[MrOrvis]

Have a 87 GSX-R1100 and would like to recharge rear shock unfortunately can find recomended nitrogen pressure rating...can someone help me out? Looking to possible rebuild/refresh oil also..do not want to spend big bucks on new shock!
Bike has only 8000mi. on clock, to many other hobbies/bikes to compete for my time/money.

 

[formula956]

I asked this question a few days ago and got an answer of 180 psi. The hard part is finding someone to do it

I finally found a local bike shop to do it.

 

[doug]

racetech gold valve if they make it for that year, go to there web site and do a valving search comes with a video on how to rebuild the shock and if you have reasonable mechanical skills it is not hard. 180 psi nitrogen or dry air to recharge the problem is air compressors normally dont go that high and you can not check it with a pressure gauge because every time you take a reading it bleeds a lot of pressure due to the small volume of nitrogen or air in the system. I have a local goodyear tire centre that uses nitrogen to purge air conditioning systems before they recharge them. Put a tire chuck on the line set the regulator to 180 and hit the valve and you are done no need to check it as the reg is set to the correct pressure. doug

 

[FastCat]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by doug:
racetech gold valve if they make it for that year, ...<hr></blockquote>

Does rebuilding the OEM unit with the "gold valve emulator" really approximate the same kind of unit that's available from say Ohlins or Fox? I've been planning on just replacing my rear shock with a better one, but I'd be *really* interested to hear what kind of experience anyone has had with the gold valve emulator stuff on the old skoolers.

 

[doug]

I have the 40mm showa shock from a 91 on my 86 with a gold valve and I feel its as good as anything one can buy. I will temper that with the fact that I have adjusted the shim stack 4 times to get the adjusters backed virtually all the way off so that the internal shim stack is doing all the work and the small orifice passages are not restricting the flow. The external adjustments are nice to get you set in the right direction but I personally feel its a big advantage to be able to take the shock apart and change the valving to get maximum performance this is something that you cannot do easily with other aftermarket shocks, and if you go to this much trouble for the price spent I feel there is now comparison, however it does lack in bragging rights.

 

[Ragnar]

What do you guys think about the shock rebuild from Lindemann Engineering? They quoted me $175 for the rebuild on my '88 1100, which I thought was reasonable if it did the trick. However, it is another $100 if you replace the spring. So my big question is this...what is the main problem with the stock unit? Is it just valved shitily or does it need a new spring also? My technical descriptive skills amounted to "the ride sucks", when talking with the president of the company himself. I won't say I'm embarassed, but any technical description of this beast in stock form would would help huge. My guess is that either way from a money standpoint the rebuild would be a lot cheaper way to go for similar performance? Thanks guys.

 

[FastCat]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Ragnar:
What do you guys think about the shock rebuild from Lindemann Engineering? They quoted me $175 for the rebuild on my '88 1100, which I thought was reasonable if it did the trick. However, it is another $100 if you replace the spring. So my big question is this...what is the main problem with the stock unit? Is it just valved shitily or does it need a new spring also? My technical descriptive skills amounted to "the ride sucks", when talking with the president of the company himself. I won't say I'm embarassed, but any technical description of this beast in stock form would would help huge. My guess is that either way from a money standpoint the rebuild would be a lot cheaper way to go for similar performance? Thanks guys.

<hr></blockquote>

I dunno anything about Lindemann... I've never dealt with them. I can tell you this about my `89, the stock spring is far too soft for my 150lbs even when the preload is cranked up. I put it down to poor materials used in the OEM spring and 31,000 miles on my bike before I got my grubby paws on it. I'll be replacing my spring along with whatever I decide to do (new or rebuild) with the shock itself.

 

[doug]

Linderman or racetech are both fine, as to the spring it is REALLY IMPORTANT to get the right spring rate if you want your bike to handle properly. Trying to make up for a bagged wrong rate spring with a shock whose only purpose is to dampen oscilations of the spring, not change the effective spring rate is doomed to failure. Learn to set the sag of the springs front and back correctly and you will be amased at what it does for handling. If you cannot get the sag correct then you have the wrong rate of spring.

 

[FastCat]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Ragnar:
What do you guys think about the shock rebuild from Lindemann Engineering? They quoted me $175 for the rebuild on my '88 1100, which I thought was reasonable if it did the trick. However, it is another $100 if you replace the spring. So my big question is this...what is the main problem with the stock unit? Is it just valved shitily or does it need a new spring also? My technical descriptive skills amounted to "the ride sucks", when talking with the president of the company himself. I won't say I'm embarassed, but any technical description of this beast in stock form would would help huge. My guess is that either way from a money standpoint the rebuild would be a lot cheaper way to go for similar performance? Thanks guys.

<hr></blockquote>

I dunno anything about Lindemann... I've never dealt with them. I can tell you this about my `89, the stock spring is far too soft for my 150lbs even when the preload is cranked up. I put it down to poor materials used in the OEM spring and 31,000 miles on my bike before I got my grubby paws on it. I'll be replacing my spring along with whatever I decide to do (new or rebuild) with the shock itself.

 

[colorado_matt]

spring rates on older gsxr's were typically too soft. also, the piston ports were probably too small to gain full advantage of cartridge-type (shim stack) suspension systems. racetech pistons have bigger ports which flow more oil than stock pistons, thereby putting the dampening duties on the shim stack rather than having just orifice-style dampening (forcing oil thru a small hole) as found with stock suspension pistons. hope this helps.
matthew

 

[colorado_matt]

a few other things, if you're looking to recharge the shock, i take it that's because the shock needs it. if so, you might just as well rebuild the shock (new oil, oil seal, possibly shock-shaft bushing, etc.). the nitrogen charge the shock holds won't just leak out unless some part of the system is worn out.

 

[bcjohn]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Ragnar:
What do you guys think about the shock rebuild from Lindemann Engineering? They quoted me $175 for the rebuild on my '88 1100, which I thought was reasonable if it did the trick. However, it is another $100 if you replace the spring. So my big question is this...what is the main problem with the stock unit? Is it just valved shitily or does it need a new spring also? My technical descriptive skills amounted to "the ride sucks", when talking with the president of the company himself. I won't say I'm embarassed, but any technical description of this beast in stock form would would help huge. My guess is that either way from a money standpoint the rebuild would be a lot cheaper way to go for similar performance? Thanks guys.

<hr></blockquote>


Lindemann do good work. And yes, you need a new spring as well as the shock mods. The factory spring is excellent if you don't plan to ride the bike, or weigh under 50 lbs (arrrrggggh). So go for the two together and enjoy street bliss. The modified street shocks start to show their limitations on the track due to not having the oil or nitrogen capacities of the $$$$ aftermarket items. That said, you still get one helluva combo compared to the stock shit!!! Watch out for RaceTech's advised spring rates. It would appear that their wet weight database is flawed, containing some dry weights which really fuck up what they might sell you. Ask my buddy and his TLs!!