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Showa Shock Compression Adjuster Removal

JG2 Posts: 38 Joined: 2/01/2009 Location: Edmonton, AB CAN	10/20/2009 2:41 PM JG2 wrote: It is about to snow here & I am set to do my Showa shock oil change since I will have 6 months to fix anything I happen to screw up. I do have a couple more questions - I promise I will never ask any shock oil change questions again after this. i) IF I choose to refill the shock via the compression adjuster hole do I need to drill out the "staking" marks? My Honda manual says to refill via the adjuster but doesn't mention this, surprisingly. My Eric Gore book says to do it - who is correct? ii) IF I drill these out, what do I do when I re-install the adjuster? Do I just torque it back up & not worry about it or use mild Loctite or what? iii) The Honda procedure is to use the compression adjuster hole for refilling but I have seen magazine articles where you don't remove the compression adjuster at all but fill from the bottom of the shock body. You then push the seal head in so oil overflows and reinstall the circlip. Anybody have thoughts either way? iv) Should I use 10W30 or 10W40 motor oil in the shock and what brand? Which will make the shock most "BOUNCY"? I read used motor oil is best of all if you want to reduce compression damping...any truth to this? Thanks in advance - I know there are some pretty experienced suspension guys on this board & I am hoping a couple will be kind enough to help a Canadian out. JG2 wrote: It is about to snow here & I am set to do my Showa shock oil change since I will have 6 months to fix anything I happen to screw up. I do have a couple more questions - I promise I will never ask any shock oil change questions again after this. i) IF I choose to refill the shock via the compression adjuster hole do I need to drill out the "staking" marks? My Honda manual says to refill via the adjuster but doesn't mention this, surprisingly. My Eric Gore book says to do it - who is correct? ii) IF I drill these out, what do I do when I re-install the adjuster? Do I just torque it back up & not worry about it or use mild Loctite or what? iii) The Honda procedure is to use the compression adjuster hole for refilling but I have seen magazine articles where you don't remove the compression adjuster at all but fill from the bottom of the shock body. You then push the seal head in so oil overflows and reinstall the circlip. Anybody have thoughts either way? iv) Should I use 10W30 or 10W40 motor oil in the shock and what brand? Which will make the shock most "BOUNCY"? I read used motor oil is best of all if you want to reduce compression damping...any truth to this? Thanks in advance - I know there are some pretty experienced suspension guys on this board & I am hoping a couple will be kind enough to help a Canadian out. Quote Last Post Only It is about to snow here & I am set to do my Showa shock oil change since I will have 6 months to fix anything I happen to screw up. I do have a couple more questions - I promise I will never ask any shock oil change questions again after this. i) IF I choose to refill the shock via the compression adjuster hole do I need to drill out the "staking" marks? My Honda manual says to refill via the adjuster but doesn't mention this, surprisingly. My Eric Gore book says to do it - who is correct? ii) IF I drill these out, what do I do when I re-install the adjuster? Do I just torque it back up & not worry about it or use mild Loctite or what? iii) The Honda procedure is to use the compression adjuster hole for refilling but I have seen magazine articles where you don't remove the compression adjuster at all but fill from the bottom of the shock body. You then push the seal head in so oil overflows and reinstall the circlip. Anybody have thoughts either way? iv) Should I use 10W30 or 10W40 motor oil in the shock and what brand? Which will make the shock most "BOUNCY"? I read used motor oil is best of all if you want to reduce compression damping...any truth to this? Thanks in advance - I know there are some pretty experienced suspension guys on this board & I am hoping a couple will be kind enough to help a Canadian out.
lumpy790 Posts: 942 Joined: 9/18/2007 Location: York, SC	10/21/2009 8:39 AM lumpy790 wrote: Should I use 10W30 or 10W40 motor oil in the shock and what brand? Your kidding right? Suspension fluid must be used. I recommend Golden Spectro very light for your Showa shock......ultra light for KYB. Remove the bladder and the shaft and completely clean everything....fill with oil and bleed back and forth.....install the bladder....expanded.......install the shaft and work out all of the bubbles......slide the seal head in.....let the excess oil bleed past the oring. If your shock has the allen bleed hole release excess oil and fill with NO2 lumpy790 wrote: Should I use 10W30 or 10W40 motor oil in the shock and what brand? Your kidding right? Suspension fluid must be used. I recommend Golden Spectro very light for your Showa shock......ultra light for KYB. Remove the bladder and the shaft and completely clean everything....fill with oil and bleed back and forth.....install the bladder....expanded.......install the shaft and work out all of the bubbles......slide the seal head in.....let the excess oil bleed past the oring. If your shock has the allen bleed hole release excess oil and fill with NO2 Quote Last Post Only Should I use 10W30 or 10W40 motor oil in the shock and what brand? Your kidding right? Suspension fluid must be used. I recommend Golden Spectro very light for your Showa shock......ultra light for KYB. Remove the bladder and the shaft and completely clean everything....fill with oil and bleed back and forth.....install the bladder....expanded.......install the shaft and work out all of the bubbles......slide the seal head in.....let the excess oil bleed past the oring. If your shock has the allen bleed hole release excess oil and fill with NO2 www.MotoHose.com
JG2 Posts: 38 Joined: 2/01/2009 Location: Edmonton, AB CAN	10/21/2009 10:36 AM JG2 wrote: Thanks Lumpy - I was joking about the motor oil. I took it all apart last night (went ok) and am waiting for a new bladder now. I recharged nitrogen to 145psi in the spring & it was 70psi last night so I assume that means I need a new bladder. I will leave the compression adjuster alone. JG2 wrote: Thanks Lumpy - I was joking about the motor oil. I took it all apart last night (went ok) and am waiting for a new bladder now. I recharged nitrogen to 145psi in the spring & it was 70psi last night so I assume that means I need a new bladder. I will leave the compression adjuster alone. Quote Last Post Only Thanks Lumpy - I was joking about the motor oil. I took it all apart last night (went ok) and am waiting for a new bladder now. I recharged nitrogen to 145psi in the spring & it was 70psi last night so I assume that means I need a new bladder. I will leave the compression adjuster alone.
