rf 900 shock

[edub]

a few questions about swapping shocks 94 rf 900 to 06 kat 600. where and how do you mount the canister ? will i have to change dogbones? and how high will i have to jack up the rear to bolt it in there ?

[VifferJim]

Eric -

I thought the swap was pretty much a one-to-the other deal, so probably don't need to mess with the dog bones. Cannister mounting... hmmm. Did you check the sticky on shock swaps? Search "shock interchange guide" - I think BP posted it.

I thought that mounted up nicely along the right side outer frame rail. You'll just need a decent bracket. But, I got a pre-600 with a 750 shock swapped in, so I don't have any personal experience. The sticky lists out members who did the particular swap, so you can PM the one's that did the RF swap and find out from them.

If I remember, the only thing you'll need to worry about is making sure your RF shock doesn't need a rebuild before you mount it.

Good luck. Post pics.

[steves]

The cannisters ususally end up zip tied to the grab bars. Other than that it's a direct swap.

[loudnlow7484]

You don't need to jack up the back of the bike at all........ use my method.....

I just stuck a block of wood between the back tire and the frame under the seat. You could also use a brick, or a baby, or whatever else you can find to jam in there.

[edub]

Eric -

I thought the swap was pretty much a one-to-the other deal, so probably don't need to mess with the dog bones. Cannister mounting... hmmm. Did you check the sticky on shock swaps? Search "shock interchange guide" - I think BP posted it.

I thought that mounted up nicely along the right side outer frame rail. You'll just need a decent bracket. But, I got a pre-600 with a 750 shock swapped in, so I don't have any personal experience. The sticky lists out members who did the particular swap, so you can PM the one's that did the RF swap and find out from them.

If I remember, the only thing you'll need to worry about is making sure your RF shock doesn't need a rebuild before you mount it.



Good luck. Post pics.

how would i know if it has to be rebuilt?

[VifferJim]

how would i know if it has to be rebuilt?

Aside from obvious wear/tear, if you know its history - year and miles - maybe... but as a general proposition, a shock that's 14 years old probably needs a little attention before you mount it up. Otherwise, you take your chances and probably won't know until you take a ride on it...

[edub]

i'm probably gonna have to take the rear tire off to mount the rf900 shock i got right ? or can it be done with the tire on still ?

[steves]

If you have a wood block, and a friend strong enough to lift up the rear wheel... you shouldn't need to remove the rear wheel.

Put the bike on the center stand, and put a block under the wheel... then take the nuts off the shock bolt. You might need a punch and a hammer to get the shock loose.

[edub]

thank you guys again for the info.

[loudnlow7484]

If you have a wood block, and a friend strong enough to lift up the rear wheel... you shouldn't need to remove the rear wheel.

Put the bike on the center stand, and put a block under the wheel... then take the nuts off the shock bolt. You might need a punch and a hammer to get the shock loose.

I still like my way better..... wooden block and no center stand. I wasn't sure if he had one. Doing it my way, I realized something....... the back end of the bike is not really heavy at all! Repositioning the block, I could hold up the back of the bike with one hand, while I had to other one moving the block. I thought it would be much heavier.