Replacing rear shocks, how hard is it? Does not look to be too hard.

 

Pretty simple. General idea...

Jack up the rear of the bike.
Break the top and bottom nuts loose.
Remove the lower nuts and studs going through the swingarm mount. The rear end will then drop down. Remove the top nut, outside washer (thick), end cover, inside washer (thin), and remove the shock.
Be careful not to break loose your upper perch bolts.
Instal the new shock in reverse, starting with the upper shock mounts.
Unfortunately, I don't remember the exact tool sizes, but I think you are looking at 3/4" box and 3/8" allen key for the bottom mount. 5/8" socket for the top mount.

MV

 

The service manual says you can replace one shock at a time w/o jacking the bike up, that being said I jacked the bike up to replace them, 30 minute job.

 

I saw the same note in the service manual about doing one at a time. I don't have a jack.
I was thinking of putting the Low Profile shocks on my Dyna.
Since they are 1" shorter than stock then I think I would need a jack.

Anybody change to a shorter shock without having to spend the $$ for a jack?
If so, then how did you change them out?

 

I did. The first side was no problem. The lower shock went on easy. The other side the top bolt came out ok but the bottom bolt didn't want to come ou,t it was in a bind. Had the nut off of it and it still wouldn't come out. Had the girlfriend set on the bike and bounch it up an down while I was unscrewing the bolt. Finally came out with a bang and the rear end dropped some. Lucky my fingers were not in there. I thought I'd messed up the bolt threads but the nut screwed back on ok- put the other shock on and just got back from ridding it. I would not advise doing it with out jacking up the rear end, However your results could vary. my mechanical skills leave something to be desired.

 

Shade tree note. A long handled garden shovel under the tire works real good to move the tire up and down forlower bolt alignmentonce you get theshock close to where you want it with the jack.

Good Luck

Tom

 

I tried it with out a jack and could not ever get it to line up. So I went out and picked up a jack and bolted them right up.
I figured that was the only time I was going to use the jack, but now find myself using it all the time for oil changes, cleaning, repl rear tire,... So it looks like it was a good investment.

 

Like the shovel comment above, I use my son's skateboard for tire moving up and down leverage.

As far as spending money on a jack, I know money is sometimes tight, but I highly recomend getting one. I got mine at Checker auto for like $50. Sometimes higher, sometimes lower on sale. Point is, I use mine ALL THE TIME. Not just for wrenching, but for cleaning wheels and stuff too.

If you have any welding skills, you can make yourself a lift bar. It is a 32"x10" pipe rectangle with a long 5' angled handle on one sideperpendicular to the rectangle, but with a slight open angle.You slide it under the bike frame and pull the handle down to the ground until the rectangle frame goes past the apex and holds the handle down. The bike frame sits on the top bar of the rectange, getting one end of the bike up off the ground.

I don't have one of these, but have seen them used at my friends shop. Very simple and very handy. They sell for $50-$60 bucks, but seems like it would only take about $10 of tubbing and some welding to make one.

Good luck.

MV

 

Thanks for the replies.
Sounds like the jack is the way to go.
I thought jacks were something like $200 or more.
Didn't realize you could get them fairly cheap.

 

Thanks for all the info guys. I have my jack, and hopefully the shocks to lower my bike will be in this weekend. I will let yall know how it goes.

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