GS1100E shock rebuild?

[first timer]

It's been a while since I have been active here, has there been any documented OEM shock rebuilds or dissection's?

I know the standard answer is get new shocks but i am wrapping up a like new restoration on my 82 Kat and would like to keep it as original as possible and reuse the OEM shocks, but have my doubts about them actually working worth a damn.

I have friends with machine shops and a know a few dirt bike suspension guys, but don't want just dig into the shocks blind cutting and drilling. SO MAYBE SOMEONE HAS GONE BEFORE ME?

other option is to buy a crap pair of shocks from a member or ebay and cut them open to see how they work and apply that the kat shocks.

I have a pair of almost new ICON/Koni shocks I can use in a pinch if the OEM suck to much.

[Griffin]

I recently did a huge purge of junk out of my shop, but I might still have some old worn out OEM Suzuki or Kawasaki shocks kicking around I could donate for the cause.

I'll let you know if I find some.

[first timer]

I recently did a huge purge of junk out of my shop, but I might still have some old worn out OEM Suzuki or Kawasaki shocks kicking around I could donate for the cause.

I'll let you know if I find some.

I am in the same boat, i think i purged a bunch of junk gs1000 shocks years ago.

[salty_monk]

Good to hear from you mate

I don’t think you’ll have that much luck with the stockers but anything’s possible! once you get them apart the hard bit will be getting them back together I’d guess.

assuming you just want to change the oil and shaft seal or do you have another plan for what you want to do internally?

that Sasquatch guy used to be the one to go to for refurbishing stock shocks on lots of bikes. not sure if he’s still going…

[first timer]

Good to hear from you mate

I don’t think you’ll have that much luck with the stockers but anything’s possible! once you get them apart the hard bit will be getting them back together I’d guess.

assuming you just want to change the oil and shaft seal or do you have another plan for what you want to do internally?

that Sasquatch guy used to be the one to go to for refurbishing stock shocks on lots of bikes. not sure if he’s still going…

Hey there, good to hear from you too. I figure if i can cut one apart I can see how they work. in theory you could cut the weld around the seal head and either weld on a thicker collar that has a inner groove for a wire clip to hold a seal head like new shocks, or maybe thread the internal body and fab up screw on seal heads. Then you need to see if the gas is separated by a piston or if the body is just pressurized and fab up some sort of little bung for a small shrader valve.

[first timer]

Good to hear from you mate

I don’t think you’ll have that much luck with the stockers but anything’s possible! once you get them apart the hard bit will be getting them back together I’d guess.

assuming you just want to change the oil and shaft seal or do you have another plan for what you want to do internally?

that Sasquatch guy used to be the one to go to for refurbishing stock shocks on lots of bikes. not sure if he’s still going…

Here is a Teaser for you.


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[Griffin]

Ryan, I dug through what's left of my used parts. No dice on old OEM shocks. I figured I'd tossed them all last year when we rented a 20' dumpster to clean out my shop.

That will soon change. I've got some Hagons on order for my 1981 KZ550A. Once they're here, the old stockers are yours if you want them.

[first timer]

Ryan, I dug through what's left of my used parts. No dice on old OEM shocks. I figured I'd tossed them all last year when we rented a 20' dumpster to clean out my shop.

That will soon change. I've got some Hagons on order for my 1981 KZ550A. Once they're here, the old stockers are yours if you want them.

Thanks for the offer, i will troll ebay for some clapped out suzy shocks just in chase the kawi stuff is different.

I am in the same boat, tossed all my gs1000 shocks years ago.

I pulled the springs on the kat shocks today, surprisingly they still have a strong gas charge, but for what ever reason there is no damping, just pogo, likely the piston bushing has stopped sealing or some other seal now lets oil past. Good news is i can certainly clean them up and make them look good, they just won't function like they look......so my Ikon's for the time being.

[Burque73]

I've got some shocks you can have first timer Just sent you a PM.

[first timer]

I've got some shocks you can have first timer Just sent you a PM.

I got the GS1000G shocks cut open last weekend, I'll get some pictures posted. In summary the shocks are basic at best, they are a twin tube oil bath system non gas charged system. The seal head has a outer diameter equal to the id of the shock body that is pressed into the body then the body edges are rolled over. It would take quite the effort cut the rolled edge and then force the seal out, it seems well stuck in there. There is a smaller damping cartridge made of steel inside the shock body that a small piston on the shock shaft rides. The piston uses a steel ring just like a motor piston to seal the cartridge and force oil though the piston orifices and and dampening valving. It's fairly robust but crude compared to todays stuff. Shocks are kyb manufactured, and manufactured in a way that it would cost 3 times the money to machine them in a manner to reuse them, it would be money well spent to just buy a pair of newer shocks like Ikons that are serviceable and look very similar to OEM.

I think the G shocks are different then the kat shocks since the Kat shocks are gas charged, which might be a mono tube design vs twin tube design. Will need to keep an eye out for somthing closer in design to the Kat.

[Grand Rouge]

About 10 years ago I did a shock oil drain and refill on a pair of high mileage 1983 GS 1100E shocks. Shafts and bodies were in perfect cosmetic condition. Disassembly was not an option.

I drilled and threaded a 5MM hole in the bottom of the body. Fluid was drained by compressing and extending shock. I used a spring compressor to facilitate the process. Do not recall volume of fluid recovered. I 'cleaned' interior with some fresh oil and mineral spirits concoction...three cycles or so, then replaced with 10 Wt. fork oil. Same volume as initially extracted. Pumped shocks as refilling. Worked perfectly for my needs.

Copper washer(s) on short bolt sealed everything up.

[first timer]

About 10 years ago I did a shock oil drain and refill on a pair of high mileage 1983 GS 1100E shocks. Shafts and bodies were in perfect cosmetic condition. Disassembly was not an option.

I drilled and threaded a 5MM hole in the bottom of the body. Fluid was drained by compressing and extending shock. I used a spring compressor to facilitate the process. Do not recall volume of fluid recovered. I 'cleaned' interior with some fresh oil and mineral spirits concoction...three cycles or so, then replaced with 10 Wt. fork oil. Same volume as initially extracted. Pumped shocks as refilling. Worked perfectly for my needs.

Copper washer(s) on short bolt sealed everything up.

Yes, the method you describe would work with a non gas charged twin tube style shock, which sounds like the 83 1100e are if you didn't have a gas charge to deal with.

the piston ring being steel and sliding against steel, you will naturally get iron contamination in the oil. The oil i drained from the donner shock was quite grey.

I used a hydraulic press and bunch of HD zip ties to remove the spring from the shock body.

with the twin tube design you can drill a hole in the bottom side and the top side and won't have to worry about the piston hitting the holes since it is in a small cartridge about 1/4" away.