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Rear suspension 'locking' up.


superhawk996

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Took a ride a few weeks ago and while sitting at a stop light I felt the rear pop up a bit, not enough to be sure, but it seemed like it.  After that it seemed a little stiff, but figured it all musta been in my head.  After a couple more rides it's definitely got a problem.  It seems fine cold but something is binding up as it gets hot.  After my last ride I tried to center stand it from the seat, parking is tight so it's the best option, and I couldn't get it up.  😶    I stepped off and lifted on the grab bar and it creaked and lifted.  I was then able to center stand it.

 

It has a little over 50k miles and a Penske shock with unknown miles.  I think it's the shock, but figured I'd check to see if anyone's got ideas before I start digging in.  Looking at the linkage I don't see anything obviously wrong.  My thought at this point is to remove the shock and if I can't find an issue with the linkage/swingarm I'll swap in a stock shock to see what happens hot.

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There are bearings in the link, do you think that they could be binding up?  The reason I say that is because at one time I put a lowering link on that had bushings not bearings and it acted like that.  I had a machine shop bore it out and put the Honda bearings in and all was good.

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Anything's possible.  There's so much leverage on everything it's hard to imagine how it could happen.  Hopefully whatever it is becomes obvious once I tear into it even tho the problem seems to be heat related.  I haven't checked it again after the last time it got hot & tight, but it's been through at least three cycles of doing this and coming back to seemingly normal after it sits.

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Is the linkage OEM? I recall someone way back when having an issue with an adjustable link that involved a failing heim joint.

 

If the linkage is OEM, my money is on the shock. I kinda lean towards the shock regardless, it being heat related and all. Who knows how old and nasty the oil in that thing is.

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I believe the linkage is stock.  I too lean towards the shock being the problem.

 

It's rebuildable as long as the body isn't damaged.  If something's gone so wrong that there's that much friction in it my guess is that the body would be fucked.  I have no idea how many miles are it, but it was supposedly from a group buy which was many years ago.  If the linkage turns out to be ok I'll open the shock up and see what it looks like.  And actually, it should probably be serviced anyway to prevent it becoming fucked up.

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I have a Penske on my XX and it was also unknown miles. It started doing the EXACT same thing yours is doing. Sent it in for a "rebuild", which you are supposed to do every 2 or 3 years apparently, and its been perfect since.

 

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1 hour ago, RichardCranium said:

I have a Penske on my XX and it was also unknown miles. It started doing the EXACT same thing yours is doing. Sent it in for a "rebuild", which you are supposed to do every 2 or 3 years apparently, and its been perfect since.

 

 

Thank you!  My gut said it was the shock but I'd never heard of a shock doing this, maybe it's a Penske thing.  It's comforting to know yours was still rebuildable after doing that.

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I just talked to them and the guy said the likely cause is the urethane extension bumper has deteriorated and the material is clogging up the valves.  Explains why it's a time failure and not just miles.  They've switched materials so it shouldn't happen again.  I was gonna rebuild it myself, but it might be worth letting the pros do it.  They charge $150 + return shipping.  I'll figure out which route to take once I remove it and see if I'm in the mood to crack into it.

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The main hurdle to servicing the shock yourself will be the nitrogen purge when you're done, assuming you can get the PSI spec. It's usually a pretty specific number and not an easy target to hit without the correct equipment. There's also probably some proprietary tools involved, but shit like that can usually be worked around by creative types. ;)

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I have nitrogen and could rig up a fitting....I think, I'd have to re-check my bastard gas cylinder pile.  I think it's 150 PSI, but not sure.

 

I did buy it used and gave re-tuning some thought, pretty sure the PO was heavier than I am.  There's lots of places I could send it, but I assume the manufacturer is more likely to have the latest updated parts & service procedures.  The guy I talked to at Penske told me there are closer places that would save me $ on shipping.  When I asked if he had one he'd recommend, no.  It could be covering their asses, or just wanting the work; don't know, but he didn't seem to be at all pushy about me sending it to them VS someone else.  They supposedly dyno test every shock after rebuilding, that should at least reduce the chance of getting a mistake shipped back.

 

Before I send it to Penske I'll be researching local shops and go from there.  It's possible that another shop will do stuff better than Penske, don't know.

Edited by superhawk996
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  • 2 weeks later...

I send mine to Cogent Dynamics due to recommendations from one or more board members.

https://www.motocd.com/

It was about $150.

Its in NC though and with you being in Cali I'm sure there is no shortage of competent  shops nearby.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I was 99% decided on sending the shock to a pro, then decided to just dig in & see.  It's only a shock, worst case scen.....  The suspected urethane extension bumper was the culprit, it disintegrated and there was shit all jammed up in the piston/valves.  The extension stopper set-up is retarded looking, no wonder it beat the shit out of the urethane bumper.  It looks like a piece of PVC pipe floating between the valve & bumper so it doesn't contact the whole bumper.  I'll take some pics or maybe do a video, too hard to describe.

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