SuzukiSavage.com - Tool for adjusting rear suspension?

newb_Jack Ex Member	Tool for adjusting rear suspension? 05/14/13 at 21:43:49 What kind of tool do you use to adjust the rear shocks and how do you check to see that they're are both on the same setting? I'm starting to ride 2up and need to stiffen these babies up. Thanks!
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Dane Allen Serious Thumper Offline Carpe Diem!! Posts: 1217 Riverside, CA Gender:	Re: Tool for adjusting rear suspension? Reply #1 - 05/14/13 at 22:03:17 I used an allen wrench but definitely need a more permanent tool. It hurt.
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jcstokes Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com is very useful Posts: 2119 Mauku New Zealand Gender:	Re: Tool for adjusting rear suspension? Reply #2 - 05/14/13 at 22:30:13 A reasonably long piece of round steel the same size as the adjusting hole.
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87 savage Full Member Offline Gone riding! Posts: 249 Maine Gender:	Re: Tool for adjusting rear suspension? Reply #3 - 05/15/13 at 01:43:20 If you look up into the bottom of the shock you will be able to see the adjuster and which step it is on. Might be easier to see in a garage with a drop light. Pull the shocks off and adjust them one at a time if you have to. Getting a friend to lift up on the back of the bike a little will help.
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oldNslow

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Re: Tool for adjusting rear suspension?
Reply #4 - 05/15/13 at 06:01:21

[quote]Pull the shocks off and adjust them one at a time if you have to. [quote/]

I second that. Probably going to have to take at least one off anyway on account of the adjusting hole facing the wheel, making it just about impossible to get a tool in there. It's a lot easier to see what you're doing with them off the bike. I just use a three foot hunk of two by four between the tire and fender to to lift the fender so I can slide the shock back on the studs. (Just take them off one at a time.) I weigh about 165 and have mine on the third step - for two up you're probably going to have to crank them all the way to five.

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DavidOfMA

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Re: Tool for adjusting rear suspension?
Reply #5 - 05/15/13 at 06:21:05

jackedmusic wrote on 05/14/13 at 21:43:49:

What kind of tool do you use to adjust the rear shocks and how do you check to see that they're are both on the same setting?

I'm starting to ride 2up and need to stiffen these babies up. Wink

Thanks!

I used the Phillips end of a regular/Phillips offset screwdriver. Was pretty easy to adjust both sides without having to remove anything.

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EJID Serious Thumper Offline Work to ride and ride to work. Posts: 1536 Pocatello, ID Gender:	Re: Tool for adjusting rear suspension? Reply #6 - 05/15/13 at 08:06:49 I used the Phillips end of this angled screwdriver that I had to adjust mine without taking anything off either...
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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Tool for adjusting rear suspension? Reply #7 - 05/15/13 at 10:10:36 A squirt of oil on the lug cant hurt
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Serowbot YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline OK.... so what's the speed of dark? Posts: 28387 Tucson Az Gender:	Re: Tool for adjusting rear suspension? Reply #8 - 05/15/13 at 10:15:36 Bare hands... Grrrr!.. Arrrgg!... ...
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newb_Jack

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Re: Tool for adjusting rear suspension?
Reply #9 - 05/15/13 at 15:38:20

Serowbot wrote on 05/15/13 at 10:15:36:

Bare hands... Grrrr!.. Arrrgg!... Angry

...

Thanks for the input everyone! I guess anything that fits is good enough. Doesn't seem like there's a specific measurement. Just one of those muscle up and get it done jobs, eh?

I'll see if any of the various screw drivers I have fit the hole. There's a dirty joke somewhere in there... I'm not that clever.

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WD

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Re: Tool for adjusting rear suspension?
Reply #10 - 05/15/13 at 17:48:50

Best tool for adjusting the rear suspension for 2 up riding? Credit card. Get a set of VS800 take offs or the Progressive brand equivalent. Check the bike breakers that sell on e-bay, stock 800 Intruder take offs should be cheap.

The stock Savage shocks are 2 inches too short for a Savage. Stock 800 Intruder shocks are 2+ inches too long for an Intruder. I have a Savage, my wife Lisa has an 800 Intruder, we swapped shocks and both bikes have 1000x better ride and handling. To the point my solo seat since 2000 is getting a 2 up seat (Kawasaki) put back on it, passenger pegs (Honda) put back on it, and a roughly 3' tall sissybar (1970s KZ900 aftermarket) added.

Girlfriend doesn't like riding bit*h on my wife's bike... Grin

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Charon

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Re: Tool for adjusting rear suspension?
Reply #11 - 05/16/13 at 05:57:48

[quote author=5967666A7864650B0 link=1368593029/0#4 date=1368622881] Quote:

Pull the shocks off and adjust them one at a time if you have to. [quote/]

I second that. Probably going to have to take at least one off anyway on account of the adjusting hole facing the wheel, making it just about impossible to get a tool in there. It's a lot easier to see what you're doing with them off the bike. I just use a three foot hunk of two by four between the tire and fender to to lift the fender so I can slide the shock back on the studs. (Just take them off one at a time.) I weigh about 165 and have mine on the third step - for two up you're probably going to have to crank them all the way to five.

If the adjusting hole is on the inside, the chances are someone installed it the wrong way. Just take it off, turn it around, and put it back.

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Eschew obfuscation.

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Dave YaBB Moderator ModSquad Online SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 17835 Camp Springs, Kentucky Gender:	Re: Tool for adjusting rear suspension? Reply #12 - 05/16/13 at 07:05:07 WD wrote on 05/15/13 at 17:48:50: Girlfriend doesn't like riding bit*h on my wife's bike...
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ToesNose Serious Thumper Offline Pardon me, do you have Hot Sauce? Posts: 1993 Mooresville, NC Gender:	Re: Tool for adjusting rear suspension? Reply #13 - 05/16/13 at 08:31:42 LOL
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oldNslow

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Re: Tool for adjusting rear suspension?
Reply #14 - 05/16/13 at 11:17:51

[quote author=1E353C2F32335D0 link=1368593029/0#11 date=1368709068]oldNslow wrote on 05/15/13 at 06:01:21:

Quote:

Pull the shocks off and adjust them one at a time if you have to. [quote/]

I second that. Probably going to have to take at least one off anyway on account of the adjusting hole facing the wheel, making it just about impossible to get a tool in there. It's a lot easier to see what you're doing with them off the bike. I just use a three foot hunk of two by four between the tire and fender to to lift the fender so I can slide the shock back on the studs. (Just take them off one at a time.) I weigh about 165 and have mine on the third step - for two up you're probably going to have to crank them all the way to five.

If the adjusting hole is on the inside, the chances are someone installed it the wrong way. Just take it off, turn it around, and put it back.

Yer probably right. But once I took the backwards one off, I discovered that at my age it was easier to turn it upside down and adjust it while I could look down inside the chrome cover, rather than lay on the ground and try to look up in there to see the notches. So I just pulled the other one off and did it the same way

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