How-To: Rebuilding the OEM Rear Shock '03-04' SHOWA MEE-003
I have searched, and searched, and well, as you may have guessed, searched some more and have come up dry as to 'how to rebuild' a rear shock.. THUS.. i took the liberty of doing a how-to for everyone here who may be so inclined to pursue this, rather than take the easy way out, and spend the 200$ or so.
Cost.. 15$ of oil. Seals were in mint shape; no leaks, dings, or any signs of wear. Everything in spec as well, thus not "NECESSARY" to do. However, if you have the parts, go for it, it never hurts.
Tools (keep in mind 03-04)
Goodies
- 2.5w to 5w oil. 5w is the most common choice, however it's your decision based on your type of riding etc. Remember, this is to dampen, not necessarily stiffen.
I used Motul 5w Fork oil, synthetic (Fork oil doesn't mean ONLY FOR FORKS!! duh..)
-Nitrogen. I have my own filling station, but welders, suspension techs, some car dealerships (Vdub for one) have nitrogen stations as well and wont charge an arm and a leg like most motorcycle shops.
- Seal kit if you so find necessary.
- Bladder replacement, as well, if you so find necessary.
**** This how to is for a 2003 CBR 600RR, shock, Showa Mee-003 with 34000km.
Based on my riding style, as well as the previous owners use, it can be said that both bladder and seals DO NOT require replacement. HOWEVER if you so feel it's necessary, please, by all means do. Having a completely fresh shock will only provide many more years of safe and enjoyable riding, not to mention, void any reason to have to pursue this again in the near future. PLEASE DO THIS HOW TO AT YOUR OWN RISK. I'M NOT LIABLE FOR ANY MISINTERPRETATION OF THE INFORMATION GIVEN. When the bladder is bled, please move... *
HOW TO
First jack the bike up.
Keep the bike steady by using a track stand or tie downs to safe areas. The bike MAY want to tip over at some point.
Another key point is to tie-wrap the front brake lever to the grip to prevent it from rolling forward.
Second, remove all bolts holding the shock in place including the lower linkage.
Once this is complete, grab a friend! No friends around?? Grab a dog! or a cat! or.. someone who respects you enough to understand the pain you're venturing on. Get this person or 'thing' to pull up, from the muffler, the entire rear end of the bike while you jimmy the shock free of the swingarm. Pull it UP, then towards the back, and voila, it's out.
2. Clean the SHOCK!!
People like to start pulling things apart when they're filthy as heck, PLEASE DON'T! Any particles of dirt or etc may jam inside the piston orifices once everything is dismantled. A clean shock will avoid this issue and will look nice once it's put back on.
3. Remove the spring.
Place lower shock mount in vice whereas it will NOT BEND.
Use the tool located in the pocket of the bike (Road side repair tools) with the extension to dial the Sag Setting to 7 (highest). This will give you a little extra before beginning to tighten down the spring.
Place your MacPherson strut spring compressors in a way they're not jammed, but will allow enough play inside to slide the shock out, as well as enough thread to bunker down the spring.
Begin tighten either side at an equal pace.
PLEASE BE CAREFUL!!!! If the compressor lets go, shield your genitals, or face.. Whichever you value most..
Once there is enough play in the sag adjuster, push it upwards and attempt to slide out the two small semi circular clips that hold it all together. Once you find them, and get them out...
remove the shock from the vice.
Remove spring. KEEP SPRING COMPRESSORS IN SAME POSITION. Once you remove them it will make installing the spring a PITA!!
Here's a photo of the break down of what you've just done. The lower right are the 2 semi circles holding the base plate to the shock. The compressors are on backwards because the provided more clearance.
4. Begin by removing air.
First, remove the black cap from the external reservoir. No matter how nice i was to it, it was never again the same. HOWEVER, you will not want to put it back on once you see inside. It's full of rust, gunk etc. Instead, get a valve cap and leave the black cap off. It will allow more accessibility for next time, as well as looks nicer and remains cleaner Remove the black cap by prying it with a screw driver. BE CAREFUL!!!! The shrader valve for the bladder is DIRECTLY below the cap in the immediate center. Do not drill in the center, or jab it etc.
Next, Let the air out. It's a big blast so move over a little, you never know.
5. Now begin removing oil.
Set ALL SETTINGS TO SOFT.
Take your 16mm spanner and remove your compression (Top adjuster at top of shock tower) adjuster.
Keep it on a level surface as to not create TOO much of a mess.