DAYKIN17 Posts: 43 Joined: 11/28/2008 Location: calgary, CAN	11/7/2009 6:08 PM DAYKIN17 wrote: As a fellow Canadian... send it to Enzo Racing Canada in Calgary, they do the best suspension work hands down. Oh, and by the way its 170 psi. Your best advice is get others to work on your bike for you, you'll be glad you did. DAYKIN17 wrote: As a fellow Canadian... send it to Enzo Racing Canada in Calgary, they do the best suspension work hands down. Oh, and by the way its 170 psi. Your best advice is get others to work on your bike for you, you'll be glad you did. Quote Last Post Only As a fellow Canadian... send it to Enzo Racing Canada in Calgary, they do the best suspension work hands down. Oh, and by the way its 170 psi. Your best advice is get others to work on your bike for you, you'll be glad you did.
typhoon67 Posts: 5 Joined: 12/04/2007 Location: Spring Valley, CA	11/8/2009 9:13 AM typhoon67 wrote: your bladder is probably fine, the leak could be at the schrader valve....you know that when you "check" the pressure that you lose around 50% of the charge engaging the pressure gauge right? In 35 years I have only seen a bladder fail in a Fox Airshox, never in any other shock. You may be best off having a pro rebuild your shock typhoon67 wrote: your bladder is probably fine, the leak could be at the schrader valve....you know that when you "check" the pressure that you lose around 50% of the charge engaging the pressure gauge right? In 35 years I have only seen a bladder fail in a Fox Airshox, never in any other shock. You may be best off having a pro rebuild your shock Quote Last Post Only your bladder is probably fine, the leak could be at the schrader valve....you know that when you "check" the pressure that you lose around 50% of the charge engaging the pressure gauge right? In 35 years I have only seen a bladder fail in a Fox Airshox, never in any other shock. You may be best off having a pro rebuild your shock
JG2 Posts: 38 Joined: 2/01/2009 Location: Edmonton, AB CAN	11/12/2009 9:54 PM JG2 wrote: "Your best advice is get others to work on your bike for you..." . Thanks for the !@#$!% tip. Ross Maeda is most definitely not doing shocks in Calgary which means Enzo in Calgary is some dude working out of his garage who most likely learned suspension by doing it himself like I am trying to do. Unless the factory service manual is wrong it's 142 psi of nitrogen - I'm a heavier guy so I might add more nitrogen (as per Eric Gorr's book) but you have no way of knowing my weight. Did you pull that number out of your ass or what? As a fellow Canadian, if you are going to do nothing but post stupid plugs for your buddy's business and horseshit incorrect information please go away. Everybody else - thanks for the excellent advice. Typhoon67, I didn't think a non zero-loss chuck would read 70 psi out but that seems like a pretty reasonable explanation - I threw a new bladder in the shock to be on the safe side. The rebuild went without a hitch and the shock THAT WASN'T DONE BY ENZO IN CALGARY feels much better! JG2 wrote: "Your best advice is get others to work on your bike for you..." . Thanks for the !@#$!% tip. Ross Maeda is most definitely not doing shocks in Calgary which means Enzo in Calgary is some dude working out of his garage who most likely learned suspension by doing it himself like I am trying to do. Unless the factory service manual is wrong it's 142 psi of nitrogen - I'm a heavier guy so I might add more nitrogen (as per Eric Gorr's book) but you have no way of knowing my weight. Did you pull that number out of your ass or what? As a fellow Canadian, if you are going to do nothing but post stupid plugs for your buddy's business and horseshit incorrect information please go away. Everybody else - thanks for the excellent advice. Typhoon67, I didn't think a non zero-loss chuck would read 70 psi out but that seems like a pretty reasonable explanation - I threw a new bladder in the shock to be on the safe side. The rebuild went without a hitch and the shock THAT WASN'T DONE BY ENZO IN CALGARY feels much better! Quote Last Post Only "Your best advice is get others to work on your bike for you..." . Thanks for the !@#$!% tip. Ross Maeda is most definitely not doing shocks in Calgary which means Enzo in Calgary is some dude working out of his garage who most likely learned suspension by doing it himself like I am trying to do. Unless the factory service manual is wrong it's 142 psi of nitrogen - I'm a heavier guy so I might add more nitrogen (as per Eric Gorr's book) but you have no way of knowing my weight. Did you pull that number out of your ass or what? As a fellow Canadian, if you are going to do nothing but post stupid plugs for your buddy's business and horseshit incorrect information please go away. Everybody else - thanks for the excellent advice. Typhoon67, I didn't think a non zero-loss chuck would read 70 psi out but that seems like a pretty reasonable explanation - I threw a new bladder in the shock to be on the safe side. The rebuild went without a hitch and the shock THAT WASN'T DONE BY ENZO IN CALGARY feels much better!

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