I have recently been investigating the carbed SS rear shocks having fitted an aluminium swingarm to my 750. With assistance from Gaz92 who is overhauling his Showa shock I have discovered that the Sach Boge shock fitted to 600s, 750s and some 900s with steel swingarms; should not be fitted to the aluminium swingarm (I'm referring to the lighter braced swingarm) despite them being the same length and loading capabilities. Now that I have both Showa and Sachs Boge shocks, I can see that the aluminium swingarm lugs are wider (when looking from the side) than the steel swingarm. Although the Sachs Boge shock will fit in the ally swingarm lugs quite normally, the SB shock is thicker at the lower eye, in width than compared with the Showa. The spherical bearings and bushes in the eyes of the SB shock are also larger diameter than those in the Showa. This means that the SB shock cannot fully 'rotate' side to side on the spherical bearing and transfer certain loads to the mounting bolt like it should because the SB eye itself can smack against the lug with a sideways force and I think that a large enough bump could cause the lug to snap off. I think I can confirm the above is correct because I have found a 1996 900SS owners handbook that clearly indicates that the SP version has an aluminium swingarm with the Showa shock; while the CR version has a steel swingarm with the Sachs Boge shock. Therefore this may also apply if anyone has fitted a longer Sachs Boge shock from an IE SS to a carbed SS ally swingarm; and I suggest the bottom mount is examined while turning the shock from side to side to see if the same condition arises. AL
Good find Al. Any pics so I can see what you mean as I changed the shock on mine from a quaudrant to a shock from another 750 but not sure which one it is. Mine has an ally swing arm and the shock seems ok but some times a picture says a thousand words!!
If it is a Sachs Boge, it should have a blue adjustment knob on top the reservoir.......plus the reservoir looks a bit like a tin can instead of the Showa one which is all part of the castings......have a quick look at the pics in this thread http://ducatiforum.co.uk/f41/rear-shock-10811/ However, some SSs were fitted with Ohlins or WP over the years..... All you have to do to be sure, is get down low so you can closely see the bottom mount and then turn (rotate) the shock from side to side and see if the metal of the eye itself actually touches the swingarm lugs. If you have time just take a pic of yours and I'll let you know what I see...... However, I will be fitting the Showa to mine tomorrow so I will put the SB in place first and take pics of both at the lower mount. AL
Well it looks like I have the SB shock on mine, but I must say it doesn't look as tight as yours Al. I'll have to put the Quadrant one back on, will add this to the list for the engine over hall!!
Al, my 750 and 600 both ran ally swung arms (both very slightly different swing arms too. But the 600 ran the boge and the 750 a Showa shock and never experienced any issues with either? The 750 and I have now parted ways so I can't take any pics unfortunately
Mine isn't tight..............The Sachs Boge shock is turned anticlockwise to the left on its bearing to show how the shock eye hits the swingarm lug, before the bearing is at max rotation...IE there isn't enough movement in the mount and bearing to allow the bearing to to its job properly because it is 'trapped' by the lugs. This means that loads that should be transferred to the bearing and the bolt, could possibly exert a force through the shock eye itself (not the bearing) into the lugs. If Ducati didn't do it (fit the SB shock in the ally swingarm) then I guess we can safely assume it shouldn't be done. AL
