first build (help please)

rocker shift

 

I think I am in the same boat as slobzer. I picked up my bike for almost nothing. I have owned 3 bikes before this one, and have a '08 that I ride most of the time.

When I bought the bike, it ran great, very few cosmetic flaws and there really wasn't any reason for me to tear into it.

I grew up a "city boy". If something was wrong around the house or with a vehicle, we paid someone to fix it.

Once I went to college I met some people who rode and loved motorcycles. I grew to love them as well.... but I didn't know ANYTHING about them.

I bought my 82, rode it for 2 seasons, and the decided I wanted to customize it. Since tearing it apart (save for the motor) I have learned the electrical system, linkage, forks, drive, intake, exhaust, brakes, fluid flow, cabling, controls, etc. Not to mention, how to grind/smooth, run wiring, use body filler, use a HVLP gun, PAINT, and actually turn my ideas into reality (except for the tractor seat which looking at it now was not one of my better moments).

I may ask stupid questions, and generally accept that my knowledge of motorcycles is on a 2nd grade level. I don't view this forum/site as a "quick fix" to any of the problems I have run into, rather it is an AMAZING source of information, heck a lot of the questions I wanted to ask have already been answered. I don't believe that because I know less about a topic that my posts should receive more scrutiny and be dismissed. At one point, everyone on this forum knew nothing about motorcycles.

After that rant, I must thank everyone who has contributed to my posts.... I wouldn't be as far along on my build without your input.

 

that being said it bring me to a question.

how do i dissemble the rear springs from their housings? and what kind of tool is needed?

 

cant help on the dismantling shox thing,as i have never done it myself.i'm all for having a go yourself dude,but have you ridden the bike with these new shox on yet? if not i think you should at least do that first.otherwise how will you know how much shorter you want them? or how much shorter you can actually go? if they are a softer shok than the standard ones,they will compress more when you sit aboard,and will have the effect of a shorter one,but if you've already cut chunks out of them,it may render them useless if the whole lot decks out and your rear tyre decides to get much friendlier with the crack or your arse.
i dont know what other peoples opinions are on this,but i think it would be easier/better to move the top mount to make the bike sit lower.that way you arent affecting how the shox work.
good luck with it all dude.hope it all goes well.

 

thanks ill defanitly try out the new springs before i cut them, im not the kind of person to rush into things, its a good reminder for me though to not get ahead of my self.

again if anyone knows how to take the rear shocks out of the housing. id like to know. also the tools needed.

 

Well, automotive shocks do have a specific 'range of operation' that they work in; I would think that motorcycle shocks work in the same way. I know that bike shocks are adjustable to a degree, but I would be afraid that you would be bottoming out the shock if you take too much off the spring. Sure would suck when your bike turned into a hardtail half way through the springs compression. The spring and shock are designed to work as a unit. If you wanted shorter shocks you should have measured first and bought shorter shocks.

 

they were $20 and i still have the stock springs so i might as well try it, i wasnt planning on taking them down too much just a coil or 2.

does anyone know what tool to use do dismount a spring for the housing? is it a wrench type thing or a spring compressor type thing?

 

not all shocks are re-buildable,some are a sealed unit,therefore you may not actually b able to split them.i would guess re-buildable ones would need a spring compressor,and then unscrew from the top and/or bottom.there has been posts on here where someone has shortened their shocks.it may be worth checking them out,and maybe pm'ing the author to get some idea of how much you should or shouldnt cut out.and whether you have to add anything to the cut part of the spring.

 

cool ill search for that post