line. I tried loosening the large nut near the shrader valve but it doesn't want to move, can I undo it at the shock? Also where does the large vent line go thats on the left side?

[ragtop69gs]

You have it Jay,

 

Just put a 19mm (I think) socket on it and remove that nut......and the line will drop down. And that vent line hook goes on the right side of the battery and usually has a clamp holding it, but it will pull out with the shock. It's part of the boot.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Rick

 

Thanks Rick,

I had a socket on it but it didn't want to move, I was afraid to put to much torque on it and snap it., it is a standard thread correct?

[djh3]

I just had my 09 RSV up on the jack. I was poking around and the dog bone area where the leveling links conncet had rust colored dust by the bolt. I'm thinking this usualy aint good. So what the heck I pulled the bold for the links out. After I got them out the entire arm felt like it was loose. Mostly at the frame bolt. So I figured what the heck pulled the entire thing apart, cleaned it up and greased all the bearings and bolts. Man that is a sloppy fit at the frame connection. It almost feels like it need some shims inbetween the frame and the bushing in the dog bone to knock some of the slop out. Once the leveling links are all bolted up its tight so I guess Yamaha figures its OK. Does this sound about right on the free play?

[ragtop69gs]

That sounds like what I found when I did mine. The top shock bolt is a sloppy fit but I saw no evidence of abnormal wear. At 54,000 miles it was in need of cleaning and lube. Smoother and quieter ride now.

[djh3]

I just was thinking not pleasent things when I saw the "rust dust". that usualy is accompanied by frozen bearings or dry bearings and ugly things going on. So I tore into it. Once I took the leveling link bolts out, that dog bone rocked back and forth and I would have bet the farm something was loose or missing. Was a little better after greasing it all up but still free play. Bolted links back up and good to go. So I guess they expect the links to keep everything from swaying. I guess now I will have to look into how much of a PIA the swing arm bearing would be to lube.

[ragtop69gs]

I had no rust dust but everything did need lubing.