Rear suspension help XL/XR600

[1986XXL600R]

I've got a 1986 XL600R with suspension off an 87ish XR600 (remote reservoir on a tube). I have a leaky rear shock that exhibits no dampening. I pulled it off and if I play around with it there seems to be a bit of oil left in there but not much. My initial plan was to figure out how to get it apart and replace the suspected seals add oil and slap it back together then get afresh recharge. I have the shock off and I'm scratching my head at how it comes apart. I popped off the cap at the end so I can see the seal on the shaft but no indication of how I yank it apart. The same thing can be said for refilling this thing with oil....

So... starting to get fed up with it for the evening and the suspension guy rebuild for $150 wasn't looking too bad... however..

Then I noticed some tip of the pen size pitting on the shaft in one spot.... now if I were rebuilding it I'd quickly smooth the surface and do my rebuild fill with oil and go hog wild on this beast for as long as it lasted, if I were paying someone else to rebuild it I'd feel as though that $150 was going to be wasted...

So my question is what should I do? Can anyone give me some shock rebuilding tips? Would the XR650L or newer XR600 rear shock fit (ebay)?

pics of the pig for views... XLR600R

oh yeah if anyone wants to sell me the following I'm interested:

Kickstand

Front disc that isn't that bent/warped..

Rear disc setup (hub/caliper etc)

Any other parts I might need that you can't use cuz you have a newer bike...

[Maniak]

I dont know if a shock from a newer R or L would fit but Im sure someone here does. What I would do is add another $500.00 to that $150.00 and get yourself a real good shock, works, fox, olins or any of the dozens of others.

The pitting on the shaft is probably what caused your seal to fail and it will need to be replaced, even the rebuild guy would stop at that, and a stock shock shaft is probably about $100.00 , so you are already up to $250.00 and even if rebuilt properly it will never perform like a good aftermarket shock. Well Well worth the price.

You should ask this question in the suspension forum for some real good info, and if you want just ask the guys at ebay who are selling R or L shocks for dimensions and match up to yours, you can probably make it work. Good Luck.

[SniperTeamBravo]

Ill bet you could find a replacement shock on ebay which will give you years of trouble free riding, maybe even a re-valved or re-built one or even a trick one. If I am not mistaken, all XR600s from 89-99 took the same rear shock, I may be wrong though so check it out, this site is the best for that kind of info!

Good luck!

[SniperTeamBravo]

Found this for you if you are interested...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1994-Honda-XR-600R-XR600R-Rear-Shock-Absorber_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ35581QQihZ003QQitemZ130006346772QQrdZ1

And, every bit of that stuff you asked for is on the same site too! The disc, brake setups and all! Good luck. Just don;t bid on the stator! Imm getting it!

[Beyond The Pale]

I think any XR600 shock with the reservoir on a tube (hose) will work. Should be no problem finding one on ebay. The later XR600 shocks have the reservoir as part of the shock body and are somewhat different. I don't think they are compatible with the earlier ones.

[1986XXL600R]

Hey thanks for the replies. That link is great, I should be able to get this apart no problem... hopefully I am able to source a replacement shock rod. You're probably right about the aftermarket shock. However because the bike is actually an 86 xl600, I have two carbs and there isn't enough room to fit anything but a shock with a tubed reservoir. The boots go right around the shock without enough room for the fixed style reservoir...

And as for used 85-87 xr units.. the problem with ebay is that my experience is that the shock will be in about the same condition as mine requiring a rebuild anyway and may have rust pits as well... two decades of time is long enough to rust any of them... I asked about the xr650 shock because it looked as if the reservoir and shock were two different castings.. I was wrong unfortunately.

So.. perhaps I can source a tubed reservoir shock off something else.. any ideas? were there aftermarket units in 85-87 years?

[SniperTeamBravo]

Hey thanks for the replies. That link is great, I should be able to get this apart no problem... hopefully I am able to source a replacement shock rod. You're probably right about the aftermarket shock. However because the bike is actually an 86 xl600, I have two carbs and there isn't enough room to fit anything but a shock with a tubed reservoir. The boots go right around the shock without enough room for the fixed style reservoir...

And as for used 85-87 xr units.. the problem with ebay is that my experience is that the shock will be in about the same condition as mine requiring a rebuild anyway and may have rust pits as well... two decades of time is long enough to rust any of them... I asked about the xr650 shock because it looked as if the reservoir and shock were two different castings.. I was wrong unfortunately.

So.. perhaps I can source a tubed reservoir shock off something else.. any ideas? were there aftermarket units in 85-87 years?

I think there will be a few aftermarket shocks available for those years, they had two carbs thru 92. My 92 has an aftermarket shock on it, with a remote resivoir, and it is a trick shock, have yet to find out who made it though, it is a billet body and Eibach spring. Email me if you want a picture of it.

[xr-jorger]

i bought a seal kit for mine at the local shop for $32 and rebuilt it myself. Mine blew and the bottom seat of the shock scored the tube the shaft rides in , after the rebuild shock works just as good as new, mine was a 96. I say save your $$ and finish it yourself.

[Shawn_Mc]

i bought a seal kit for mine at the local shop for $32 and rebuilt it myself. Mine blew and the bottom seat of the shock scored the tube the shaft rides in , after the rebuild shock works just as good as new, mine was a 96. I say save your $$ and finish it yourself.

Absolutely!

There are some really good instructions that you can check out for assembly and disassembly in the Suspension forums.

I just did the shock on my 88 CR500. You are going to be amazed at how freakin easy it is.

The boogie man doesnt live in your shock...

[1986XXL600R]

Oh man I thought the link came from this site:

For everyone else

http://www.motocross.com/motoprof/moto/mcycle/suspen.html