| Author | Message | ||
     Sooner |
I just purchased a new (Used) shock from a 2001 tuber. I think it was a white lightning. I am wanting to put it on my 98 thunderbolt s3. Here is a pic of it.  it looks like it will fit fine, but will it work? I don't feel like taking an 80 mph spill because of a mismatched or poorly working shock. I am one tough mother.  lol but I have met the tarmac over the years, and talk about somebody hard to get to know. I just thought I would ask if anyone knows how well the newer shock works. Thanks again for all the previous help. Also Firemanjim, I saw a pic of your bike. It really looks good. Hope to meet you soon at the Monday nigt thing. Take care all. | ||
| Josh_ |
'01s were the good ones that were sprung correctly and never recalled. That's not a 01 as it has the "frankenstein" recall. You may need a new front mount to go with it if you do put it on your S3. Is there a part # on it? | ||
| Sooner |
Thanks for the response Josh. The only numbers are Lorenz 623 and lorenz 607 on the clamps. No other numbers though. By the way you have a beautiful family. I had to show my wife the picture of your little girl. It looks like she was eating a sharpie pen. lol I noticed the guitars too. Are you a luthier? | ||
| Josh_ |
Hmm, I don't know enough to tell an S3 shock from an X1/S1 shock. What's the over-all length? Little girl is my niece and is now 7 (pretty soon I'll make her update her own pages). Cake was my mom's 50th b-day... The guitar shot is from Cuenca, Ecuador at a guy's house who makes them by hand. Interesting lighting as his shop doesn't have electric lights (or any other power I saw). I'm Catholic, not luthier. wait, what did you ask?  | ||
| Steve_mackay |
Sooner, I'm pretty confident that it will work. I've got the identical shock that came with my bike, as an "extra". When I purchased my '98 S3T from a Buell employee earlier this year. | ||
| Tombo |
Sooner, what do you currently have for a shock on your S3? The original should have been recalled and I would be surprised if you still have the WP (you can easily tell from the external spring). There were actually two very different recall shocks used. The one in the picture is the earlier shock that was prone to failure so the factory came up with that safety caller. It will bolt right up to any original 98 Buell. I say original because the later recall shock (much better looking and less prone to failure) also came with a different front mount. The newer shock is shorter and if your bike already has this shock this one will be too long. My advice is to check your numbers on the current shock to see if it was an early or late recall. If it was never replaced, bring it into a dealer and get a free recall shock installed. If it is a late recall shock (the shorter one) do not change it to the one you bought. If it is an early recall, check with your dealer and see if they are still doing the $100 update deal (where they would upgrade to the latest shock even if the recall had been done). Bottom line is, this shock would probably be safer than the origonal, or an early recall without the safety collar, but it is likely more problematic than the later recall shock that has the added benefit of no collar contraption. Post a picture of your current shock, and I or others on this board, can easily tell you whether you have the newer shock or not. | ||
| Sooner |
Here is a pic of the shock that I have. The dealer said that my bike has had the recal done. It does not have the " frankenstien" update. Tombo, if my local shop does'nt still do the $100 trade, do you have info on somebody who does? here is a pic of my shock.  | ||
| Josh_ |
Whats wrong with your old shock? | ||
| Djkaplan |
I'd be surprised if the SRP "Frankenstein" shock had any oil in it. Everyone I know that had this shock (me included) experienced seal failure. Does anyone still use this shock? | ||
| Bluzm2 |
DJ, Ditto on the oil leak front. My SRP shock on my 2K M2 leaked as did it's replacement! Sooner, if the above pictured shock is having problems, have it rebuilt. Brad | ||
| Tombo |
Sooner, the shock that was on your bike appears to be an early recall shock, they look the same as the even earlier SRP shock you bought off ebay (the SRP setup was added to the shock after they began having problems). Personally, I wouldn't use either one and upgrade to the late model Showa instead. Call around to dealers and see if anyone is still performing the upgrades, or buy one off ebay (I see one currently at $55 with the later front bracket). You will need the later bracket if you go with the later shock. It is is your safest bet and it even looks more stout. You can tell the difference because the back end of the earlier Showas are longer and taper as they get to the rear eye (you can see this on yours and if you take the SRP off the shock you bought you will see it looks the same as what you already have, although their is a difference between the recall and SRP shocks). | ||
| Sooner |
Josh my old shock experienced a major malfunction due to the large nut on the bike that connects the handle bars to the seat. While adding a chin spoiler, the support slipped as I removed the support bolt to the shock, this caused the pressured line to the shock to overextend, and leak all the oil out. thus the need for a new shock, or as bluzm2 suggests, get the old one rebuilt. I got a slammin deal on the replacement shock, but, alas, this very well may be an example of you get what you pay for. | ||
| Buelliedan |
I would not waste the time to install that new shock you got onto 7your bike. It will most likely fail within 1000 miles and it is really a piece of junk in my opinion. The goodwill warranty has long since expired and it was only goof if your bike needed a recall replacement which your 98 would not have if it already had the shock in your second pic.. | ||
| Josh_ |
I would go for a '01 S3 shock with the new mount, but if you go the rebuild way, send the original to http://tracksideengineering.com/newsite for a quick $100* rebuild *est. You might have him upgrade parts esp the spring for your weight while you're at it. |
