Cleaning up the top mount on stock rear shocks

[tom4130]

Hi Guys,

Here is my dilemma. I am currently working on a 1980 Special, and taken alot of the unwanted accessories off the bike, including the stock seat and grab bar, and I just changed the shocks out and am left with the monstrosity that is the image below:

Even underneath this nut, the thread welded to the frame seems so long that aregular cone nut would not fit on without a load of washers. I know that I have seen some really clean set ups on this forum with just a washer and a small nut, but am just wondering how this was achieved.

Do I need to shorten the threaded part of the frame? My ideal situation would be just a washer and a num, If anyone has any ideas or suggestions im all ears. I know I could solve it with washers but it just seems like theres a better way of doing it without compromising the strength etc.

Thanks for any replies

 

[nj1639]

Stack the washers on first as that is where the grab bar sat and then the shock as to where it originally set.
Your basically replacing the space of the grab bar. I find 5 washers work. Cheap spacer.

 

[tom4130]

Stack the washers on first as that is where the grab bar sat and then the shock as to where it originally set.
Your basically replacing the space of the grab bar. I find 5 washers work. Cheap spacer.

Thanks nj1639. What about the threaded part? it seems so long, do I shorten that a little with a hacksaw? It jsut seems there is so much un needed thread.

Thanks for the answer

 

[nj1639]

No cutting needed.
You can put it all back together with the grab bar just to see how it all works out and what amount of spacers will be needed.
Without going to the barn, I believe you just need to space the smooth part of that stud/bolt that the grab bar would be catching and then all things being the same the shocks should mount where they normally would and then held down with anOther washer and then the acorn nut.

I'm running the stock chain guard and I believe the spacing out from the frame is necessary for proper clearance down there.

So- thinking it over, space the smooth stud section to compensate for the grab bar.
Place the shock on to where maybe a mm or two to allow the shock rubber to stick over the threaded section and then a washer and then the acorn. Allowing a millimeter or two over the threaded section will allow you to tighten down good on the rubber sleeve to hold all in place.

 

[fredintoon]

Hi Tom,
it's easy to cut that stud short but there's no easy way to make it long again if you change your mind about ditching the grabrail or re-selling the bike sometime.
If you can't live with the stack of washers fix, how about getting a "bro with lathe" to make you a pair of aluminum spacers with perhaps a groove round them to hook bunjies on?

 

[tom4130]

Hi Tom,
it's easy to cut that stud short but there's no easy way to make it long again if you change your mind about ditching the grabrail or re-selling the bike sometime.
If you can't live with the stack of washers fix, how about getting a "bro with lathe" to make you a pair of aluminum spacers with perhaps a groove round them to hook bunjies on?

noted @fredintoon, but I will not be adding the grab rail back, and the seat and its mounts have already been completely changed.

Bro with lathe is definitely something that everyone should have access to! I will ponder some more. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Dylanfan424]

I have the same issue on my xs650 Heritage Special that I am turning into a street tracker. I have pondered an elegant solution and come up with that I will tap the threads all the way down to the shock mounting point and then use a regular bolt that will go all the way not acorn. I will then cut off the excess thread and voila you have a nice clean setup. I will post pictures when it is finished.

 

[JayR]

Hi Tom,
it's easy to cut that stud short but there's no easy way to make it long again if you change your mind about ditching the grabrail or re-selling the bike sometime.
If you can't live with the stack of washers fix, how about getting a "bro with lathe" to make you a pair of aluminum spacers with perhaps a groove round them to hook bunjies on?

Fedintoon - getting my 82 frame back this week and wheels will be mounted finally. Love the bungee / insert idea. Functional and cool I'm doing that. Will use a stack o washers in the short term!

 

[tom4130]

@Dylanfan424 please do! that would be good to see.

I actually used the washer approach and bought some stainless locking nuts (Not Acorn), and it has definitely cleaned and shortened the whole look up a lot. Will post pics soon, though I'm sure your solution will be nicer looking.

 

[tom4130]

Hi Guys, thanks for all the replies on this subject. I ended up using the washer idea and just filled the space out. It looks way way better. I havent decided whether to cut the excess off yet but here is what its looking like FYI

Thanks again

 

[angus67]

oh, yeah. that's do-able for a while. just get a acorn nut to finish it off. what shocks are those?

 

[tom4130]

oh, yeah. that's do-able for a while. just get a acorn nut to finish it off. what shocks are those?

Yeah @angus67 acorn nut to finish the job should be good. Also one of the larger washers will be replaced by a turn signal bracket too.

The shocks are Monza progressives from Mikes XS (https://www.mikesxs.net/product/06-3643.html)

They are a little longer than I should have got but look great. I had to mess around with them a little in that the rubber parts that come with them do not have a steel sleeve (for the bottom mount) so I had to make my own that fit but it was a 10 min job.

 

[Dylanfan424]

Sorry it took so long for me to get back to you guys on this, but here is how I did mine if anyone else is wondering. As my grandpa says close enough for the girls we run with.

 

[nj1639]

I need to find some of those aluminum turn signal stems that I cut off and fab up a couple of nice chromey tapered spacers to be topped off with the acorn nut.