Finally sorted - Hydraulic preload adjuster

[piguglyshandydrinker]

Sick of having to remove the side panel, battery and battery tray to then have to use a hammer and drift to adjust the rear preload on the 650 Alp, I thought I'd have a go about fixing the problem myself....

A donor shock (unknown bike) was purchased from the BMF show at Peterborough, the seller was bartered down to a tenner.
Shown here with the 650 shock laid bare





My spring compressors wouldn't fit so I got the angle grinder out, it's not normally good practice to cut through a powerful spring under tension....
Don't try this at home folk's!
The adjuster unit won't quite fit, but it's "near enough"





The working parts of the adjuster unit need a little machining work to fit properly - and a bit of bodgery





All assembled, showing here maximum preload from stock, total movement is 7.5mm





All ready to fit




Total price of the project;
£10 for spare Transalp 650 shock (to keep the bike on the road).
£10 for the donor shock (VFR 400???)
£40 for the machining work and to make a new stainless centre sleeve to thread onto the shock body.



Phil

[Jenna]

very nice job!

[Chad]

your a damm sight more clever than you look dude

nice job mate have you got it on the bike yet

[piguglyshandydrinker]

Originally Posted by Chad

your a damm sight more clever than you look dude

Yeah, but not by much



Just fitted it yesterday, along with new chain and sprockets and I also pulled the swing arm and linkages out for a lube up , while I was there.

A couple more pic's, this show's (to a degree) the acessibility problem with the standard shock, here the seat, sidepanel, batterycover/battery and battery tray have been removed, along with starter relay and associated wiring, note lack of room for a "C" spanner.




The rear view (minus swingarm (also note butchered cat...))




Job completed with a couple of tiewraps - for that professional look




Phil

[Chad]

Originally Posted by piguglyshandydrinker

Yeah, but not by much



Just fitted it yesterday, along with new chain and sprockets and I also pulled the swing arm and linkages out for a lube up , while I was there.

A couple more pic's, this show's (to a degree) the acessibility problem with the standard shock, here the seat, sidepanel, batterycover/battery and battery tray have been removed, along with starter relay and associated wiring, note lack of room for a "C" spanner.




The rear view (minus swingarm (also note butchered cat...))




Job completed with a couple of tiewraps - for that professional look




Phil

butcherd cat noted

have you road tested it yet

[piguglyshandydrinker]

Just a quick 20 mile shakedown run last night (nothing dropped off).

All seem's good so far, min preload seems good solo, maybe a while 'till I get chance to try fully loaded.

Trouble is WHY didn't Honda do it in the first place.....
Surely if a bodgin' farmer from up north can do it for 60 quid - pah, don't get me started

Phil

[Chad]

Originally Posted by piguglyshandydrinker

Just a quick 20 mile shakedown run last night (nothing dropped off).

All seem's good so far, min preload seems good solo, maybe a while 'till I get chance to try fully loaded.

Trouble is WHY didn't Honda do it in the first place.....
Surely if a bodgin' farmer from up north can do it for 60 quid - pah, don't get me started

Phil

imagine how good hondas would be if they employed all you bodgin farmers

[24ftlb]

Originally Posted by Chad

imagine how good hondas would be if they employed all you bodgin farmers

That is Top banana phil. I recon you send the pics to honda uk. Ask them what monkeys designed the original shock, and what a 'farmer' has done to do the job properly

Paul

[faantjie]

Whats next Phil....Scrapheap Challnge? Wow what a fantastic idea. How much are you selling them for..... :idea:

[wheeliebin]

That's quality, well done phil.