Air shock rebuild--Can't believe ATF can be so gunky!!

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Easter
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Air shock rebuild--Can't believe ATF can be so gunky!!

#1

Post by Easter »

Sorry, no pictures but I pulled the air shocks on Matilda, my '83 Full dress Aspencade today. She was dragging a bit in the corners when two-up and leaking a bit out of one. The shocks appear in really good condition, bright chrome and the gators are still very good. BUT when I opened them up the ATF looked like old motor oil and there was black tar like residue a half inch deep in the bottom of the reservoir. Nasty stuff that stained my hands and was really hard to clean off. Hard to believe it was just old ATF. Anyway, new seals are on the way and of course new fluid. Hope that takes care of the ride.

I ordered new fork seals as well, they are probably just as bad. Hope it can be done without having to take the fairing off! Don't want to have to do that again.
Bikes at present:

83 XL 600r with a 2004 XR650L engine
And a slightly worse for the wear BMW GS adventure bike awaiting repair
83 GL in process :IDTS:
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82aspy
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Re: Air shock rebuild--Can't believe ATF can be so gunky!!

#2

Post by 82aspy »

Easter wrote:BUT when I opened them up the ATF looked like old motor oil and there was black tar like residue a half inch deep in the bottom of the reservoir. Nasty stuff that stained my hands and was really hard to clean off. Hard to believe it was just old ATF.
prob what's left of the original rubber bumper that is also n/a
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robin1731
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Re: Air shock rebuild--Can't believe ATF can be so gunky!!

#3

Post by robin1731 »

Easter wrote:snip..........
I ordered new fork seals as well, they are probably just as bad. Hope it can be done without having to take the fairing off! Don't want to have to do that again.
No need to remove the fairing. No need to remove the forks. Take them apart with the forks in the triple trees. May want to do the bushings too.
1976 Goldwing Super Sport
1985 Honda Elite
1976 KZ900 Dragbike
1992 ZX7 Dragbike (KZ900 style motor w/NOS)
and a rotation of various purchases
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