Replacing rear spring

I am thinking about getting a new rear spring from EPM (much cheaper than a whole new shock). Does anyone here know how to remove/replace the spring on the stock shock? It's not covered in the service manual.

It's all done with smoke & mirrors.

All kidding aside, the shock has to be completely removed from the bike, then you need a spring compressor to gain access to the locknut beneath the lower shock eye. Once the locknut is loosened, and eye unthreaded, you can remove the original spring and install the new spring. Getting the shock out/in is the biggest part of this job.

I have a homemade spring compressor that several on this list have borrowed. Where do you live in OH?

I have the shock out, just to have a look at it. Tried an Autozone compressor, but its too big to fit between the coils. I may try to make something.

I live in Canton.

I can put the spring compressor plates into a Priority Mail box and you can return it to me via the same method. It's around $6+.


Send me your normal E-mail in a PM and I can provide more particulars.

Hi. I'm replacing my rear spring with the Ohlins spring. Do you have pics of the spring compressor you made. If so would you post these? I'd like to make one for my project. Thanks,

Jim Nylen
Champlin, MN

The rear shock on this bike is killing my already bad back. It feels to me as if it is over-sprung and over-damped for my 175 pounds. I am trying to get a preliminary grasp on whether I should get a whole new shock, or just get a lighter spring. Cheaper is better for the wallet, but I am thinking if the shock seems over-damped for my weight already, then replacing just the spring with a lighter one would only make the assembly even more over-damped. Thoughts? What do various aftermarket shocks cost for this bike?

Turbo DV8 said:

The rear shock on this bike is killing my already bad back. It feels to me as if it is over-sprung and over-damped for my 175 pounds. I am trying to get a preliminary grasp on whether I should get a whole new shock, or just get a lighter spring. Cheaper is better for the wallet, but I am thinking if the shock seems over-damped for my weight already, then replacing just the spring with a lighter one would only make the assembly even more over-damped. Thoughts? What do various aftermarket shocks cost for this bike?

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Hi. Last year, based on feedback from many on this forumn, I first replaced my front fork springs with the " HyperPro" progressive wound spring form EPS. This was a great improvement on the front, which use to just pound my arms when hitting highway expansion joints or sharp edged bumps. Very inexpensive and easy upgrade. The only problem was now the rear spring really felt extremely stiff for my 165 pound body. I live in Minnesota so this winter I replaced the rear spring with the Ohlins spring, which many have commented on in this forumn. Wow! Now the bike really handles like a great sport touring bike. For my the dampening is good and I have set it about mid way. The rear spring change is a little bit of a challenge, especially if you don't have a bike lift so you can remove / drop the rear wheel without removing the muffler. This spring change also requires a special spring compressor. I made mine based on a design from DirtFlyer, who did a great job of documenting his design. So, for me the HyperPro was a great and inexpensive upgrade but involves a couple solid days of work if a person hasn't removed the rear shock previously. More details on the spring compressor can be found by searching this forumn for rear spring or spring compressor. If you have any more question just let us know. jim

[...but I am thinking if the shock seems over-damped for my weight already, then replacing just the spring with a lighter one would only make the assembly even more over-damped. Thoughts?...]

It's mostly over-sprung so the swap to a lighter rate, Ohlins spring makes a remarkable change and is under $100, excluding shipping. I've helped a couple of riders with this swap and they were happy with the change.

Hagon may offer the least expensive replacement shock for the NT but the price is still well north of $600. And from there you can easily spend $1000 for a single shock, if the companies are interested in making an NT shock. No companies see no market for an NT shock so don't bother to offer one.

Thankyou, oldtimer and DirtFlier. Oldtimer, to get a better feel for your answers, how much do you weigh, and do you only ride solo? I weigh 175 lbs., naked as a Jay bird. Which Ohlins spring did you go with? In the "Aftermarket Rear Spring" thread, Rajah sates he is 200 lb. and he went with the #230 spring, which Ohlins suggests for riders over 200 lb. Yet, he feels he should have gone with the lighter #210 spring, listed for under 200 lbs. You state you swapped the spring to an Ohlins spring, not replaced the entire shock with an Ohlins shock, but then state the damping is good for you, and you "have it set about mid-way." The stock shock has no damping adjustment, so did you mean the spring preload hydraulic adjuster is set mid-way? Also, you stated, "So, for me the HyperPro was a great and inexpensive upgrade but involves a couple solid days of work if a person hasn't removed the rear shock previously." The HyperPro re-spring was for the front, correct? Just a little confused, because in the same sentence you made reference to it being a couple days work if one hasn't removed the rear shock previously. Just want to make sure I am comparing apples with apples.

Regarding spring removal, on my Hagon shocks for my Turbo's, I have in the past had success a few times using two hook-less ratcheting tie downs, one on each side. They advised that is a good way to lose a finger or an eye or a head, so I will have to look up the design for Dirtflier's tool, but I have not so far found the thread. Could a link be provided? Thanks for all the help. Buying a new shock is not out of the question for me due solely to money, but at this point I am in the unfortunate circumstance to have developed lower back problems just as I purchased this bike, which may render my riding days limited. A $100 spring I can justify. A $700 shock, I cannot, under the circumstances. But I need to do something to decrease the pounding up my spine, and if a spring swap improves it enough, and hopefully over time, if my back improves, the bike and I will have a happy meeting sometime down the road.

Weight is not the sole factor in choosing a shock spring. The other factor is how aggressively you ride and I'll venture a guess that with a bad back you ride using lots of common sense. I don't have a bad back but I ride in the same manner. My recommendation would be to choose the softer of the two Ohlins springs.




Here are two views of the spring compressor. What you can't see are the 1/2" nuts welded onto the inside edge of the lower piece. The first view was taken in my garage and the second at Debbie's house where she doesn't have a "full shop" so I made do using her Workmate and a small bench vise. Deb's shock has the Ohlins spring and also the HyperPro lowering eye on top.

The 1/2" all-thread rods need to be 14" long each and hardware stores usually sell it in 36" lengths so that makes it easy. The top portion has a cutout large enough to clear the shock eye. If you want the detailed instructions on making the spring swap, send your normal E-mail address to me via PM and I'll get those off to you, ASAP.

Someone on this list made his own fixture using 2 x 4s so I know it can be done simply. I have welding equipment so it was a no-brainer to it make using angle iron plates for rigidity.

Does anyone know the eye to eye distance of the rear shock?