A visit to KFG Racing (new owner of GP Suspension)

[blufjr]

Thank Hudson, Bryan, Skooter and all others responding to this post. It has been fun and pretty much on topic, an unusual thing. I have concluded that I am to determine the longevity of the fork shocks and rear shock service and rebuild intervals based on my education on this subject, seat of the pants knowledge and mixing that with my riding style and number of miles put on the bike yearly. Knowing that this is going to be different from everyone else, my intervals will be different. Also knowing (or assuming) that Dave and Barry are going to error on the safe side (less miles) my actual miles may push the limits. Saying that, and doing 20K plus each year, I have tried to do this work every other year, pushing 40K on each front and back with front oil changes each year. It seams to work and I don't notice any real difference in the performance. My last oil change showed that the 05 shims were in good shape and didn't need to be replaced (Dave did it). The rear shock was showing signs of bottoming out but not bad so it was only during the final months. Based on my weight and what I haul around, etc. This interval is working for me.

 

[gumba]

I had a Penske puke at 33600 mi.. This in a high desert (dry) light duty environment. Always one-up and seldom with bags. The shock performed well right up until the day it took a ****.

 

[SkooterG]

I had a Penske puke at 33600 mi.. This in a high desert (dry) light duty environment. Always one-up and seldom with bags. The shock performed well right up until the day it took a ****.

Which was when? At 33700 miles?

 

[dcarver]

Follow the Candy Butt *** prezident, will yah?

Once every year get off yer cheap ***, open the wallet, and have your suspension done!

 

[gumba]

No - at 37000 mi. I had my new (spare) Penske mounted.

 

[SkooterG]

No - at 37000 mi. I had my new (spare) Penske mounted.

Only lasted 3400 miles? WTF?

 

[gumba]

Sorry - that was a typo. Ment to say I had the shock replaced the same day (33700 m.).

 

[SkooterG]

Sorry - that was a typo. Ment to say I had the shock replaced the same day (33700 m.).

The point I was trying to get across, albeit very unsuccessfully, is how many miles did the shock have on it when it 'took a ****'?

 

[gumba]

My first Penske dropped all of it's fluid at 33600 miles. I had heard of this happening so I had a new one setting on the shelf. Might sound like wretched excess, but it paid off. At the time I had an 04 FJ w/o the GPS treatment and 09 with. Every time I would begin to suspect that the suspension of the 09 was falling off, I would take the 04 out for a spin. Kept firmly in the believer camp. I will pay the price for after market,

 

[Hudson]

I think these posts are helpful only to the extent they reveal personal preferences about service. For every 10 of us that change tires or oil or plugs or similar at or near the recommended intervals, there are those that will stretch out service until absolutely necessary or until something breaks.

Until this thread, I didn't know how soon the recommended intervals were for a rear shock service, and what happened if you chose to exceed those intervals. There was never any doubt that service would be required however. I was a bit surprised that the recommended intervals for the rear were about the same as the front (though in truth I shouldn't be, they both do the same job).

What this experience and the pics from KFG have shown me is that shocks are like every other part of the FJR: they don't last forever, and following the intervals means keeping the bike in its intended operating condition. I've clearly noticed the quality degrade as I exceeded the recommended intervals, and while I can easily keep riding well past the service intervals, its not something I prefer to do. I ride more aggressively, and I want the bike to be at its peak condition in handling, as I have more confidence and more control, and therefore, I get more enjoyment when I am riding.

Auburn and I (really Auburn...) put the shock back on, along with a new set of PR2's since we had the tires off anyway and I was within a thousand miles of the tires life. I didn't get a chance to ride it afterwards, maybe this weekend, but simply sitting on the bike and rocking around, I could immediately confirm it was much firmer than before.

If your preferences dictate longer intervals, so be it, though if you are spending close to $2k on this upgrade, I don't know why you'd neglect spending the price of a set of tires not to keep your investment operating at its best. My grandpa and I used to have this argument about servicing his old pickup. I was keen on regular changes, and he would double or even triple the intervals. He wasn't cheap, just thrifty (grew up in the depression) and no amount of facts would convince him otherwise. To each his own.

 

[dcarver]

I think it needs to be Friday again so Auburn and SkooterG can duke it out! You, Hudson, you get to be the referee!

 

[Hudson]

BTW, if you think those intervals are short, that you probably don't ride dirt bikes, where the suspension rebuild intervals are every few thousand miles, and oil changes are every 500-1000 miles.

Don, I am a love perpetrate, not a playa hata'. I would recommend instead folks arrange to meet in WA and take advantage of our newly liberalized herbal laws, and chillax a while....

 

[blufjr]

Don, I am a love perpetrate, not a playa hata'. I would recommend instead folks arrange to meet in WA and take advantage of our newly liberalized herbal laws, and chillax a while....

Amen