Now, poor oil into your oil pan while simultaneously pumping the shock until its a very light drip.
6. Removing bladder from air reservoir
Take a socket (forget the damn size..) that surrounds the valve and lightly knock the whole platform into the chamber.
You will see a small circlip, remove it.
Grab the valve and begin to pull it out. It will be tough.. You CAN use a small flat blade to pry it up slowly, it's what i do, however sometimes it may knick the anodizing. But wtv.. No one sees it and god knows how long it'll take to get it out otherwise. I did have a tool with a threaded valve cap and a long T handle shape doo-dad but i lost it
once it's out, clean the bladder, remove it from the platform and inspect.
If the bladder looks like its been beaten by several angry prostitutes AND their pimps, then it's probably time to change it. Always good though, because they do tend to wear, ie. they contract and expand VERY often, generate large amounts of heat and thus it's only natural for them to attain a strange curvature.
Here's mine.. I kept it in only because 2 or 3 prostitutes managed to get to it..
Forget the syringe, that's for the filling process, however not entirely necessary..
7. Remove the piston and etc from the shock body.
First, take your mallet and punch and remove the part at the bottom of the shock body that the piston goes inside of. There are small HOLES for this exact purpose, so use them properly and DO NOT hit the chromed slider.. for heavens sake, please don't..
Now turn the shock upside down to look from the bottom.
You will need to take your punch and either gently knock the inner section of the assembly down inside, or use your fingers IF it moves..
You'll see another circlip, exactly like the one from the reservoir, remove it.
Now, pull the shock assembly apart. If it doesn't slide apart nicely, which i hope it DOESN'T (all seals, piston etc out of tolerance big time..) YANK IT REALLY HARD. Hard, but straight. it should keep itself generally centered considering its only uni directional, but still just be on the safe side.
Once it's out, clean it up, inspect it (to your own eye, no info in the manual..) and set it aside.
Clean the shock body and let it drain entirely.
**** My little trick! To keep those dust seals bumpin for little while longer, give them a clean. Best way, film negatives. make it flush with the chrome slider and simply slide a corner into the seal to clean and excess dirt. WD-40 it and wipe it up..
*
NEXT page
I have searched, and searched, and well, as you may have guessed, searched some more and have come up dry as to 'how to rebuild' a rear shock.. THUS.. i took the liberty of doing a how-to for everyone here who may be so inclined to pursue this, rather than take the easy way out, and spend the 200$ or so.
Cost.. 15$ of oil. Seals were in mint shape; no leaks, dings, or any signs of wear. Everything in spec as well, thus not "NECESSARY" to do. However, if you have the parts, go for it, it never hurts.
Tools (keep in mind 03-04)
- SPRING COMPRESSORS
- 14mm wrench
- Small punch, round or pointed tip
- Rubber mallet
- Vice
- Small Common (flat blade) screw driver
- Litter pan, oil pan, etc. Anything that catches oil that's easy to work in
- 2 hands
Goodies
- 2.5w to 5w oil. 5w is the most common choice, however it's your decision based on your type of riding etc. Remember, this is to dampen, not necessarily stiffen.
I used Motul 5w Fork oil, synthetic (Fork oil doesn't mean ONLY FOR FORKS!! duh..)
-Nitrogen. I have my own filling station, but welders, suspension techs, some car dealerships (Vdub for one) have nitrogen stations as well and wont charge an arm and a leg like most motorcycle shops.
- Seal kit if you so find necessary.
- Bladder replacement, as well, if you so find necessary.
**** This how to is for a 2003 CBR 600RR, shock, Showa Mee-003 with 34000km.
Based on my riding style, as well as the previous owners use, it can be said that both bladder and seals DO NOT require replacement. HOWEVER if you so feel it's necessary, please, by all means do. Having a completely fresh shock will only provide many more years of safe and enjoyable riding, not to mention, void any reason to have to pursue this again in the near future. PLEASE DO THIS HOW TO AT YOUR OWN RISK. I'M NOT LIABLE FOR ANY MISINTERPRETATION OF THE INFORMATION GIVEN. When the bladder is bled, please move... *
HOW TO
- Remove shock from bike.
First jack the bike up.
Keep the bike steady by using a track stand or tie downs to safe areas. The bike MAY want to tip over at some point.
Another key point is to tie-wrap the front brake lever to the grip to prevent it from rolling forward.
Second, remove all bolts holding the shock in place including the lower linkage.
