updating spring on my 2014 ES...

mrpete64

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Joined
Jun 14, 2014
Messages
427
Location
upstate new York
I have often wondered if the stock spring is good for my 220 pound body plus gear. Do you think it is worth the effort(s) to replace it? I also travel with my metal panniers loaded up.
Thanks for you insight(s).
Mr. Pete------------>
aging hippie
 

Thrasherg

Active Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2017
Messages
319
Location
Dallas, TX
I would strongly recommend doing it, I have a 2016 ES and weigh 170lbs and dont ride with panniers, but I noticed a nice improvement by uprating the spring, so I think with the extra weight your bike is carrying you would really benefit from it.. The spring is less than $100 and takes about an hour or so to change, it's a bit of a bugger to disconnect all the wiring and move the hydraulic hoses, but it does make for a positive change to the bike.

Gary
 

BVMark

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Joined
Oct 12, 2014
Messages
14
Location
Central CO
I weigh about the same as the OP and I've decided to upgrade the shock spring on my 14 ES, but from everything I've been able to read, it seems like it's more $$ and way more work than "less than $100 and an hour and a half".

I'll be thrilled if the cost and effort is going to be less than I've planned, so please help us first timers out.

Thanks,
Mark
 

Karl

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Jul 18, 2015
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Sydney Australia
I recommend it highly.

I wrote a thread on this site about it, when I did it a few years back, I weigh about 240lbs. I had to buy an off the shelf stiffer spring and manufacture an adapter collar myself (drawing for collar is in my later posts), so unless you can do that work on a lathe, it could cost you a bit for the collar. I think some others may have found another way, so read through the whole thread.
 
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Super08

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Aug 6, 2017
Messages
357
Location
AB, Canada
That one doesn't look to be an ES. Ohlins do make nice shocks though, I had some on my Road Glide.
 

bnschroder

2014 Super Tenere ES
Joined
Nov 17, 2014
Messages
559
Location
Atlanta
Racetech used to sell a direct replacement spring that doesn't require a collar but when i recently ordered mine they said they only had a few left. They are a tad longer and thus have more pre-load, and you can get them in different spring rates. There is a tread about it.
 
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Thrasherg

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Oct 16, 2017
Messages
319
Location
Dallas, TX
I was trying to find the details of the spring that I fitted, it didn't require a collar (was an exact replacement for the stock spring) and I thought it cost less than $100 (but maybe I am mistaken!! Will keep looking), I know the spring compressor cost $60 and struggled to compress the springs!! It definitely took about an hour to change the spring, but I recall I did not completely remove the shock from the bike, I unbolted the top and lower shock mounting bolts whilst supporting the rear of the bike with an engine hoist. I then unbolted the preload motor and wiring, this enabled me to drop the shock down out of the bottom of the bike and have the bottom of the shock about 5 inches below the swing arm. That was enough to fit the spring compressors (one on each side of the spring), compress the spring, remove the collar and slide the spring off. I then compressed the new spring, slid it over the shock and refitted the collar. removed the spring compressors and then raised the shock back into place and fitted the mounting bolts then reconnected the electrical plugs and put the preload motor and hydraulics back in place. It looked like it was going to be a lot of work to be able to get the preload motor to come out of the bike, which is why I did it this way rather then completely removing the shock from the bike!!

Just being lazy, but it did take about an hour!!

Gary
 

bnschroder

2014 Super Tenere ES
Joined
Nov 17, 2014
Messages
559
Location
Atlanta

BVMark

New Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2014
Messages
14
Location
Central CO
Does anyone have a source for the spacer required for the Eibach spring? Racetech lists a 2 piece spacer, but it's not clear if it's the proper one for this application.
 

WJBertrand

Ventura Highway
Joined
Jun 20, 2015
Messages
4,516
Location
Ventura, CA
Does anyone have a source for the spacer required for the Eibach spring? Racetech lists a 2 piece spacer, but it's not clear if it's the proper one for this application.
It's not an off the shelf part. We all had spacers made per Karl's specification. He very generously provided a dimensioned drawing in the "respring" thread. You'll need to provide that to a machinist. I was lucky and was able to score a g-job through our machine shop here at work (shhhhh).
 

BVMark

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Oct 12, 2014
Messages
14
Location
Central CO
So, last week I called Racetech to get a spring ordered and after being shuffled around their phone system for a while I ended up at Tyler's voicemail. I left him a message explaining what I wanted to purchase, and asked him to call me back. Today, since I hadn't heard back from my voicemail I called Racetech again and got to talk to Tyler directly. He told me I needed a 825# spring and 4 spacers. Nope.

Living in a small mountain town, getting my hands on the aluminum to turn a spacer is a bit of an ordeal. I found a supplier who would ship me a small piece of 6061 round bar stock but was very apologetic about how much he was going to have to charge me to cut and ship such a small quantity so we both agreed it made sense to buy a bigger piece. Basically for not much more than the cost of the material to make my single spacer I'll now have enough to make a few more.

I'll order an Eibach spring from Summit Racing and have everything ready for when my machinist buddy gets back in town from racing his sail plane on some dry lake bed in NV and I'll get this project wrapped up.
 
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