Rear shock - have I done something silly?

[SpyInTheCamp]

Been doing a bit of fettling...

Thought I'd check the adjustment of the rear shock (as per page 52 of my manual). Instruction is to turn the screw clockwise full and then turn back one and a half for the 'basic setting'.

Screw was very stiff so I gave it a shot of WD40 and left it overnight. This morning, I started turning it. Still very stiff and then all of a sudden the thing starts turning and turning...

Have I bust it by being too heavy handed? What should I do now.

Haven't ridden the thing so nothing has fallen off or is behaving stangely yet.

TVM

Kai

 

[harry]

On the standard GS shock it will make little or no difference.

Treat yourself to something decent ....Wilburs..Ohlins etc

 

[NLS]

you know your reply doesn't help him

 

[SpyInTheCamp]

Well I took the bike out for a 30 mile run on local roads - mainly B roads and unclassifieds with a mile of off road trail thrown in too.

All seems reasonably OK and nothing has fallen off yet. However, the suspension certainly feels a little harsh. Got kicked out of the seat a couple of times.

The bike has done over 24k miles so I was expecting the shock to go sometime soon. But I don't really have the money for some fancy replacement now. The 24k + annual service cost £340!! And I've already had another service and change of tyres this year...! I think cars are cheaper!

Kai

 

[davidgibson999]

Been doing a bit of fettling...

Thought I'd check the adjustment of the rear shock (as per page 52 of my manual). Instruction is to turn the screw clockwise full and then turn back one and a half for the 'basic setting'.

Screw was very stiff so I gave it a shot of WD40 and left it overnight. This morning, I started turning it. Still very stiff and then all of a sudden the thing starts turning and turning...

Have I bust it by being too heavy handed? What should I do now.

Haven't ridden the thing so nothing has fallen off or is behaving stangely yet.

TVM

Kai

I did the same thing the night before heading to Spain on it
Phoned BMW mechanic who said that it was now buggered but wouldn't cause any problems - all it means is that it's stuck on max damping - didn't make any difference really...

 

[Deleted account 210609001]

Sounds like it isn't something terminal if you can put up with the harsher ride for a while.

(I disagree with the comments about it not making nay difference. I'd noticed my ride was harsh, and the damping was up to max - no idea how it got there. Adjusted it to standard settings, and it was immediatley much better. I've had lots of Jap bikes where I couldn't notice any difference from min to max. The GS is the first bike on which I could.)

 

[Jon P]

I did the same thing on my 1100 GS a couple of years ago. When it broke it wasn't on the max setting either.

What happened is that it seized where it was - when I tried adjsuting it one day............click, spin spin - I figured what happened and bought an Ohlins. I only bought the Ohlins because it was cheaper than buying a new BMW one - and I have to say that it didn't really make any difference to the ride excpet that it had a wider range of adjustment and was re-buildable in the future. I figure the reason that the BMW shock does not have such a wide range of adjustment is because most people would not need such a wide range and there is therefore less chance of someone riding around with a shock miles away from a sensible setting.

I agree that the standadrd shock (on all the GSs I have had) adjustment does make a difference - I frequently change between solo and pillion etc and if I don't make an adjustment it is very noticeable.

Incidently I bought a WP one for my R100GS PD a few years ago and again I couldn't really tell any difference - except that it has a wider adjustment range and is re-buildable.

I reckon that aftermarket shocks have the potential to last longer (although I did encounter a guy once with a broken Hagon rear shock - snapped in half!) have a greater adjustment range and perform more consistant under extreme temperature.........I also reckon they are a popular 'extra' to save up for and 'bling up' your bike with!

 

[NLS]

how can WP40 destroy the suspension control?

 

[(RIP) night trunker]

how can WP40 destroy the suspension control?

SPY IN THE CAMP as applied WD40 which is a releasing & lubricating agent but odviously the ajusting screw was siezed that is why it has stripped the threads or snapped the screw.
NLS- Just out of interest do you service your own bike or do you take it to a dealer?

 

[GSwadd]

Always changing my adjuster between solo and pillion settings and can feel definite differences. I am only 80kg so I nearly get thrown out of the seat if I leave it jacked up when solo, especially on our crap roads here. Hopefully the constant tweaking will stop it seizing too. The front I never have to touch but the back makes a difference.

 

[NLS]

NLS- Just out of interest do you service your own bike or do you take it to a dealer?

I can go as far as changing oil and installing some farkle, for the rest it goes to the dealer (no time too - I usually don't even wash my bikes).

 

[Bear]

The first time I tried to adjust my rear shock it did the same thing (started off siezed then turned easily with no end stops that I could find). I phoned the dealer who suppied the bike (15 months old by this time) and was told "sounds like its faulty, we'll get you a new one". The replacement seemed to be much better than the original, which, before I tried to adjust it, had all the comliance of a hardtail.

 

[SpyInTheCamp]

The first time I tried to adjust my rear shock it did the same thing (started off siezed then turned easily with no end stops that I could find). I phoned the dealer who suppied the bike (15 months old by this time) and was told "sounds like its faulty, we'll get you a new one". The replacement seemed to be much better than the original, which, before I tried to adjust it, had all the comliance of a hardtail.

I just saw your other post on this.

My bike is almost 27 months old, so out of warranty. And the mileage at over 24k will probably be considered 'high' so I doubt I'll get anything from BWM or the dealer. But I'll give it a try.

Kai

 

[Jon P]

I just saw your other post on this.

My bike is almost 27 months old, so out of warranty. And the mileage at over 24k will probably be considered 'high' so I doubt I'll get anything from BWM or the dealer. But I'll give it a try.

Kai

Under an EU directive we are protected from inherrant faults like this for up to 6 years from the date of purchase. This is an EU directive that is not broadcast at dealer level. The burden lies with you, the consumer, to demonstrate that the fault you have experienced is inherrant, the best way to do this is to list others with exactly the same fault. Of course these forumns are the ideal place to find similar cases.

We had a problem with our German motorhome outside of the two year warratny but could demonstrate that the fault (bathroom floor split) was common to other examples of the motorhome and therefore was covered. Of course, the dealer just laughed when we told him about this - we suggested he speak with his company lawyer. Within 24 hours he called us back to arrange a date to install a complete new bathroom in the motorhome. When we first spoke with the dealer he said that our fault was unique - he had not seen another bathroom floor split like ours............of course, we knew he was lying (we were active in the owners club) and were able to furnish him with the names of his other customers with exactly the same split in the bathroom floor - he was a little embarresed. We later took a trip to the factory in Germany where out the back was a huge pile of split bathroom floors!

This EU directive ruling can be found (I can't seem to find it at the moment - sorry!) via a search on google