2002 Monster Shock Removal

[RAT900]

I needed a shock rework to suit my personal corpulence on the bike...

rather than dump a grand on an Ohlins right now I spoke w/Eric at Clubhouse Motorsports up in NH...his advice was to simply re-spring the shock since it only has 5K miles on it and focus on more important stuff like non-petrified tires and getting the front tubes set-up (they are going to him as well for valves and springs)

So I sent off the shock to him for an Ohlins spring.  Getting the shock out was the challenge...search tool here helped and I hit Howie's suggestion to use jackstands and a steel rod...seemed better than a ladder or overhead beam and lynching the bike with tie-down straps...The bike's wheel was hanging at full drop when I lowered the swing arm stand and put the load on the steel rod so once I have the shock back I can get the sag/set measurements as well

I went to the local True Value and got a 1/2 inch steel rod for 4.50...the jack strands were el cheapo's I got at AutoBarn for less than 20 bucks a few ages ago

So here is how it worked out....I used the rear swingarm stand to get the bike's rear up and then as below in the photos

first zip tie the front brake to keep things where they are

[Speeddog]

I'd cut about $2.25 of that steel rod off. 

Tape the allen socket onto the extension for that shock/rocker bolt in the swingarm.

[RAT900]

I'd cut about $2.25 of that steel rod off. 

Tape the allen socket onto the extension for that shock/rocker bolt in the swingarm.

Yes I could probably make two from the length I got...but I didn't feel like digging out the sawzall...

I was more concerned about the lower shock bolt and how gracefully that was going to come out of the access hole... to your point that seems to be the kind of arrangement that can really screw up your day

I had to pull the bolt with a pair of long needle-nosed pliers once it was unscrewed...getting it back in should be easy but I do dread dropping something into that void inside the swing arm before this is over

[ducpainter]

Don't be afraid

[RAT900]

Don't be afraid

Life has taught me to acknowledge my fears,

don my prettiest party frock and flounce right past them,

silently squealing like the girly-man that I am  

(please note that the book title under the exhaust split is "Men Are From Mars" 

[Speeddog]

Just tryin' to save your knees.