Penske 8983 FJ-09 Shock Replacement How To

[docsimple]

very nice. I bought yet more tools to get that bolt out!

[hotboot]

Very nice, a worthy investment. Good job of resi placement and detailing.

[badger]

I also did this over the holidays. This was a great thread to get me started, but even at that getting at the lower shock bolt as well as the dogbone had me scratching my head quite a bit. Wound up buying a metric set of crows feet (I never mind buying more tools) to get the job done.
 
It's so curious that Yamaha mad a hole to access one side of the dogbone but not the other. I take the shock out of my GSX-R every year for a rebuild and that's a simple process, well except for having to remove the tank which I did to the FJ-09 too (not removed, just pivoted forward). And I have the service manual which wasn't any help. All it said was to remove the upper and lower shock bolts. Great, thanks...
 
I'm not totally happy with how I mounted the reservoir (it's identical to the last pic someone posted), but it's the only place it will fit. If I were to do it over, I might think about ordering a longer hose between the shock and reservoir.

[docsimple]

you probably mean how I mounted mine. If it bugs you send the unit back for a longer hose. Or just buy the hose and when the shock gets rebuilt add it on. My shock had been purchased for an FZ 09 and thats why it had the short hose.

[badger]

you probably mean how I mounted mine. If it bugs you send the unit back for a longer hose. Or just buy the hose and when the shock gets rebuilt add it on. My shock had been purchased for an FZ 09 and thats why it had the short hose.

Yes doc, I was referring to your pic.  I used zip ties, more as a temporary measure, until I can get some ride time in to see if the reservoir will be stable there.  Though so far it's stayed rock solid in the garage (can't ride in Wisconsin now).    I like your idea of getting a longer hose when I get the shock serviced, will keep that in my back pocket.  Funny, I also have the Battery Tender pigtail zip tied in the exact same spot as well. 

[docsimple]

Its been rock solid for me for a few hundred miles. As my world is a sheet of ice right now it will be a bit before I get back on the horse, but it works and I expect I will leave it that way. I'm running out of farkling money for a while so this seems to be the least of my concerns.
 
And thats just the best spot for the pigtail

[badger]

doc - Did you use both rubber bumper things or just one?

[docsimple]

I had to go look
 
It's just the one under the clamp ring. I had to fiddle with it a bit to get the end away from the plastic shroud so it doesn't scratch it to bad.

[badger]

Thanks. I used both rubber thingies but also used 3 zip ties. Again, I'll leave it until I have a chance to get out and test it.

[betoney]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but after reading through this and inspecting the bike for almost 30 minutes now, I cant understand how to remove one single bolt. I can access the lower dog bone nut, but there is zero clearance to get the bolt out. I cant access either side of the upper mount at all, both sides are obstructed by wiring and hoses that do not budge out of the way. And don't get me started on the lower shock mount, unless you have a 2" long wrench with zero leverage, there is zero access. I'm not even sure how they possibly assembled this bike. On my FZ1 I could remove and replace the shock in about 15 minutes. After wrenching on bikes for over 40 years and doing almost all of my own maintenance, I am thoroughly stumped with this bike.
 

[clint]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but after reading through this and inspecting the bike for almost 30 minutes now, I cant understand how to remove one single bolt. I can access the lower dog bone nut, but there is zero clearance to get the bolt out. I cant access either side of the upper mount at all, both sides are obstructed by wiring and hoses that do not budge out of the way. And don't get me started on the lower shock mount, unless you have a 2" long wrench with zero leverage, there is zero access. I'm not even sure how they possibly assembled this bike. On my FZ1 I could remove and replace the shock in about 15 minutes. After wrenching on bikes for over 40 years and doing almost all of my own maintenance, I am thoroughly stumped with this bike.

I just replaced my shock and it was fairly straight forward. Start with it on the center stand then remove the front bolt using a ratchet and extension. It fits just fine through the wiring. Just nudge it aside. Next, remove the middle dog-bone bolt through the hole in the swing-arm.
Now, you can raise the swingarm up by placing a 2x4 under the rear wheel. Raise it up until you can get a ratchet and wrench on the lower shock bolt.

Install the new shock attaching the front bolt first, then rear shock bolt, then dog bone.

[betoney]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but after reading through this and inspecting the bike for almost 30 minutes now, I cant understand how to remove one single bolt. I can access the lower dog bone nut, but there is zero clearance to get the bolt out. I cant access either side of the upper mount at all, both sides are obstructed by wiring and hoses that do not budge out of the way. And don't get me started on the lower shock mount, unless you have a 2" long wrench with zero leverage, there is zero access. I'm not even sure how they possibly assembled this bike. On my FZ1 I could remove and replace the shock in about 15 minutes. After wrenching on bikes for over 40 years and doing almost all of my own maintenance, I am thoroughly stumped with this bike.

