Topic: Servicing rear shocks

[Tim.]

I picked up a pair of Hagon rear shocks, and want to take the springs off to give them a good cleaning and possibly touch up the black paint.

Anyone know how you take a pair of shocks apart?  I know they should be able to come apart to that point, to swap out springs etc.  I don't think they can be rebuilt, but I presume they can be disassembled for cleaning.

No real info on the Hagon website and nothing obvious in terms of how the retaining ring on top of the spring or the adjuster at the bottom come off.

[jsaab2748]

Google Dave Quinn Motorcycles. They are a distributor I think, on the east coast or in the north east U.S. I got my Hagons from there a few  years back
and called there. Guy I spoke with was very helpful.

[RRRToolSolutions]

Tintin - I like shiny wheels, shiny paint, and shiny shocks -I can help with your question.

I'm glad at least that you're re-finishing a used set of Hagons. Mine were brand-new and I had to re-finish them before installing. Long, painful story and nothing to do with your question. Sorry, not a happy customer.

Anyway, yes they can be taken apart. You will need to buy/borrow/make a shock tool. Here is one I made for about $20. It copies the ones in the factory manual by having a fixed top-plate with a hole slightly larger than the top shock mount. I simply use a piece of leather or soft tape layers with a hole cut to the same diameter to cushion the cover that it presses against. The ready-bolt uses 4 jams nuts to hold the top plate "fixed/permanent" while the bottom has a tab designed to allow a small bolt to go through the bottom fork. I have one for the eye shocks like those used on the Kaws. The compression nuts are simply turned using a ratch boxed-end wrench and it only takes a few seconds to safely assemble/dis-assemble any brand of shock. I get these re-finished once apart for about $100 per pair with hard chrome and high-gloss powder if to be colored. I've also posted a pic of some H2 shocks I had done two years ago. The shock tool is a worth - while project in itself.

The shock shown in the tool is a new 1970 CB450 NOS shock that I had the covers powder coated for use on my Bomber project. I later thought I'd get a nice set of Hagons -I'm still waiting.......(rant coming...) The Hagons are seen before and after I had the powder re-done, the paint removed from the ends (it was falling off, chipped from the factory, and the powder was a dull semi-gloss at best with chips, scratches, and fish-eyes - new out of the box. Since Hagon wrote me and said this was normal, expected, and appearance attributes were "non-refundable" and "not seen as defective since their shocks are manufactured for people who use their bikes - not look at them" - I was on my own to correct their quality control issues.

Ok, enough of my sobbing.. here is what you asked for -

Regards,
Gordon

[RRRToolSolutions]

I should add that the Hagons are much easier to take apart than the stock Honda and Kawasakis. Once the spring is compressed - you simply pull the retainer out from under the top eye (it's the shiny round disc with the notched side. On most of the stockers - you hold the top eye and loosen the jam nut under it - then simply turn the threaded eye off. Please take the time to use the correct tool. Doing this with a vise or other method could result in a "slip" you could lose fingers or your sight - those springs are under a lot of tension. Seriously - the only safe way to do it is using a tool made for the job.

Gordon

[RRRToolSolutions]

Has anyone had problems with Hagon shocks besides me? I felt miss-treated and won't consider another purchase.

Just curious.

Gordon

[tomkimberly]

Here is a link to the spring compressor i built.

http://65.12.209.183/yamahaforum/showpost.php?p=37792&postcount=28

Tom

[super pasty white guy]

Gordon,

My experience is similar to yours-  I've been meaning to post and ask if anyone else had problems.

I bought a pair at the start of last summer.  Mine had chipped/peeling paint straight out of the box.

Unlike you, I just put them on the bike and tried not to think about it much.  ~8000 miles later and I've got considerable paint flaking off the clevis end and the start of rust on the springs.  I do nearly all my commuting on the bike, so I'm probably not going to take it out of service just to do the cosmetic work on the shocks.  Maybe if we get a good solid couple of weeks of snow.

Dave

[Dennis]

Here is a link to the spring compressor i built.

http://65.12.209.183/yamahaforum/showpost.php?p=37792&postcount=28

Tom

this link will not work without registration ....................

[Ibsen]

Very nice work.

Btw, I rebuilt the Marzocchi dampers on my CB650 last week and I noticed they were powder coated.

[tomkimberly]

Here is a link to the spring compressor i built.

http://65.12.209.183/yamahaforum/showpost.php?p=37792&postcount=28

Tom

this link will not work without registration ....................

Sorry. I have sent a e-mail to the moderator to see if he will allow non-registered visitors to view threads.

Tom

[Tim.]

Gordon et al, thanks so much for the info.  I haven't had a chance to get back to this thread till now.

I'll begin building a shock compressor tool.  I have a length of threaded rod already thankfully.  Not that I want to tempt fate, but do you think hardwood would do the trick for plates on the end of the tool vs. steel?  I can cut wood a lot more easily than steel

[Tim.]

