929 Shock Install 4 GEN WITH PICS !!!

Installing one as I type, sorta...Ill be back with some pics...

In but had to trim the front battery box heat shield and now the coils wont fit back to there location so a bit more work....back in a few

Ok as promised Im back. Got her in and a quick ride to make sure the rear end didnt fall out and its good. I cant really tell you how much better the ride is but the sag adjustment, and rebound adjust a far more superior than the stock unit. The 929 shock preload is about half and sag was perfect so plenty of room up or down. I have an Ohlins shock coming but wanted to try this mod first and see if I would live with it before the $$$ Ohlins get installed.

I read the factory manual and it stated only the front battery panel needed to come out, not the whole rear fender. I needed to clean and oil my K/N air filter and install some new rear plugs anyway so was great timing. I removed the seat, gas tank, front and middle rear cowl bolts. I then used some foam to help keep the cowl out of the way for gas tank removal and install. Then the Battery and rear coil pack comes out. Next remove the front battery heat shield.
Here is where you start :




Remove the shock my taking out the lower shock bolt and the top horizontal bolt. Then remove upper bracket. I then reinsert the not on the bolt and using a special bolt removal hammer I pounded her thru :




I went to a few stores to find a 10x110/114x1.25 bolt with no luck. Then I remembered I forgot to look in my bolt tray at home and what do you know, a perfect 10x114x1.25 bolt was in there and a nice spacer to boot!

Measuring the old shock eye to eye next to the new 929 shock I came up with 1.5 " so I made the call at 39mm for the spacer as other have mentioned. I wanted something to lock into the top factory location too so when adjusting the preload the shock would stay in place. I cut the spacer down to include the top plate bracket to a total of 39mm. My friend Tori, 6 gen owner and my bikes previous owner, help to measure, cut, and tack it together. The lock plate was laying on his shop floor and was the perfect width!




Just in case I needed to adjust the height we left the bottom of the spacer unwelded for now to the lower mount. We ground down the new bolt head for clearance but I didnt want it too thin so I also took some material off the top of the shock. Im not sure how much pivot it needs but has plenty now.



I then install the upper bracket to the frame and with a little effort got the 929 bottom lined up then the top slide in after I lower the rear wheel a bit (had a 1x2 under it).





Next was the fight with the heat shield. With a set of good Tin Snipes I WON! Not much cutting required maybe about 1/2 inch to the side that goes across the reservoir and about 3/4 of an inch to go around the right side of the reservoir. Sorry was a little flustered and late and forgot to snap a shot.

I was so happy until it was coil mounting time...no go...bottom of coils hitting reservoir! After alot of trial and errors I removed the stock mounting bracket, pounded a small L bracket flat and holes lined up perfect! Cut the end off for a perfect fit!











Ill let you know what I think when I can really take it out and see how she does. For now a much improved shock for the cost and worth the little issues to install. Brian

 

Here's what I did:








The coils were the hardest part of the whole mod. I finally figured out to split the coils apart from the bracket and relocate the right one onto the subframe and the left one remounted to the right side, slightly bending the bracket so it clears the other coil.

I did this January 07 and I haven't had a bit of trouble with it. Much better than the stock one (spring rate is better for my weight) plus it can be rebuilt for about half the cost of an aftermarket one.

 

Now you show up Rev What size spacer is that? Looks smaller than 39mm?

 

LOL you guys crack me up.. good job Brian..

 

Nice work SLO.

Since you are getting an Ohlins, want to sell me all your hard work in that 929 and the modded hardware?

 

It's 1.5" aluminum bar stock, 42mm long. Makes up the length difference between the two shocks for those who don't know. I also had to trim the heat shield but I found another one on ebay a few weeks after so if I ever want to revert to stock or waste the money to buy an aftermarket one, I can replace it.