Once this is complete, grab a friend! No friends around?? Grab a dog! or a cat! or.. someone who respects you enough to understand the pain you're venturing on. Get this person or 'thing' to pull up, from the muffler, the entire rear end of the bike while you jimmy the shock free of the swingarm. Pull it UP, then towards the back, and voila, it's out.
2. Clean the SHOCK!!
People like to start pulling things apart when they're filthy as heck, PLEASE DON'T! Any particles of dirt or etc may jam inside the piston orifices once everything is dismantled. A clean shock will avoid this issue and will look nice once it's put back on.
3. Remove the spring.
Place lower shock mount in vice whereas it will NOT BEND.
Use the tool located in the pocket of the bike (Road side repair tools) with the extension to dial the Sag Setting to 7 (highest). This will give you a little extra before beginning to tighten down the spring.
Place your MacPherson strut spring compressors in a way they're not jammed, but will allow enough play inside to slide the shock out, as well as enough thread to bunker down the spring.
Begin tighten either side at an equal pace.
PLEASE BE CAREFUL!!!! If the compressor lets go, shield your genitals, or face.. Whichever you value most..
Once there is enough play in the sag adjuster, push it upwards and attempt to slide out the two small semi circular clips that hold it all together. Once you find them, and get them out...
remove the shock from the vice.
Remove spring. KEEP SPRING COMPRESSORS IN SAME POSITION. Once you remove them it will make installing the spring a PITA!!
Here's a photo of the break down of what you've just done. The lower right are the 2 semi circles holding the base plate to the shock. The compressors are on backwards because the provided more clearance.
4. Begin by removing air.
First, remove the black cap from the external reservoir. No matter how nice i was to it, it was never again the same. HOWEVER, you will not want to put it back on once you see inside. It's full of rust, gunk etc. Instead, get a valve cap and leave the black cap off. It will allow more accessibility for next time, as well as looks nicer and remains cleaner Remove the black cap by prying it with a screw driver. BE CAREFUL!!!! The shrader valve for the bladder is DIRECTLY below the cap in the immediate center. Do not drill in the center, or jab it etc.
Next, Let the air out. It's a big blast so move over a little, you never know.
5. Now begin removing oil.
Set ALL SETTINGS TO SOFT.
Take your 16mm spanner and remove your compression (Top adjuster at top of shock tower) adjuster.
Keep it on a level surface as to not create TOO much of a mess.
Now, poor oil into your oil pan while simultaneously pumping the shock until its a very light drip.
6. Removing bladder from air reservoir
Take a socket (forget the damn size..) that surrounds the valve and lightly knock the whole platform into the chamber.
You will see a small circlip, remove it.
Grab the valve and begin to pull it out. It will be tough.. You CAN use a small flat blade to pry it up slowly, it's what i do, however sometimes it may knick the anodizing. But wtv.. No one sees it and god knows how long it'll take to get it out otherwise. I did have a tool with a threaded valve cap and a long T handle shape doo-dad but i lost it
once it's out, clean the bladder, remove it from the platform and inspect.
If the bladder looks like its been beaten by several angry prostitutes AND their pimps, then it's probably time to change it. Always good though, because they do tend to wear, ie. they contract and expand VERY often, generate large amounts of heat and thus it's only natural for them to attain a strange curvature.
Here's mine.. I kept it in only because 2 or 3 prostitutes managed to get to it..
Forget the syringe, that's for the filling process, however not entirely necessary..
7. Remove the piston and etc from the shock body.
First, take your mallet and punch and remove the part at the bottom of the shock body that the piston goes inside of. There are small HOLES for this exact purpose, so use them properly and DO NOT hit the chromed slider.. for heavens sake, please don't..
Now turn the shock upside down to look from the bottom.
You will need to take your punch and either gently knock the inner section of the assembly down inside, or use your fingers IF it moves..
You'll see another circlip, exactly like the one from the reservoir, remove it.
Now, pull the shock assembly apart. If it doesn't slide apart nicely, which i hope it DOESN'T (all seals, piston etc out of tolerance big time..) YANK IT REALLY HARD. Hard, but straight. it should keep itself generally centered considering its only uni directional, but still just be on the safe side.
Once it's out, clean it up, inspect it (to your own eye, no info in the manual..) and set it aside.
Clean the shock body and let it drain entirely.
**** My little trick! To keep those dust seals bumpin for little while longer, give them a clean. Best way, film negatives. make it flush with the chrome slider and simply slide a corner into the seal to clean and excess dirt. WD-40 it and wipe it up..
*
NEXT page