Springs

[(RIP) Yosi]

I'm about to buy a set of shock absorbers springs. Has anyone replaced the springs? How is done? I mean, I don't want a spring jumping out and smashing my head. Do I need to take special precaution? Any advice welcomed...

Yosi

 

[Possu]

I'm about to buy a set of shock absorbers springs. Has anyone replaced the springs? How is done? I mean, I don't want a spring jumping out and smashing my head. Do I need to take special precaution? Any advice welcomed...

Yosi

Are these the spring advertised in the For Sale section you've expressed an interest in?

If so, shorter springs cannot mean a shorter shock. It means that the preload ring will have to be wound further down the shock body. Shorter springs that have the same distance between the coils will mean that there's a greater chance of the shock becoming coil bound, in effect hard tailed, at full suspension travel unless the springs are of a heavier rating, which in turn will lead to a harsher ride.

Think about it, the only way to lower the suspension on a GS is to have physically shorter shocks - the opposite to Adventure shocks.

 

[(RIP) Yosi]

Are these the spring advertised in the For Sale section you've expressed an interest in?

If so, shorter springs cannot mean a shorter shock. It means that the preload ring will have to be wound further down the shock body. Shorter springs that have the same distance between the coils will mean that there's a greater chance of the shock becoming coil bound, in effect hard tailed, at full suspension travel unless the springs are of a heavier rating, which in turn will lead to a harsher ride.

Think about it, the only way to lower the suspension on a GS is to have physically shorter shocks - the opposite to Adventure shocks.

I fully realise what you clearly explain. However, I will like to give it a try. The other option is new shoks wich I can hardly afford now...

 

[Possu]

I fully realise what you clearly explain. However, I will like to give it a try. The other option is new shoks wich I can hardly afford now...

Your money, £70 + hassle of changing springs for absolutely no benefit (unless you count reduced suspension travel as a benefit) is beyond me..........

 

[(RIP) Yosi]

Your money, £70 + hassle of changing springs for absolutely no benefit (unless you count reduced suspension travel as a benefit) is beyond me..........

OK, boss, got the point. No new springs then...Thanks for the convincing arguments.
Thinking of fitting Hagon shoks. For obvious cost reasons compared to Ohlins. Any experinece with Hagon?

Cheers

 

[BiG DoM]

I can really recommend HyperPro springs as replacements. They transformed my GS (was told that the shocks were good and the springs were the poor link by an expert) at a fraction of the cost of Ohlins etc. They are progressive type springs and need to be fitted by the agent or someone with the right spring compressor etc. The guys in Belgium and Holland also swear by them. Check it out.

 

[roddy]

I have noticed over the last few months many posts about shocks, now for my daft queston, how do you know if your shocks are shot ?

Rddy

 

[Possu]

I have noticed over the last few months many posts about shocks, now for my daft queston, how do you know if your shocks are shot ?

Rddy

When shocks go, it's normally the damping that goes, the bike is bouncy whatever you do. The up & down movement is not damped by the damping...... Feels like you're on a pogo stick, you'll quite often have fluid leaking from the shock itself, check around the damper rod unless an internal seal has popped.

Hagon are at the lower end of the market, okay for what they are but you get what you pay for.

Wilbers are meant to be good, not sure who imports them to the UK though?

Bitubo doe some goos GS shocks but they're pricey I think.

 

[littleredrooster]

Mate of mine ordered some short shocks from Hagon and they did not fit. Hagon had overlooked the fact that the rear shock fits into a 'cone' for the top mounting and the shock had a O/D greater than the top of the cone.

Totally NFG, especially as they tried to stuff him with the price of the shock, saying it wasn't their fault.

Avoid!

 

[roddy]

cheers for that Steve, I was wondering as my bikes done 48K and as far as I'm aware the shocks havent been replaced but nothings leaking and I still seem to have good damping, I was just curious as how you would know when they do go off.

 

[Burfcontrol]

Are these the spring advertised in the For Sale section you've expressed an interest in?

If so, shorter springs cannot mean a shorter shock. It means that the preload ring will have to be wound further down the shock body. Shorter springs that have the same distance between the coils will mean that there's a greater chance of the shock becoming coil bound, in effect hard tailed, at full suspension travel unless the springs are of a heavier rating, which in turn will lead to a harsher ride.

Think about it, the only way to lower the suspension on a GS is to have physically shorter shocks - the opposite to Adventure shocks.

Sorry Steve, I don't get it - maybe it's late or maybe it's old age..........The thing that keeps the shock extended is the spring, add weight (rider) the spring compresses and the shock gets shorter. Take the shock off the bike, the spring decompresses and the shock extends. Remove the spring and the only thing acting on the shock now is the damping, this just controls the rate at which the shock extends/compresses. Therefore if you fit a shorter spring the shock will compress further when fitted to the bike and therefore be shorter. The only issue will be a reduction in travel over the original spring.

As I say this makes sense to me - but then so did the Merlot a couple of hours ago.

Cheers Jim

 

[Possu]

Sorry Steve, I don't get it - maybe it's late or maybe it's old age..........The thing that keeps the shock extended is the spring, add weight (rider) the spring compresses and the shock gets shorter. Take the shock off the bike, the spring decompresses and the shock extends. Remove the spring and the only thing acting on the shock now is the damping, this just controls the rate at which the shock extends/compresses. Therefore if you fit a shorter spring the shock will compress further when fitted to the bike and therefore be shorter. The only issue will be a reduction in travel over the original spring.

As I say this makes sense to me - but then so did the Merlot a couple of hours ago.

Cheers Jim

Once a spring is fitted to a shock & under tension, the spring will cause the shock to extend to it's maximum length. The only excepton to this is if the spring is not physically long enough to reach the start of the threads on the shock body, in which case it's not under tension & therefore useless.

Regular GS shocks are shorter than Adventure shocks because the distance from eye to eye is shorter, not because BMW fitted shorter springs......