Pre load rear adjuster, advice please? UPDATED SOLUTION

[viper]

Just doing some maintenance on the GTR and dont really know how the rear adjuster works. In the past ive done the upside down trick soaking the adjuster itself in oil overnight . Today i thought Id undo the cable from the adjuster to check it over, oil came out!

Should oil be in there is is that just my over lubing in the past. How does the knob actually adjust the shocker, is it hydraulic ??

[Teacher]

I don't know how this works Viper but i would assume it's hydraulic.
Like you and others on this forum i have had problems with the adjuster.
I have had it soaking for the last week upside down in a cup of WD40. Also been sprayed with GT85 and oiled with 3 in 1 oil.
before this I couldn't adjust it on the bike as i couldn't get the leverage but now it turns smoothly and i have the 24 clicks back from full in to full out.
The bike is obviously out of warranty but ive only done nearly 8k (current odometer reading), mainly dry miles, and the bike was bought at just over two years old with 1600 miles on the clock.
A MandS motorcycles salesman at Newcastle said kawaski might do a new one under good will but I've never got round to it. i bought the bike at tillstons anyway, and have it serviced at an independent , so kawaski would probably shy off

The irony is that of the few bikes I've had i've never adjusted the suspension from stock but it's the fact the dam thing is there and not turning properly !!!
i love this bike mind; i went to swiss alps in the summer which was great and rode 850 miles back home in one day !! Bit knackered but far superior to my previous blackbird and VFR before that

Anyway back to yours; i suspect you might have lost some hydraulic fluid when you've took the hose off, are you sure it was oil?
Someone on here may shed some light but i think 2010 on is a non serviceable part otherwise kawaski would fix them. Right?

Oh and the weather is looking good tomorrow/today so I'm putting it back together and fgoing for a little bimble!!

[pistole]

you're not supposed to open up the hydraulic fittings.

its basically a piston pushing a column of oil which adjusts the preload mechanism at the shock.

that piston's position will change with adjustments of the pre-load knob.

I cannot think of a way you can replenish the oil without causing an air lock of some sort.

.

[viper]

you're not supposed to open up the hydraulic fittings.

its basically a piston pushing a column of oil which adjusts the preload mechanism at the shock.

that piston's position will change with adjustments of the pre-load knob.

I cannot think of a way you can replenish the oil without causing an air lock of some sort.

.

oh shit, 

[MGvalerio]

oh shit, 

http://youtu.be/ret2_zXP_xs

MGvalerio

[coman37]

oh shit, 

Hi Viper,

   If you have shagged it, give me a call. I bought a 2nd hand one off e- bay to fit to my ZZR ( the ZZR doesn't have remote pre- load and I also thought the heavier spring would help the handling, turns out to be too long). It is in good unmarked condition and the knob turns freely £150 plus postage ( £20??) or free collection( Colchester)

Coman

[viper]

i refuse to believe that just by undoing the cable union that ive completely shagged a perfectly good rear shocker!! how does kawasaki put the oil in?

[Lonewolf]

As we all know the video MG has posted is from the earlier design of shock adjuster, which (perhaps) is better than the current one? There has been such a potentially high volume of failed/seized adjusters from the 2010+ models that it has to be asked why Kawasaki are still fitting them.

Viper would it be worth giving the tech guys at Kawasaki a call, Simon Chitty has always been extremely helpful and perhaps he can give a definitive answer as to whether your unit can be rebuilt. It may even be a case that it has to be returned to Kawasaki to repair. That would be a cheaper option than spending £600+ on a new one which is what they cost.

[viper]

As we all know the video MG has posted is from the earlier design of shock adjuster, which (perhaps) is better than the current one? There has been such a potentially high volume of failed/seized adjusters from the 2010+ models that it has to be asked why Kawasaki are still fitting them.

Viper would it be worth giving the tech guys at Kawasaki a call, Simon Chitty has always been extremely helpful and perhaps he can give a definitive answer as to whether your unit can be rebuilt. It may even be a case that it has to be returned to Kawasaki to repair. That would be a cheaper option than spending £600+ on a new one which is what they cost.

Like

[Alfor]

http://youtu.be/ret2_zXP_xs

MGvalerio

Glad I saw this video. Although my 2010 pre load looks different (no flats for a spanner) I was going to drill a 2mm hole in the knob to ease getting wd40 to the moving screw, from this video there is probable no benefit if the internal design is similar.

[viper]

dont drill a hole, unbolt the adjuster from the bike and hold it upside down, spay some oil into the cap and leave to soak overnight,. It does work

[Charlie747]

dont drill a hole, unbolt the adjuster from the bike and hold it upside down, spay some oil into the cap and leave to soak overnight,. It does work

You all sorted now Viper?

[viper]

Hi Viper,

   If you have shagged it, give me a call. I bought a 2nd hand one off e- bay to fit to my ZZR ( the ZZR doesn't have remote pre- load and I also thought the heavier spring would help the handling, turns out to be too long). It is in good unmarked condition and the knob turns freely £150 plus postage ( £20??) or free collection( Colchester)

Coman

thanks for the offer, is it off a 2010+ bike ?

[coman37]

Hi Viper,

No it's from a 2009' which appear to be better engineered, the fitting/ length/ spring etc are all the same spec for all models I think.

Quite easy to change, helpful to have a third hand for some of it, even easier if you can get it on a bike lift

Let me know if you want it

Ps if anyone is watching this who can relay the part from Colchester to E Manchester area to save postage costs please advise

Coman

[viper]

Hi Viper,

No it's from a 2009' which appear to be better engineered, the fitting/ length/ spring etc are all the same spec for all models I think.

Quite easy to change, helpful to have a third hand for some of it, even easier if you can get it on a bike lift

Let me know if you want it



Ps if anyone is watching this who can relay the part from Colchester to E Manchester area to save postage costs please advise

Coman

ive had a look at the fitting for the adjuster and it appears to be different, dont think it will bolt on to the existing bracket. the adjuster is defo a different design

ive took my shock out today,quite easy , this way i can work on my method for getting the oil back in, just wondering what type of oil kawasaki used