ZX10R Shock Swap with Pics

[koth442]

This isn't too hard, but it is kind of sketchy. I bent the unholy hell out of my spring compressors. I'm light so I reused the stock FJ spring. If you're buying a spring you get to skip that step (yay). 
 
You will need a vise that's bolted down and some sort of spring compressor. I bought one from Amazon. It worked, you get what you pay for. It did bend a bit.
 
https://www.amazon.com/Motorcycle-spring-compressor-treated-universal/dp/B00IVIC0F6/
 
 
Tools:
 
14 & 17mm box end wrenches. Racheting makes your life easier. 
14 & 17mm socket and rachet with 5"+ extension
Long philips screw driver
5mm allen (not pictured)
Small, bright flash light (not pictured)
Magnet pen (not pictured)
 

 
Parts:
Bushing, Yamaha part # 90387-102R4-00
Bolt / Nut, Yamaha part #'s 90105-10210-00 & 95602-10200-00 (any 10mm nut / bolt that is long enough will work. I didn't record the length unfortunately)
 
Onto the removal. Sorry I took the shock off before taking pictures, so these pictures have the swapped ZX shock in them. It doesn't matter though. I put the bike on the center stand. I used a small 2x4 under the back tire to control linkage angles. It came in handy but isn't necessary. Also remove the rear tire hugger. 3 socket caps, use the 5mm allen wrench. 
 
Take off the top mounting bolt. I got lucky and didn't need to hold the bolt head on the other side. The nut just came off. Hopefully you're as lucky. Nut is 14mm. Bolt is 17mm.
 

 
Remove the bolt on the dogbone. The swing arm is hollow to allow you to wiggle the bolt out. I found a 2x4 under the back tire perfectly removed the pressure on the bolt allowing very easy removal. 
 

 
Now take that 2x4 out and drop the swing arm down as low as you can. The racheting box ends come in handy here (more so on reassembly). If you can get your socket / ratchet over the swing arm, great! If not, box ends. 
 

 
The stock shock will come out pretty easily. Now the fun part. If you're not reusing the stock spring, toss the rear shock. If you are, have fun wrestling that stock spring off of there. Use the spring compressor. Tighten each side down evenly. Count turns.
 

 
You don't *need* the spring compressor to remove the stock ZX shock, but I used one anyway. Just made my life a touch easier. Or so I told myself... I held the shock like so in the vice then flipped it over when I needed to compress the other side. Otherwise the spring, and the compressor(s) will spin while you're torquing them. Remember these springs are ~500 lb / in. So 1/2" of preload is 250 lbf. This is nothing to take lightly.
 
Be sure and compress each side in even increments.
 
Once the spring, or either shock, is compressed enough you can slide the retaining clip off the shock. That gap in the retaining clip was placed there for a reason. 
 

 
The bottom mount on the ZX shock is 10mm. The stock FJ is 12mm. I drilled my ZX shock out, but I would not recommend this route. The shoulder on the stock FJ bolt only extended about halfway through the 'other' side of the clevis. You can simply buy part # 90387-102R4-00 and swap the bushing. Also you need a 10mm bolt long enough to go through. Sorry I didn't document the required length because I didn't go that route. 
 
Putting the proper spring on the ZX shock, ensure the spring isn't directional. The FJ stock shock IS directional. The top is slightly wider ID than the bottom. This allows the ring on the ZX shock to slide in between the shock body and the spring. I used the spring compressor to make it easier to put everything together. Get the retaining ring on the bottom of the shock. Add however much preload suits you. I think its easier to remove preload than add preload, so I tried (failed) to add 'extra' preload. When setting the sag I would only have to remove preload. 
 

 
I decided to put reservoir facing down. If you want to have the reservoir facing up, go for it. You'll have to remove the tank and clip some plastic out. I don't *think* the reservoir will rub on anything. But I'm going to keep a close eye on that because it is close. If you find yourself sitting in traffic a lot, you might want to put the reservoir facing up. With fast moving air, the reservoir won't heat up much. In traffic, the nitrogen in there will get cooked pretty good. 
 
Since the ZX shock is slightly longer than stock FJ shock, you're going to have a wrestling match. Get the shock into place by coming from behind the clutch side passenger pegs. Wiggle that puppy around until the top eye is close. From the brake side you can use a flash light to see how close you are. Use the long phillips screw driver to pull the shock into the proper spot. Looking from the back tire, you can see if your phillips screw driver is poking all the way through. Wiggle the shock around until you can loosely move the screw driver in and out. Now get the extension and the bolt. From the back tire, use your left hand to wiggle that bolt into place. Push the screw driver out with the bolt. The screw driver is there so you can see where the hole is. From the side, the hoses / wire harness is in the way making it difficult to see where the bolt has to go. 
 

 
Once the bolt is through, put the nut on and give it a few turns. Don't tighten it all the way down. Now recall the swing arm is hollow, use this to your advantage. Do the bottom shock bolt first. Wiggle that puppy into position then shove that bolt in there. Again, don't tighten all the way, just a few turns on the nut. Using the 2x4 from removal, raise the backtire until the dog bones align with the linkage. Wiggle wiggle yea. Bolt in, nut on. Go back and tighten everything. I couldn't get the swing arm low enough to get a socket / ratchet on the bottom shock bolt. So the ratcheting box ends came in handy. Once you've triple checked that everything is tight, go for a test ride! Or crack a beer and dream about that test ride. Whatever the weather in your area permits!

[jj546]

I just picked up a ZX6 shock and have a question or two. How do you like the 10 shock? The bushing you said to replace is in the rocker assy. I guess. Is your shock stock or has it been revalved?

[koth442]

I've ridden it twice in the twisties. About 150 miles or so. Definitely an improvement. To my knowledge it has not been revalved.
 
Check the diameter on your ZX6 shock, bottom bolt. It may not need the bushing replaced.

[jj546]

Thanks for the quick reply. Mine also has the 10mm bolt with the stock one a 12. Your thoughts on drilling one side of the Kawi shock and threading the other to a 12 and use a nut just to lock.

[koth442]

So the bottom linkage bolt on the FJ has a 12mm shoulder that goes through the bottom of the shock, then drops to 10mm diameter for the threads. So unfortunately, you wouldn't be able to thread that one end unless you got a bolt that was 12mm diameter all the way across. I really should have taken a picture of that.
 
https://www.motosport.com/motorcycle/oem-parts/yamaha/2016/fj09/rear-arm
 
Part #37. If you look closely, you can kind of see how the threaded portion is smaller than the rest of the bolt.
 
Hope that helps without rambling too much!

[jj546]

I see now, I'll order the bushing (collar) and bolt before I take mine apart.

[chuckaduck]

I've ridden it twice in the twisties. About 150 miles or so. Definitely an improvement. To my knowledge it has not been revalved.  
Check the diameter on your ZX6 shock, bottom bolt. It may not need the bushing replaced.
 
 
Did the zx10 shock improve the ride over sharp bumps? 

[koth442]

Yes! The potholes near my house are much less noticeable.