Post
by piecutter » Sun Oct 15, 2006 12:45 pm
For those of you with "retainer" style shocks such as on the CB77, I've seen many shade tree methods of disassembly without a compression tool, such as "the Heimlich manuever against a board on your stomach", or, "a short loop of rope threaded through the top eye and looped around your foot, pull on the upper case and the retainers fall out", all of which are pretty quick and painless, but, oweing to gravity, reassembly can be a bit more of a puzzle, as I'm sure you may have found.
I have hooks in the ceiling beams to support bikes during frame lift work such as engine removal or reinstall on CB77's. Using a tiedown strap hanging from one of these I hang the shock upright and hoist it to chest high and grab the upper shock case. Pulling down with one hand to compress the spring and holding the retainers with the free hand, a quick yank and they're in. (Try not to install your finger tips with the retainers!) Even if all you have is a sturdy tree branch and length of rope, it can be done.
Note: If you're short and skinny, you have to have mastered the one handed chin-up before you can do this! If you're still bouncing around, hanging in the air you need lighter springs anyway!
(Make sure all parts are secure and will support at least twice your body weight, or you'll have a ceiling hook for a head ornament!)
