What is the eye to eye length of rear shocks from a 77 xs650?

[tbone1980]

I have a 1982 xs650SJ that I am looking to swap out the dorky reflector rear suspension for a pair from a 77 xs650 and was wondering what the eye to eye length is? Also this should be a direct swap right? Thanks for your help!

 

[5twins]

Yes, but you're swapping "bad" for "just as bad". Original shocks weren't much good when new let alone 30+ years later.

 

[tbone1980]

Thank you for the input. As of now I really don't have a ton of cash to get better ones so I was looking for something to "look" better than what I got now for $50 and hopefully sometime in the future I can get some "improved" ones!

 

[5twins]

I'm pretty sure you can take the covers off your original ones for free.

 

[tbone1980]

Is that true? You can take off the whole top black shroud that holds the reflector???

 

[5twins]

I'm pretty sure you can. You can on most other shocks. In fact, I "steal" the nice alloy covers off old BMW shocks and put them on most of my aftermarket shocks like so .....

Polished alloy looks so nice and run on my BMWs, the aftermarket shocks look practically just like the originals.

 

[Purplezinger]

You absolutely can remove the dorky chrome reflector covers. I took them off the shocks on my 83 Heritage.

 

[tbone1980]

Purplezinger do you have a picture of what they look like without the reflector covers?

 

[Purplezinger]

Yes, I'm putting them up now

 

[tbone1980]

Thank you that is great.

 

[Purplezinger]

These are original 83 Heritage Special shocks after the reflector covers have been removed .

 

[Purplezinger]

They came up sideways ,sorry about that.

 

[tbone1980]

Thank you for taking the time to post those pictures. What did you use to clean them up to look that good?

 

[Purplezinger]

Really nothing, just Bike cleaner and soap and water. The portion of the springs under the covers was clean didn't need much.

 

[Purplezinger]

A couple of good chrome and aluminum cleaners are "Semi-Chrome" and "Noxon" There are many others.

 

[john1c]

anyone have instructions on how to remove the cover?

 

[Tomterrific]

Shock spring removal tool. This is dangerous, wear gloves, wear your helmet with the shield down.

Floor jack, chain, 2 wire S hooks. I removed the S hooks from a rubber truck bungee.

-Place the chain perpendicular under the floor jack to make a T.
-Hold the shock upright on the pan of the jack.
-Put the S hooks on opposite sides of the spring as near the top as possible.
-Connect the chain to each S hook so the chain loops directly under the shock.
-Pump up the jack while keeping the shock balanced upright against the compressing spring.
-Remove the keeper and the cover.
-Either repalce the keeper now or relax the jack to clean and paint the shock while it's disassembled.

This is my own invention so if you see it anywhere else they got it from me or thought it up on their own.

Tom Graham

 

[Tomterrific]

Opps! Wrong button.

 

[5twins]

Yes, the shocks need to come apart to remove the spring covers. If you have access to a welder, a simple lever style compressor can be fabbed up .....

http://thisoldtractor.com/gtbender/..._and_rebuild_of_the_stock_shock_step_1__outer

If you have a welder and a hydraulic press, different fittings can be made up for both covered and exposed spring shocks .....