'15 ES Shock Removal

[CraigRegs]

I'm trying to remove the rear shock on my '15 ES and have reached a hurdle. I'm having trouble removing the DC motor coupler and can't find the stepper motor coupler. As a picture is worth a thousand words, this video may save me a lot of typing.



Second bit: The FSM doesn't say as much, but it appears the shock must be lifted up for removal rather than dropped down. The swing arm doesn't appear to have room to allow the shock, with its ES appendages, to drop through. So does the metal tray that cradles the DC motor have to be removed to create room to lift the shock up? Again, the manual says nothing about it. Or have I missed something?

Thanks to the collective for any help.

 

[escapefjrtist]

All I can offer is good luck Craig. I've removed one ES shock from a wrecked '16 so we were able to essentially strip the back half of the bike. I do remember it was a big PITA to remove w/o a lot of disassembly.

Edit to add: If you need a replacement, I think that ES shock is still available. Had approximately 24k miles.

~G

 

[Dan Cooper]

I'm trying to remove the rear shock on my '15 ES and have reached a hurdle. I'm having trouble removing the DC motor coupler and can't find the stepper motor coupler. As a picture is worth a thousand words, this video may save me a lot of typing.



Second bit: The FSM doesn't say as much, but it appears the shock must be lifted up for removal rather than dropped down. The swing arm doesn't appear to have room to allow the shock, with its ES appendages, to drop through. So does the metal tray that cradles the DC motor have to be removed to create room to lift the shock up? Again, the manual says nothing about it. Or have I missed something?

Thanks to the collective for any help.

I have no direct experience with shock removal from an ES model, so I may not know what I'm talking about.
Also don't know just what contortions you may have already tried.

After studying the photos of an ES shock on E-bay, I'd say the unit is not bulkier than any other aftermarket shock with a remote canister and remote preload adjuster.

When r/r the OEM or aftermarket shock on my present or past FJR-A models the shock comes out to the right rear between the swingarm and the front of the rear fender (top first) by removing nothing more than that plate bolted to the bottom of the subframe and the mufflers.
To make room for that I place the scooter on the lift with the rear wheel hanging out in the air so that when the shock is disconnected from the top mount and the dog bone the swingarm will drop all the way down as low as possible. Support the rear wheel while removing the cross plate and the upper and lower shock mount bolts. It will drop a little lower if the bolts holding the back of the cat are removed. Then the shock and its attachments will slide out to the right rear. It does not come out the top. Didn't take more than an hour either out or in.
I have done that both with and without the rear wheel in place. With the rear wheel in place the weight of the wheel helps keep the swingarm from trying to rise while you work.

Replacement, so they say, is the reverse.

I've done this multiple times with multiple shocks through the years, and the Gen 3 was even easier than the Gen 1 as there seemed to be more room between the swingarm and the rear fender.


dan

Good judgement comes from experience.
Experience comes from bad judgement. Mark Twain

 

[Oldjeep]

Wouldn't it be easier to remove the one bolt holding the swing arm on and get it out of the way so you can drop shock?

 

[Dan Cooper]

Wouldn't it be easier to remove the one bolt holding the swing arm on and get it out of the way so you can drop shock?

You mean disassemble the entire rear end of the scooter?? No, not easier than removing the muffler.
Letting the swingarm drop to its extreme lower limit provides plenty of room to remove the shock.

dan

 

[CraigRegs]

I posted more about this on fjriders.com, but here's the summary:

Just finished a call with George and we think the way to skin this cat is removing the swingarm. That will provide clearance to allow the shock and attached plumbing and electronics to lift up and out. Unfortunately, I don't have time to do that, get the shock rebuilt and reinstalled before leaving 8/30 for Reuben Run. So, I'll start putting parts back into the general vicinity of whence they came, and hope to tear back into this after I return from SFO in November.

 

[Dan Cooper]

I posted more about this on fjriders.com, but here's the summary:

Just finished a call with George and we think the way to skin this cat is removing the swingarm. That will provide clearance to allow the shock and attached plumbing and electronics to lift up and out. Unfortunately, I don't have time to do that, get the shock rebuilt and reinstalled before leaving 8/30 for Reuben Run. So, I'll start putting parts back into the general vicinity of whence they came, and hope to tear back into this after I return from SFO in November.

Yeah, I saw that thread over on the other forum. I'm not registered over there, that's why I replied over here. Just trying to save you some effort.

Absolutely, your scooter, your call.

But, on the way to removing the swingarm you will pass right by the point where you could try my method for free!!
Might save you some time and effort. YMMV.



Good Luck,
dan

 

[Oldjeep]

You mean disassemble the entire rear end of the scooter?? No, not easier than removing the muffler.
Letting the swingarm drop to its extreme lower limit provides plenty of room to remove the shock.

dan

Why would you remove the muffler to remove the swing arm?

 

[Dan Cooper]

Why would you remove the muffler to remove the swing arm?

I wouldn't remove the swingarm, not necessary.
Would you really remove the swingarm without removing the mufflers or anything else??

I remove the right muffler to slide the shock out over the swingarm on the right rear between the swingarm and rear fender without removing the swingarm. May not even have to remove the muffler, don't remember for sure, but does provide a little easier access to work and way easier to do than removing the swingarm.

On the A models the OEM shock, and some aftermarket shocks, will bottom load through the swingarm. But the aftermarket shock I have has the expansion canister attached directly to the top of the shock and will not pass through the hole in the swingarm. Therefore, my shock is r / r by the method I mentioned above without collateral disassembly. Sounds like removing the shock from an ES model is the same problem.

Craig asked for help on this forum and the other one and pretty much got nothing.
I have direct experience with this process and offered my experience. Isn't that what these forums are all about?
I have no control over what anyone else does. Some do things the hard way, someone may even have an easier way.
Everyone makes their own choices.

dan

That's all I've got to say about that. -- Forest Gump

 

[Oldjeep]

I was just curious. I took my swing arm off to grease it, and once the rear wheel is off it is maybe 10-15 minutes to remove the dog bone bolts, pumpkin, shifter mount and swingarm bolt.

 

[CraigRegs]

Dan Cooper for the win! Removing the mufflers allowed the swingarm to drop enough to provide sufficient room to lift out the shock. It's off to EPM for a rebuild. We'll see if I notice any improvement. Thanks Dan.

 

[2GENAE]

Dan Cooper for the win! Removing the mufflers allowed the swingarm to drop enough to provide sufficient room to lift out the shock. It's off to EPM for a rebuild. We'll see if I notice any improvement. Thanks Dan.

Dan showed me how to do this on my 2008 AE so Dan has done this to Gen I/II/III . His Wilbers shock has been on several different FJR he has owned over the years. Plus removing it several times to be rebuilt. Thanks for the details on this procedure Dan. Thumbs UP
Louis