Replacing the rear shock on my 88 Honda elite SA50 LX

eclypse · Post by **eclypse** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 2:48 pm

Hello again.. Quick question. Do i forsure need a spring compressor to install the new rear shock spring, or is it possable to somehow put it on loose and sit on the scooter to compress it and then tighten it down.. or is that not possable?

If i do need a spring compressor, is this something i have to buy or can i rent the tool or take the whole shock in a shop and have them do it?

carp · Post by **carp** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:10 pm

The shock holds the spring in place.The shock is at full extension when the scooter is on the center stand.It may extend about 1/4" more when you take it out.If the replacement shock is longer you will have to compress it a little to get it in.Bolt one end in first then compress/wedge the other end in place.Good luck.Carp

eclypse · Post by **eclypse** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 5:49 pm

Thanks carp! I'd love to give that a try right now but i threw my lower back out tighting down the front wheel after changing the tire.

Home alone and had some serious fun getting off the floor after that! I should'nt of tried using 2 wrenches to tighten the dang thing when i had the impact wrench right next to me!

Still managed to use the impact wrench before i got off the floor lol.. I knew there was no way in * i was going to be able to get back down to finish the job once i got up after trashing the lower back.

I'll try that out in a week or so once the back feels fine again.. i think i just poped the spine out from the tail bone real quick.. but i think it poped back in.. its gona be sore for a while though and i cant bend over.

Lunytune · Post by **Lunytune** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 5:54 pm

I've never done this before, and may be speaking out of turn, but... could you loosen the motor mounts and let the whole powerplant drop down some more? I've never pulled the powerplant and don't know what its limits are.

carp · Post by **carp** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 7:16 pm

Don't have to mess with the engine mounts. The engine swings right out of the way,you have to lift it a little (1/2" - 3/4") to get the second bolt in. Mr. E maybe you could find a nice small Geisha girl to walk on you back.Good luck.Carp

Lunytune · Post by **Lunytune** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 7:36 pm

carp wrote:Don't have to mess with the engine mounts. The engine swings right out of the way,you have to lift it a little (1/2" - 3/4") to get the second bolt in. Mr. E maybe you could find a nice small Geisha girl to walk on you back.Good luck.Carp

Okay, so in principle I was right, just don't need to loosen the mounts.

My Hondas came standard equipped with Geisha girls but my wife made me send em back.

carp · Post by **carp** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 7:49 pm

There are a few guys here on the forum that would have been willing to take those "stock" Honda geishas off your hands.Carp

Lunytune · Post by **Lunytune** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 9:27 pm

carp wrote:There are a few guys here on the forum that would have been willing to take those "stock" Honda geishas off your hands.Carp

You mean you didn't get yours?

I tried letting my wife walk on my back... worked fine in our younger days. But now...

eclypse · Post by **eclypse** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:05 am

Well tonight i removed the old shock from the scooter. I held the new spring next to the shock and the new spring is about an inch longer. I dont think its possable to compress it enough to get it back on.

Then i tried to see if i could get the shock apart but i dont think its possable again with out the right compressing tool. I tried turning one and and the other and neither time was it turning the main bolt from the bottom connection. I see a nut on the inside of the spring that you cant get to that i believe is holding the thing from turning so it wont loosen.

What the freak!

I was hoping that there was a long bolt that went threw the bottom mount with a nut underneith so it would be easy to remove and install but theres no nut on the bottom. The bottom mount acts as the nut. I dont see anyway of half installing it and sittin on the scooter to compress the spring and attaching the bottom mount.

What to do?? I have the scooter rear end striped down atm as i removed both the gas tank and oil tank for cleaning. It would be the best time to replace the shock before i put it back together.

Is there somewhere i can take this shock for someone to take it apart and replace the spring with the new one i have?
Or is there some magical way i can get this acomplished myself?

Wheelman-111 · Post by **Wheelman-111** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:15 am

Greetings:

I saw Honda's spring compressor somewhere in the Service Manuals. Perhaps you could fabricate one using long threaded stock? Honda dealers probably have this tool in house, but will charge you at least a half-hour's labor - around $60 depending on their posted prices. Basically it holds the spring compressed while you install the hardware. Then you unscrew the compressor.

For the work and coin involved, consider a new Honda shock or DayWot's blue 270mm - see eBay store. For ~$75 it'll change your life. Well, your ride, anyway.

5-position preload adjustable and damping much better than Honda's. It increases suspension travel about 10mm over the stock Aero, which helps ride and cornering clearance a lot more than you might think.

eclypse · Post by **eclypse** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 1:59 pm

Welp, i was hoping to keep my original bike all stock.. its being restored.

I called a local honda dealer and the guy on the phone told me that i would have to leave it there for a day and his guess on price would be around $50 but he'd have to look at it first. Crazy priced when you could buy a new shock for that.

I went to autozone today hoping they would have some tool there that i could use to remove and install the shock absorber spring. The guy behind the counter tried one tool and we could'nt get it to fit. The shock is too small for there tools.

So.. no one in Michigan has a shock absorber compressor or something that can be used??

The huge prob i have now is that i also have the 2 front fork springs coming as well..

Wheelman-111 · Post by **Wheelman-111** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:18 pm

Greetings:

Eclypse axt:

So.. no one in Michigan has a shock absorber compressor or something that can be used??

Dunno about all of Michigan. Just the two places you've tried...
The tool wouldn't be all that hard to fabricate if you have a general hardware store, a hacksaw, and a drill.
Try looking at pages 13-5 and 13-6 of the 1985 NB50 Service Manual in the Forum for an example. A couple of steel plates - flat stock 1/8" should be enough, two threaded rods and four nuts and washers.

If you plan to fix three dampers, it may be worth the trouble. May I ax why all these springs needed to be replaced?

eclypse · Post by **eclypse** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 2:46 pm

Th back one is bottoming out as i used to ride around with 2 people on it all day long 20 years ago. hehe. Prob 400+ lbs of weight on it.

The front should be changed for the same reason.. and the front end seems to pull left on me when i brake which would probably mean that there not level or unevenly worn.

eclypse · Post by **eclypse** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 12:01 pm

Would this work?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Rear-Sho ... .m245#shId

I asked the guy some questions about it and heres his response i just got.

1. for both rear and front
2.hole of the bottom is adjestable 55mm. pin is around 10mm.

Wheelman-111 · Post by **Wheelman-111** » Mon Aug 31, 2009 12:15 pm

Greetings:

That looks just like the one in the Service Manual. As long as you can access the fasteners using it, it should be fine.

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Replacing the rear shock on my 88 Honda elite SA50 LX

Replacing the rear shock on my 88 Honda elite SA50 LX

Re: Replacing the rear shock on my 88 Honda elite SA50 LX

Re: Replacing the rear shock on my 88 Honda elite SA50 LX

Re: Replacing the rear shock on my 88 Honda elite SA50 LX

Re: Replacing the rear shock on my 88 Honda elite SA50 LX

Re: Replacing the rear shock on my 88 Honda elite SA50 LX

Re: Replacing the rear shock on my 88 Honda elite SA50 LX

Re: Replacing the rear shock on my 88 Honda elite SA50 LX

Re: Replacing the rear shock on my 88 Honda elite SA50 LX

Re: Replacing the rear shock on my 88 Honda elite SA50 LX

Re: Replacing the rear shock on my 88 Honda elite SA50 LX

Spring Compressor

Re: Replacing the rear shock on my 88 Honda elite SA50 LX

Re: Replacing the rear shock on my 88 Honda elite SA50 LX

Re: Replacing the rear shock on my 88 Honda elite SA50 LX