Do i need new shocks?

[vfost]

So i bought a 1980 xs 400 about a year and a half ago as my first bike at age 17. So far it has been nothing short of a blast and a perfect starter bike! It had sat for a long time and i bought it off of a friend who gets barn finds and gets them running and sells them. He told me when i bought it that it would probably need shocks after about a half year or so of riding. I still havent replaced them and was just wondering how you really tell wether you need new ones or not?

 

[leedutcher]

really hard to brake or distroy rear shocks unless there bent, rusted out, springs are fatiged. best bet is to just jump on the bike and bounce up and down and see if the shocks recoil. if the do there fine if they bottom out and slowly come back junk them...hope this helps

 

[eric123]

I doubt they need to be replaced...

 

[mookie]

increase the pre-load and your good to go.

 

[thlillyr]

How do u increase the preload. I'm 250 and my shocks are a bit soft for my weight.

 

[HoughMade]

Twist the stepped ring. There is a special tool, but a pair of channel locks with a rag to prevent scratching works. You can see how the "lower" steps un-compress the spring and the "higher" steps compress the spring a bit. Compressing the spring increases preload.

 

[drewpy]

just stick a round bar in the hole opposite the red arrow in the top picture (i use a large philips screwdriver)

 

[Philodoxo]

My bike tend to bounce up and down for a while, after having passed a bump.

I assume this has to do with the inner part of the shock absorber - not the metalspring, which i assume only lift up?

Will the adjustment explained above do anything for the cushioning /shockabsorbtion?

 

[OliverB]

My bike tend to bounce up and down for a while, after having passed a bump.

I assume this has to do with the inner part of the shock absorber - not the metalspring, which i assume only lift up?

Will the adjustment explained above do anything for the cushioning /shockabsorbtion?

Yes, sounds like the damping effect of your shock is no longer there. Tightening the springs won't help. New shocks are most likely needed.

 

[Tannins]

Sorry to hijack, but my 1983 doesn't have this sort of shock, does it?

Where is the adjustment made for my 1983?

Thanks.

 

[drewpy]

Sorry to hijack, but my 1983 doesn't have this sort of shock, does it?

Where is the adjustment made for my 1983?

Thanks.

top of the shock on yours, not sure if you have to lift the seat to do it

 

[Martis]

Sorry for going off topic, but what about front dampers, how do you harden them? mine even bangs on breaking cause it hits the front fender

 

[bentwrench]

top of the shock on yours, not sure if you have to lift the seat to do it

You do - 1983 is easy to spot and adjust once the seat is off. Looks like a set of stairs.

 

[bentwrench]

Sorry for going off topic, but what about front dampers, how do you harden them? mine even bangs on breaking cause it hits the front fender

Replace the front fork oil with a heavier weight oil. Who knows - it may never have been replaced, unless you've done it yourself.

 

[Martis]

Replace the front fork oil with a heavier weight oil. Who knows - it may never have been replaced, unless you've done it yourself.

Most likely never been replaced , Thanks.

 

[bentwrench]

It's a good time to replace your seals too, if they're leaking at all (if they're not, replacing the oil is significantly easier... but if you're going to remove the forks anyway, why not do a complete refresh?)

 

[Martis]

It's a good time to replace your seals too, if they're leaking at all (if they're not, replacing the oil is significantly easier... but if you're going to remove the forks anyway, why not do a complete refresh?)

They're not leaking at all Taking off the forks is too much of a hastle for me. When they start leaking i'll replace the other stuff.

I also read somewhere that it is a huge pain in the ass

Edit: It was your restoration thread