Blew out my rear ES shock. What now?

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ballisticexchris

Guest
Okay, finally got the damn thing out. Length of time was due more to weather/Covid 19/ and general lack of desire, than mechanical ability. Yikes, way more trouble than it should have been. It wouldn't come out through the top the way I thought it should so I tore half the bike apart just to remove the lower link. (Sorry Chris, the exhaust has to be loosened to do this) So then it wouldn't drop out the bottom. Sure enough, once the lower link is out of the way, the shock can be tilted and pulled out from the top. No way near as easy as removing the old Gerlings from a 70's era 250 Husqvarna. Now to drive it over to Dick's Racing and see if he's interested in rebuilding. I'm hoping the economic slowdown will work in my favor.
If you partially slide out the bushing the exhaust does not have to be loosened. The bolt comes right out. Here is a link if you have to do it next time:


Oh, and one more thing. Is there any reason I can't put the bolts for the lower linkage back together inserting them from the right? The main bolt has a keeper but even that might be better installed from the right. Would sure simplify future servicing.
You could but why? Yamaha engineered it that way for easier servicing. If you flip it you will no longer be able to get a ratchet over the nut. The proper way to remove/install fasteners is by turning the nut and holding the bolt in place with a wrench. You will also get false torque readings (if torque wrench is over the bolt). Mechanics 101.
 

Bokerfork

Active Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2019
Messages
106
Location
Saint George, Utah
Yamaha engineered it that way for for easier servicing? Nothing mechanical out of Japan in the last 30 years has been engineered for easier servicing! It's been engineered for easier manufacturing. Tried to replace a timing belt on a Japanese car recently? And as far as torque goes, you're right. But torque isn't everything. Torque specs on many parts are there to keep you from snapping the fastener, not to keep it from loosening or binding. There's a time and a place for precise torque. I don't believe that the shock linkage is it.

And as far as getting those bolts out without loosening the exhaust goes. Perhaps the California models are a bit different but there was no way to get the clearance on this bike. I read your links and tried to follow them, but it wasn't going to happen. As it turned out, loosening the exhaust wasn't that difficult in the end. But I do appreciate the help and advice.
 

Bokerfork

Active Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2019
Messages
106
Location
Saint George, Utah
Okay, a bit of an update. Got a hold of Dick of Dick's racing in St. George, Utah. A bit off put with the S10 shock but after sending him pics, he agreed to take it on. Just got it back after 3 weeks and a lot of cajoling. He definitely doesn't want to work on this type of shock. His bread and butter is purely dirt bikes. Put the bike back together and took it for a test ride today. At the very least, it's as good as stock. After all, all he did was replace a blown seal and some hydraulic fluid.

Long and short, Dick isn't interested in working on our bikes. While he did me a solid, I would definitely look somewhere else next time just for the "desire" factor. If, OTOH if you have a "dirt bike" suspension issue........

Will update with any issues as needed.
 
B

ballisticexchris

Guest
Right on my man!! I figured they would do it for you. I would suggest a Race Tech center in the future.
 
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