Shocks

[Guest]

OK, this is going to be a stupid question and I know it. I took the springs off my shocks and I can fully compress the shock. Then I have to pull them back out as they will not come back out on their own. This tells me they are bad and have been bad a long time ago. I just want to confirm this with all of you. I have done a search on here and the net and all I get is if it bounces to much they are bad. I couldn't find anything on checking them with the spring off or someone doing it.

Like I said....STUPID QUESTION!!!!!!

[ChicagoBob]

Dunno. I can't recall how my shocks behave, but there doesn't seem to be any reason why a shock should extend on its own. That's the spring's function.

The true test is the amount of resistance you feel when compressing and extending the shock.

[posplayr]

Dunno. I can't recall how my shocks behave, but there doesn't seem to be any reason why a shock should extend on its own. That's the spring's function.

The true test is the amount of resistance you feel when compressing and extending the shock.

A gas shock will extend with no spring

[cableguy]

More import than the piston being pushed out is how much resistance there is when you move the piston in and out. That's the dampening action which controls how fast the shock compresses and rebounds. The spring just holds the weight of you and the bike. You hear people all the time saying how high their ride is "jacked up" because they put new shocks in it. That's not really how it's supposed to work. If the shocks gave that much height then the springs are worn out and need to be replaced.

If your shocks are bad maybe they can rebuilt (?) better yet have them revalved specific for your weight and style of riding.

[Tech73]

I think of the shocks like the hatchback of a car. If they don't come back out on their own (I.E. hold the hatch up) then they have gone bad. Like when you buy shocks for a truck, when you push down they come back to where they were. I know I'm being wishy washy on this because I know the answer but I need backup so I know I'm right.

[BigD_83]

I think of the shocks like the hatchback of a car. If they don't come back out on their own (I.E. hold the hatch up) then they have gone bad. Like when you buy shocks for a truck, when you push down they come back to where they were. I know I'm being wishy washy on this because I know the answer but I need backup so I know I'm right.

Yeah,

you just want support so you can go to your significant other and say, see honey, ALL of the guys tell me I need these fancy new Ohlins!

Of course, if your SO asks, I've got your back.

[Tech73]

Yeah,

you just want support so you can go to your significant other and say, see honey, ALL of the guys tell me I need these fancy new Ohlins!

Of course, if your SO asks, I've got your back.

LOL, I'm not married yet but thanks for the backup.

[posplayr]

LOL, I'm not married yet but thanks for the backup.

Check on the divorce laws in your state before you do; don't ask me how I know

[Steve]

I think of the shocks like the hatchback of a car. If they don't come back out on their own (I.E. hold the hatch up) then they have gone bad. Like when you buy shocks for a truck, when you push down they come back to where they were. I know I'm being wishy washy on this because I know the answer but I need backup so I know I'm right.

I think you are confusing several applications, trying to make them all the same.

The "shocks" on the hatchback are actually called "struts", and are full of highly-pressurized gas (probably nitrogen) that pushes the piston out to balance the weight of the hatch.

The "shocks" you buy for your truck probably also have a pressurized nitrogen bladder in there, but it is there to keep the fluid from foaming up and becoming useless. Try installing them on your truck without the springs to see how much they really hold.

The "shocks" for your bike were made long before nitrogen-enhanced ("gas") shocks were available, let alone for your bike. They are simply hydraulic dampers that will provide a measured amount of resistance to movement. The springs are what will extend your DAMPERS, so if you remove them, the DAMPERS will stay exactly where you leave them.

As others have mentioned, what is more important is the amount of resistance you feel when moving the DAMPER rod in and out. Because the spring will provide some resistance to compression, you should find that compression resistance will be considerably less than rebound damping. However, even though it might feel like a good amount, if these are stock DAMPERS, please keep in mind that they were probably already worn out 29 years ago.

Sorry, no "backup" available here.

.

[ChicagoBob]

I think of the shocks like the hatchback of a car. If they don't come back out on their own (I.E. hold the hatch up) then they have gone bad. Like when you buy shocks for a truck, when you push down they come back to where they were. I know I'm being wishy washy on this because I know the answer but I need backup so I know I'm right.

Your hatch isn't held up by "shocks." They look similar, but they are not the same at all. Hatch struts are gas-charged and designed to help you lift the weight of the hatch. Shocks are sometimes gas-charged, but are designed solely to damp the movement of the suspension. The weight is held by the springs.

Early cars and bikes (like the carriages that preceded them) often had no shocks, but they all had springs if they had any suspension at all.

[Tech73]

Ok, got the progressive shocks in today and they do work like I thought they should. Hard to push down and come back out on their own. No worring about shocks anymore.

[gsgeezer]

Glad you got NEW shocks!

As many have said here when asked how to deal with old shocks on old bikes:
"Throw them as far as you can, into a swamp".

I don't skimp on suspension, brakes and tires on any vehicle, especially a motorcycle. (Everybody likes to do new paint jobs, but I like to do that last.)
I know lots of guys like to buy used stock junkyard shocks on Ebay, but when I take shocks off of old vehicles, I vow not to even give them to anybody.

All my old shocks are hanging in the garage, like redneck windchimes