ahebron
Registered user
I finally got some time to have a good look at my new to me front and rear WP shocks. The front is all good but I had to have a fiddle with the adjusters on the rear to see if all works.
And this is where it started to go wrong. I wound in the preload adjuster knob and all worked well for about 2 seconds. Then oil started to pour out of the preload adjuster on the shock. But this was alright I will take the spring off the shock and check the adjuster.
Now the wrong bit starts to happen. I wasn't paying much attention to the job and grabbed a spanner and started to undo the closest thing which unfortunately was the shock oil reservoir pipe which was the wrong thing to take off with the result that the shock drained its oil out. I then realised I did not need to remove that pipe as the spring goes on from the bottom which is rather easy to do.
With the spring off I slide the preload adjuster off the stainless steel collar and also remove the collar. At this point I realised what the problem was. The preload adjuster had travelled up and off the collar as the lock nut had been wound up. A quick clean up and reassemble the shock with the p/l sitting nicely on the collar. I had to refill the p/l adjuster with oil and only had some 10wt Penrite Synth fork oil which has worked ok after sitting in the vice overnight maintaining pressure.
I am now waiting on the expensive bit as I have couriered the shock to the WP specialist in Auckland to get it refilled with the correct oil and a possible regas.
I checked with the PO and he said he never used the p/l adjuster as he had to ride with full panniers to get a good ride. I am 50% heavier than him so it should be spot on for me.
Once I have fitted them I will have to learn the art of setting up the shocks.
Ah well we all learn from our mistakes and I will be making plenty more in this life to follow on from the ones I have made.
Adrian
And this is where it started to go wrong. I wound in the preload adjuster knob and all worked well for about 2 seconds. Then oil started to pour out of the preload adjuster on the shock. But this was alright I will take the spring off the shock and check the adjuster.
Now the wrong bit starts to happen. I wasn't paying much attention to the job and grabbed a spanner and started to undo the closest thing which unfortunately was the shock oil reservoir pipe which was the wrong thing to take off with the result that the shock drained its oil out. I then realised I did not need to remove that pipe as the spring goes on from the bottom which is rather easy to do.
With the spring off I slide the preload adjuster off the stainless steel collar and also remove the collar. At this point I realised what the problem was. The preload adjuster had travelled up and off the collar as the lock nut had been wound up. A quick clean up and reassemble the shock with the p/l sitting nicely on the collar. I had to refill the p/l adjuster with oil and only had some 10wt Penrite Synth fork oil which has worked ok after sitting in the vice overnight maintaining pressure.
I am now waiting on the expensive bit as I have couriered the shock to the WP specialist in Auckland to get it refilled with the correct oil and a possible regas.
I checked with the PO and he said he never used the p/l adjuster as he had to ride with full panniers to get a good ride. I am 50% heavier than him so it should be spot on for me.
Once I have fitted them I will have to learn the art of setting up the shocks.
Ah well we all learn from our mistakes and I will be making plenty more in this life to follow on from the ones I have made.
Adrian
