Here are the upper links with their bolts. It's the same set up as the rear pivot on the lower link; adjust with the bolt and lock with the locknut. The upper links are much simpler, basically a big piece of Mechano with on end tapped.
Today I managed to get the shock cleaned up and discovered that the lower section is (was) chromed. There was so much grease and road grime on it that it was completely black and the thought hadn't even crossed my mind that it would be chromed. The main spring was completely covered in grease so I got that cleaned up along with the inside of the top and lower sections. The spring has a bit of wear on the outside where it has rubbed the inside of the tubes. I can't really see it causing a problem to be honest but I'll have to wait and see. If it causes much noise I will use some heat shrink around it. This pic shows all of the parts, it really is a simple shock.
Whilst it was apart I thought I'd work out how much travel it gets (in theory). I reassembled the shock without the main spring but with the negative spring in it. At full length it was 220mm and at full compression it was 155mm. That gives 65mm of travel. BUT the main spring will push the negative spring back slightly, making the shock a little bit longer at full travel and the spring will most likely start to bind before it hits full travel so that number is pretty much just a guess. :)
(Sorry for the crappy pic on these two, trying to take pics left handed whilst holding the steel rule and my phone case trying to close on the lens isn't easy)
Once I was happy with how clean things were, they got greased back up and it all went back in the press (no pic as it's just the same as the taking it apart one) and the bolt put back in. Here's how it looks now
NB I keep calling it a 'shock' as that's what I'm used to on bicycles but technically this part is just the spring and has no damping in it.
Hopefully I'll be doing some work on the bike this week but we'll have to wait and see
M
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