beefking

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Nov 12, 2002
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Today I got bored and thought it would be a good idea to change the shock oil in the 89 KDX, as I haven't changed it since I've had the bike (couple years!).

I let the gas out, removed the plug and pumped the shock a few times to get all the oil out (which was pretty dirty i must say). Now, what type of oil to I use and how much of it? Do I fill it up through the drain bolt hole with a syringe? I don't have a manual with the bike, although I know i should...

Also, I think you need to make sure there is no air inside the shock, but how do you do this? Any links or general help is appreciated. THANKS! :)
 

mcoker

Member
Mar 18, 2003
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I tried to do this on my '88 and it turned out to be more of a pain in the ass than I had envisioned. I ended up taking it to a shop because I couldn't get all of the air out of it. However, I don't think it's as difficult with yours because your shock body & reservior are one piece, mine has a long hose connecting the two. I've never done one like yours, so I can't offer you any help.
But I put Mobil 1 Synthetic ATF in mine and it's really nice, a couple of people on here suggested it.
 

89kdx200rdr

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Apr 19, 2003
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beefking the air bleeder bolt is on the back side of the top part of the shock where it mounts to frame. manual says kyb k2-c (sae 5w or belray se2 #40) it sounds like a pita. if u want i'll hook up my scanner and send the pages from the manual. do u have a way of putting the nitrogen gas back in the shock?
 

jaguar

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Jul 29, 2000
1,502
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South America
My manual doesn't say how much oil to put back in it, just up to a certain level.
Let me know how it goes since I want to change the oil in my shock also but wasn't sure about taking it all apart like the manual shows. If doing it through the bleed hole works then why go thru all the other hastle?
The manual says to remove the spring, let out the gas pressure, adjust the damper to the softest position, let the oil out from the bleeder and pump the shock to get all oil out, install the bleeder bolt, remove the gas reservoir parts, "pry at the gaps in the stop (I'm quoting on this one, they're talking about on the shock body where the shaft goes out from it and they show inserting two pins into the shock body to move some keeper inside it) with suitable tools to free the stop from the rear shock body", "slide the stop up to the top of the push rod then lightly tap around the seal with a suitable rod and mallet and push the seal assembly 10 mm down and remove the circlip", pull out the push rod assy, pour all remaining oil out.
assembly:
install the bleeder bolt, pour SAE 5W oil into the gas reservoir till 60-70mm from the top end (with the shock upright), put the bladder and top into the shock, pour SAE 5W oil into the shock body till 45mm from the end, put the rod assy in and pump it up and down to get all air out, push in the shaft seal and fit the circlip into the groove in the shock body, pull up the push rod assy against the circlip, force the stop into the body by lightly tapping around its edge with a mallet, pump the shock up and down several times and leave it in the extended position for 3 minutes, remove the bleeder bolt and let any oil flow out until it stops, if no oil comes out then add oil to fill it, install the bleeder bolt, with the shock extended add nitrogen to 170psi, install shock spring.
So it could be that by taking off the bleeder bolt that you only let out the gas from the shock body. You'd have to dissassemble the gas chamber to change the oil in there. Which is fine since it don't look too hard.
Did you have to remove the spring and pump the shock to get the oil to come out?
 
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beefking

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Nov 12, 2002
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So far all I've done is remove the spring, let out the gas, and remove the bleeder bolt (top of shock body) and pumped it a few times to get the oil out. I think I got most of it, but just a couple of ounces really.

I'll give it a shot, I may end up taking this one to the shop though. ;)
I also know someone that works at a paintball shop, so I can get the nitrogen there for free if I bring some adapters to fill it up.

Thanks for all the help guys, I'll take pics as I go (if I get it!) ;)
 

beefking

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Nov 12, 2002
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OK I got the resevoir empty (have to push the bladder down a few mm to get at the circlip, then pull it out by the cap on the airnipple). I just can't get this damn stop (on the shock body) off. I tried prying with 2 allen wrenches in those gaps, but they just bend. I also tried shoving 2 very small taps in there, but they just snapped. Am I supposed to push in a little while prying, because this just isn't working. :think:

Once I get that stop off, it's all pretty straight forward. But for now...could use some advice/clarification! :uh:
 

mcoker

Member
Mar 18, 2003
123
0
I had the same problem... here is what I did (It's totally ghetto, and I am 100% against doing it again :) )

You know those little screwdriver bits that you can put on the end of a handle, or in a drill or something? I took a couple of those, beat one of them into one hole on the stop, then turned the shock over so that the shock was standing via the bit... then put another one on the other side (up, toward me) and beat the **** out of it with a hammer. Since you're beating the top side, and when you hit down, it puts weight on the other side (so the bit goes up into the stop), it's like you're prying from both ends. This method mal-formed the holes where the stop are, but just a little bit. And it came off after a half dozen or so hits.
 

beefking

~SPONSOR~
Nov 12, 2002
150
0
Well I got it off, sorta like what you did coker. I just took one sharp flatblade screwdriver, and tapped it between the stopper and the shock body. I did that on either side, and the rest was just prying it out. I also heated the body up/iced stopper down a little to get some more clearance. Its really alot easier than is sounds when reading it!

Once all back together, pumped it up and down a few times then left it fully extended for a few minutes. With it still upright, pulled the bleeder at the top of the shock and filled it up the rest of the way (to the threads of the bleeder) with an eye dropper type-dealy, then did the process over again to make sure... I'm pretty sure I got all the air out, damping action is smooth the whole length.

I really appreciate all the help guys, BIG cheers on me!!! :yeehaw: :thumb:


PS, I think you probably COULD change the oil without taking apart the shock itself, as there wasn't much in there at all from draining it out anyhow. If you bled it nice and good I'm sure it would be fine, but I cleaned everything with parts cleaner to get all of the old oil out. I replaced it with 7wt oil, don't think it will make much difference.
 
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