Rear Shocks problem

[garyh]

Hi. One of my rear shocks snapped the other day, broke near the bottom bracket, just sliced in two! Anyway, had a new ones delivered, but they wont fit. The ones I took off are the standard black ones, and I measure them around 350-355mm. The ones I have been sent are 365mm. However, everywhere I look for new ones, they are all saying that the ones for this bike are 365mm long from pin to pin.

Either I am doing something wrong to try and get them on, or there are other ones I should be buying. I have removed both shocks so the rear wheel has dropped. Am I doing something wrong or should I assume they will just slide back in to place without any struggle, or do I need to exert force to get them to try and compress to fit in the brackets?

The bike is a 1982 GS650GT(Z)

[koolaid_kid]

Perhaps if you told the forum the brand and model number of the shocks you purchased they could offer more useful advice?
Not my area of expertise, but there are plenty of folk here who have done the shock replacements.

[KGB]

Is the bike up on the center stand?
This might give you that little extra to mount them.

It's a shaft drive so dropping the shaft may be out to get that little extra.


What caused it to snap? Weird.........

[garyh]

I ordered these ones :

http://shop.wemoto.com/pictures.dyn?u=/pictures/hl/27f48.jpg&i=1915472&a=5793607

But they said they are the same length (365mm). However I got sent these ones :

http://shop.wemoto.com/pictures.dyn?u=/pictures/hl/27f3e.jpg&i=1915472&a=5828019

Which are 365mm


I dont know what caused it to snap, it snapped just after the round bit the pin goes in to, clean through, and the metal there is thick. They are probably the original shocks.

Yes the bike is on the centre stand, I only need a few more mm to get the buggers on, but then wont it do harm if the shocks are longer, i.e. the shaft is lower than it was previously...?

[koolaid_kid]

So you ordered the black set, they sent you the chrome set, which they say is the same shock, but in chrome. Is this correct?
The extra length will actually raise the back end slightly, perhaps as much as 1/2" (or 10mm).
According to my search, the 650GT is called the Katana in the states. Is this correct?
Progressive recommends their 14.25" shock, which is about 362 mm.
May I ask why you chose not to go with Progressive?

[garyh]

Progressive? Sorry, not aware of all these different makes, I have used this company before and so just used them again. If you could recommend where to buy these then great. Yes I believe the bike is called something different in the states.

[koolaid_kid]

Try this link. Not sure how the exchange rate is these days, but this company makes very fine quality shocks and fork springs.

http://www.progressivesuspension.com/

[garyh]

Thanks for the link - does anyones know however what model I need for the bike? Plus i'm in the UK so not sure if I can get them over here

[Clone]

That's only a little longer than what is on the bike, they won't go on? Take off both rear shocks, then try to put the new ones on, the swing arm should go down the extra 10mm.

[garyh]

I couldnt get the back down any further, unless I put something under the centre stand to lift the bike up even more off the ground, but my concern was the shocks being longer than the ones I took off, unless the springs had compressed to make them shorter if this is possible. Anyway i'm stuck now, cant ride the ruddy thing until I find some!