I just replaced my shock and it was fairly straight forward. Start with it on the center stand then remove the front bolt using a ratchet and extension. It fits just fine through the wiring. Just nudge it aside. Next, remove the middle dog-bone bolt through the hole in the swing-arm.
Now, you can raise the swingarm up by placing a 2x4 under the rear wheel. Raise it up until you can get a ratchet and wrench on the lower shock bolt.

Install the new shock attaching the front bolt first, then rear shock bolt, then dog bone.

Clint 
So, the top bolt has to be removed first, that is the only way to get the swingarm to move enough?     Because the lower shock bolt is one of the things still kicking my butt.  The way I have been trying it, I have removed the lower dogbone bolt which allows the swingarm to be lowered slightly, only exposing the top half of the nut.  There is simply no room to get the socket AND ratchet on there.  I am using a standard depth socket, which has about 2-3mm clearance to the swingarm, without attaching the ratchet.
 
I will try it your way, but I sure am having a hard time accessing either side of the top mount.  The wiring harness simply doesn't want to flex or move at all.
 
Thanks again for your help!
 

[carey]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but after reading through this and inspecting the bike for almost 30 minutes now, I cant understand how to remove one single bolt. I can access the lower dog bone nut, but there is zero clearance to get the bolt out. I cant access either side of the upper mount at all, both sides are obstructed by wiring and hoses that do not budge out of the way. And don't get me started on the lower shock mount, unless you have a 2" long wrench with zero leverage, there is zero access. I'm not even sure how they possibly assembled this bike. On my FZ1 I could remove and replace the shock in about 15 minutes. After wrenching on bikes for over 40 years and doing almost all of my own maintenance, I am thoroughly stumped with this bike.

The lower shock bolt was a pita, but I got mine out using the assortment of wrenches I had. I ended up using a both a box end and an open end. I could only get only get the nit to turn a very small amount, and worked from both the nut side (left) and the bolt head side (right).  Installation went a lot smoother than removal. For the top shock bolt, I came in from the side through the frame as the others, but I had the benefit that my gas tank was removed to install some electrical accessories.
 

[betoney]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but after reading through this and inspecting the bike for almost 30 minutes now, I cant understand how to remove one single bolt. I can access the lower dog bone nut, but there is zero clearance to get the bolt out. I cant access either side of the upper mount at all, both sides are obstructed by wiring and hoses that do not budge out of the way. And don't get me started on the lower shock mount, unless you have a 2" long wrench with zero leverage, there is zero access. I'm not even sure how they possibly assembled this bike. On my FZ1 I could remove and replace the shock in about 15 minutes. After wrenching on bikes for over 40 years and doing almost all of my own maintenance, I am thoroughly stumped with this bike.

The lower shock bolt was a pita, but I got mine out using the assortment of wrenches I had. I ended up using a both a box end and an open end. I could only get only get the nit to turn a very small amount, and worked from both the nut side (left) and the bolt head side (right).  Installation went a lot smoother than removal. For the top shock bolt, I came in from the side through the frame as the others, but I had the benefit that my gas tank was removed to install some electrical accessories.

I'm beginning to think that my only hope is to completely remove the tank to aid in access.  Regardless what everyone says to just move the wiring to the side to access the top mount, I simply cant move them even a few millimeters, let alone enough to even see the bolt.  I know that some say its a 15 minute procedure, but the only progress I made today was removing the lower dog bone bolt.  I feel like a frickin' idiot, I finally gave up and threw all of my tools back in the tool box in frustration. 
 

[clint]

The lower shock bolt was a pita, but I got mine out using the assortment of wrenches I had. I ended up using a both a box end and an open end. I could only get only get the nit to turn a very small amount, and worked from both the nut side (left) and the bolt head side (right).  Installation went a lot smoother than removal. For the top shock bolt, I came in from the side through the frame as the others, but I had the benefit that my gas tank was removed to install some electrical accessories.

I'm beginning to think that my only hope is to completely remove the tank to aid in access.  Regardless what everyone says to just move the wiring to the side to access the top mount, I simply cant move them even a few millimeters, let alone enough to even see the bolt.  I know that some say its a 15 minute procedure, but the only progress I made today was removing the lower dog bone bolt.  I feel like a frickin' idiot, I finally gave up and threw all of my tools back in the tool box in frustration. 

Okay, let's take a step back. Make sure you're getting to it from the right side of the bike. Right side, as you sit on it. This is what it looks like on mine. You might want to tape off that area of the frame to keep from scratching it up.