Disintegrating bump stops...

[CRXSi90]

I noticed on my 1981 Kawasaki KE175 that the bump stops on the rear shocks are disintegrating. How bad is it to run without bump stops? I don't think these shocks can be easily disassembled for replacement of the bump-stop. If it is important, I might be able to get a replacement bump stop, cut a slit in it, compress the spring, slip the new one on the rod, and then zip-tie it back together. I guess if I got crazy, I could also try to mold one in place with RTV. Thoughts/comments appreciated. Thanks!

[crazy steve]

If the stops are getting crushed, you need new shocks. They're only supposed to 'work' if the shock bottoms out, and that's not supposed to happen if the shocks are good (or at least not often). Running without the stops is bad too; if you get metal-on-metal contact, you can expect internal damage or possible broken shock mounts...

[CRXSi90]

Thanks for the feedback. I think the big problem is that the rubber is 31 years old. It crumbles like a feta cheese. I don't think I've been bottoming the shocks out, but I suppose I can put a zip-tie on the shaft to determine the extent of travel.

I just looked through the manual and didn't see a test to determine the condition of the rear shocks.

That said, it sounds like it's important to have operational bump stops. I'll see if it's feasible to compress the spring and zip-tie a split bump stop around the rod. That would probably be better than doing nothing for now. Maybe in the future I'll look for replacement shocks.

[CRXSi90]

Here's what I'm talking about.



Can you recommend a way to test the shocks to determine if they are good/bad?

[crazy steve]

Can you recommend a way to test the shocks to determine if they are good/bad?

The only way I know to check them is to pull them off the bike and partially disassemble them by removing the springs. You can then check the damping (or lack of it) by compressing/extending them by hand. Most bike shocks are fairly lightly damped (usually with a bit more compression damping than rebound), although I would think an off-road type would have a bit more. If there's little or no resistance when pushing/pulling the shock, the internal seals are worn out. Any leaking, they're shot...

[CRXSi90]

The only way I know to check them is to pull them off the bike and partially disassemble them by removing the springs.

I was worried that these cannot be disassembled. Upon initial inspection, it wasn't immediately obvious how to take them apart. I gave it a harder look this evening, and it looks like there's a way! The top hat is composed of two parts. If the spring is compressed, part of the top hat can be removed because of a slot which is cut in it. Then the spring can be pulled off the top of the shock. I still don't think I'll be able to slide a new bump-stop back on, but at least I'll be able to get in there and evaluate the shocks and possibly install the split bump stop. Now I just need to find a bump stop with the proper ID and OD! Thanks a lot for your suggestions!