After a few mins thought, I'm left wondering about my shocks.  I have to go look at them, but I'm flummoxed on how I can compress the spring without pushing down on the retaining ring I need to remove.

Mine are like the ones first on the left.

[RRRToolSolutions]

T - on the top of that shock will be a retainer ring that fits "under" the shock eye and over the spring or cover. If not a retainer, then it could have a screw-off eye and locknut like you see in the stock Honda schock in the 2nd photo I attached. You have to match your opening on the shock compressor to match the small margin. No one tool will fir all diameters - I'm sure of it.

As for wood - not me. But it I was going to do it - I would certainly use a 3/4" plywood so you have grain in both directions. I'd worry that hardwood could split. I'm no wood expert, but you don't want your fingers or face anywhere near that spring or retainer if the wood splits at the threaded rod and turns 120 pound spring loose. Just me, but I like my face and as my memory fails me in years to come - I'd prefer to have all ten fingers to count on.

Regards,
Gordon

[Tim.]

Yep - there is a retaining ring, but pressing down on the ring itself would be the only way to compress the spring.  The ring itself has a slot cut in it, suggesting once freed it simple slides off the shock body, but I just can't see how to get the tension off.

There is also a black plastic/resin sleeve with a lip between the retaining ring and spring.  It extends down between the spring and body of the shock for about 4 inches.

I'll snap a pic.  I can't see a way of relieving tension off the retaining ring.  I might call a few shops - I'd be happy to pay the 1/2 hour labour it would cost to dissasemble/reassemble the shocks, but it might be tough to find a shop to do it.

I'd almost think you'd need to stretch the shocks to releive tension on the spring, but then again that could lead to some interesting developments while airborne.

[Bodi]

When I bought Mulholland shocks several (ok, many) years ago, the shop used a simple looking tool to install the springs. As I recall it attached at the clevis and had a hook thing that slipped through the spring coils near the opposite end, then you pulled a lever that compressed the spring. Voila, you could slide the grooved retainer in (or out).

[tsflstb]

Somebody here mentioned a good trick a while back.  Get 4 of those jumbo sized electrical tie wraps and wrap them around a few coils.  Start compressing the spring, tightening each one a little bit at a time.  You just have to compress it enough to relieve the pressure on the retaining ring.  It worked great for removing and re-installing the springs.

[Tim.]

Yeah - I figure I need a tool (zip-ties perhaps) to hook onto the spring and pull it down or squeeze it together to relieve tension.

I'd love to see the Hagon manual where the method is described.  I may try contacting Hagon or the US distributor to get some hints.

[754]

Best if you machined a collar that just catches the spring, and just slighly bigger than the retainer.

If not you will have to make something from metal that fits between the springs, but you have to deal with it being at an angle.


For shock you work on more than once, I machine a sleeve with a lip to contact the spring. Then I weld a U shaped collar over the top of that..  out of  about 1/2 inch wide flat bar. On top of this in the middle weld about a 3/8 pin about 2 in long.


Wear saftey glasses for this..
Then chuck the 3/8 pin in a drill press..the sleeve with the lip should run pretty true. (I trued the top of the U up in the lathe to center the pin) Now put the bottom of the shock on the drill press table you can drill a hole in a bock of wood to help hold it. Adjust table height to fit shock in and lock table.. pull down on the spindle.. easy with one hand, then carefully remove retainer or hold handle while someone else does.

[Ibsen]

This is what I used.

[RRRToolSolutions]

Tin, where are you located? I have just the tool and could loan it to you. I do have one of the K&L spring tools. It has one end that bolts on to the bottom eye, then has an adjustable length and a "fork" that slides in the springs and straddles that piston rod. You push down on the long handle and it compresses the spring for top access. It's used for most dirt bike shocks.

I can't find a photo, but could take on if you need it for copy.

Regards,
Gordon

[Tim.]

Now we're talking   Sounds like the right idea.

I'm in Toronto - would cost a lot and take a long time to ship tools back and forth.  The idea of the ratcheting strap looks good - those straps are tough as nails.

My chrome plater is ready to do the springs.  Apparantly for springs they use less nickle allowing for more flex for one reason or another.  Not sure exactly how I'll refinish the shock bodies, as I don't think they tear down completely so baking them in a powdercoating oven doesn't seem feasible.

[Tim.]

Found it - now to find something like this locally.

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330195134718&ih=014&category=43996&ssPageName=STORE:PROMOBOX:NEWLIST

[Tim.]

Ah ha!  Hopefully they have them and they're the right size.  With luck the $18 version will do the trick.

Princess Auto is a chain of shops across Canada that sells just about anything you can imagine.

[bryanj]

Tintin, get a friend and put the end of the shock on something solid then try simply holding and pulling down the spring whilst the friend hooks out the top shim----Most Hagons are not so heavy on the spring that this doesnt work!

FIRST SET ON SOFTEST SETTING

[754]

That will work with stockshox.. just dont start laughing..