As per the title, I have just noticed a couple of hairline cracks in the bottom eye of a rear shock absorber In the bin or what - all opinions appreciated.
What shock is it? 75% not a junk the shock job... get it to MCT, that guy can do pretty much anything. If it's Ohlins it all comes apart and every part is replaceable. Even if not official parts often Darren can work magic.
Needs a new bottom. Dump the gas. Undo the broken part and replace. Fresh gas and jobs done. The question is, how did this crack in the first place.
Oh my it is old.... about 6 years & 40k miles old in all weathers. I first noticed some play in the swingarm and after a clean & a shock service it was found the bearing had pretty much collapsed & was replaced. And it was probably in that collapsed state for a good few miles.... I'm pretty damn sure the cracks weren't there when I picked it up and I'd I like to think I would have noticed them straight away. Since then, 2 weeks ago, the shock has just sat on the garage floor with the occasional lever from me just to see the available movement the bearing can provide. Can hidden cracks/weaknesses 'grow' when put under new/more stress?
"...Can hidden cracks/weaknesses 'grow' when put under new/more stress?.." Most certainly YES! It's how they grow in the first place...
Now don't beat about the bush Ricky.... just give a straight answer With hindsight I reckon I ran it with a knackered bearing for too long.... ho hum. I noticed a quiet squeak when bouncing the rear that disappeared with a squirt of WD40. This was probably when the bearing started to fail. As it got worse it introduced too much play which in turn placed too much stress on the eye casting causing a failure point. Then the (act of) removing/replacing the bearing/spacers introduced yet more stress which was sufficient for the cracks to actually appear. Rs... we live and sometimes learn...
Well... in the end I didn't bother repairing the shock (although I have kept it just in case) and bought a replacement YSS shock instead. And I have to say I'm quite impressed. It came with a lower rated spring and from the off you could see it provided a lot more movement and when riding you can feel the difference adjusting the damping makes. It's only weak spot is in it's high speed damping traversing really silly sharp bumps & potholes - but I suspect only top end kit provides this. So for my real world scabby, bumpy B & inner city road commute it's pretty much spot on even when err.... pressing on when the occasion demands. The best compliment I could say is that I don't really notice it working. What it would be like for 10 tenths riding I wouldn't like to say.
Good to see a bit of feedback on YSS shocks. I need a replacement for the Sachs Unit on my Aprilia and the YSS comes in over £100 less than a Nitron. Although I also know you get what you pay for, as I found out when I bought a Shark Helmet instead of spending £100 more on a Shoei ! It was good, but not as Good.
I'm not that heavy but I often think many of the aftermarket shocks go for a too hard spring. And I'm not so sure that is because it's thought necessary, by the public perhaps, for a 'racing' shock. Perhaps good on a track but not so jolly on the B4040 on a rainy November evening. And whether the extra £100 is because it's made in the UK with corresponding higher production costs or because there is a £100 worth of more quality is a moot point. Although having said that I'm not sure how rebuild-able the YSS is - it does however feel very well made. I think it was Colin Chapman of Lotus fame who said "soft springs & firm damping".
