Put brain in gear...my new Koni shock episode!

[suecanada]

Well, I was running out of things to do on LRB except clean him...so I decided to put on those Koni shocks I was talking about in another recent thread. I ended up having to call nhmaf!!! On the telephone!!!
The shock on the rightside wasn't fitting in the top bracket easily...a little grease and a rubber hammer later it eased in OK but about 1 inch too low. While I was out-thinking this problem I took off the left side OEM shock. Mistake! The bike now lowered itself onto its rear tire which had been 1.5 inches in the air which had been a good thing. The swingarm lowered of course with no shocks holding it up and the two Konis are still 1 inch below their proper upper bolt holes!!   I am too weak to bring the swingarm up or too light to put weight on the bike from the top. Then I call nhmaf and we decide I better wait till someone stronger is available..as there are no tricks of the trade with only one person.  Lucky for me my stronger and heavier lady neighbour happened by and with her pushing down on the frame we got the rightside upper bolt in (the 2 lower bolts are in place). The leftside was a "bother" as it was now 1/16" too low and that's all folks, it would not go down more and the bolt hole would not line up!!  >:(Having resigned myself to wait, a beer later and I studied it all again and voila....take the bike off the centrestand and it's own weight might fix things.. it did and the bolt went in!!  Tomorrow I get to try the Konis out. I can tell right now they will be stiffer as it is much more difficult to push the rear of the bike down. I hope it is all good, but at least i learned what NOT to do!

Is there a proper tool for changing the stiffness on these Konis. A c-shaped wrench or something? I did like the OEM's for their adjustment lever! And the Konis also have a dial-like thing at the top and I set this to 1. I assume this is important too but it turns so easily that it is hard to understand what that upper dial really affects. Anyone know?

[Bob_Roller]

Sue,

You need a tool like you mentioned to alter the spring setting.

Well, I just learned something about KONI shocks, there is a rubber boot at the top, and I never paid any attention to it, after seeing Sue's post about an adjustment , I went out to look at mine, and much to my surprise, there is an adjustment dial , I have had the shocks 15 years and never knew I had any adjustments other than spring preload !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I changed mine, I had a small bottle jack under one end of the swing arm, adjusted it to get the holes lined up.

Sue, did you make sure you got the right side shock in the correct hole, there are a few 'extra' holes on the right side, for police accessories.

[steve hawkins]

If you are travelling without a pillion then the lower settings are probably the best.  Only if you load up with lots of luggage will you need to adject the preload and dampening (dial)

You are not the only one, its just that the 'men' won't admit to it....  

[Bob_Roller]

Mine was set a 3, so now I need to do a little experimentation, and see if I can tell any difference in settings .

[Justin B.]

I went out and looked at the Konis on my R100 and see a rubber ring around the top.  So, there is a damping adjustment under there somewhere?  I never knew that.  Seems I remember a damping adjustment dial feature on some Koni automotive shocks but don't remember it being hidden...

[nhmaf]

Yay Sue !!!
 Hope that you bought your neighbor a beer - or a wine - for her help - I'm sure that you did!

It can be tricky putting on new shocks - if I am alone as I mentioned I leave the shock on the other side still attached so that the swingarm is close to being in the right spot.  If the new shocks are alot shorter than the old ones this doesn't work as well, but you can usually get the bike onto its wheels and let gravity help out.

Good luck with the Konis - it will be good to see how much different the ride is with them.  I think that you'll appreciate the adjustable damping, too.

I'm starting to plan out some routes down to Tennessee that avoid interstates as much as possible.   When you and Stewart headed south last year did you cut back through VT and NY and end up heading to Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania?   I am thinking of something along those lines as one option.

[Bob_Roller]

I've got KONI adjustable struts on the CRX, and you need a small knob like device, to go over the damping adjustment, to adjust it.

I know that when I received my shocks for the R65, that there were no installation, or operating instructions in the box.

Well, at least I can claim that I learned something today !!!

Think I'll take the rest of the day off !!!

[Ed Miller]

I went out and looked at the Konis on my R100 and see a rubber ring around the top.  So, there is a damping adjustment under there somewhere?  I never knew that.  Seems I remember a damping adjustment dial feature on some Koni automotive shocks but don't remember it being hidden...

I don't think mine have an adjuster either.  We wuz wobbed!

[suecanada]

That dampening adjuster under the rubber thingy seems pretty easy to turn. So maybe I'll just leave the shocks at their present numbers. But first I will check that they are at the lightest spring load setting. That is where I need the special tool. I am pretty sure I checked this against the OEMs ages ago and was satisfied that it is the lightest setting. I can't imagine how my back would like a really stiff setting...but then again at least the potholes wouldn't jar the shoulder!

You live and learn...but this time it took longer as I have done this job before...successfully.

[steve hawkins]

Those of you that do not have a damping adjustment have probably got the shocks mounted on the wrong side!

The adjuster is on one side only and should face outwards.

At first the dials are easy to adjust, but spray a little lubricant on them occasionally or they will seize up.  

Even under the rubber, they still get wet and dirty.

Konis on bith my R100 (with Ikon springs) and my R65.

[suecanada]

My first ride with the Konis went fine. I asked my buddies to confirm that I had them set at the softest preload and they were as well as the dampening adjuster wheel is at 1. So if I am get taken by surprise I suppose I could jar my back over a big bump. I need to see how LRB takes corners. He was a bit of a cow before but not very much. Yesterday's corners were fine but let's face it, I am not pushing him at all. With my new lighter gear I may well get away with never adjusting the shocks at all, ever again!  Just maybe we all should do the Dragon when we're down in Tenn at the National but hey, I've done that 2 times and managed to survive. I really don't want to push my luck.. it is NOT the corners guys but the other people!! With the National there it could be a zoo. There are other great roads. The Wayah for instance! So empty in spots that there is a forestry access road off of it and a good place for a unscheduled stop after mornin' coffee!