changing rts 2010 front shocks to 2011 shocks

[Questions]

I am going to change the 2010 shocks on my rts to the 2011 shocks.
I believe Lamonster gave information and illustrations on how to do it but I cant find the post. I need to know what parts I need besides the shocks and I believe the coils were said to be the same and there is no need to change them.
I would also need to know if you need to take the trunk off or if you can change them with the trunk on and how difficult that would be.
Sorry to bring this up again but any info that I could get would be appreciated.

Thanks, Lawrence :helpsmilie:

 

[mishapman]

Am seriously considering doing the same thing. Looking at the parts fiches, the only difference between the '10 and the '11 is the shock body.

However, looking at the shop manual, there is some crazy looking shock tool shown for working with the shocks. It's got me freaked out to attempt it at home. My biggest concern is how the heck will I get the spring compressed enough to get the retainers threaded on.

 

[IWN2RYD]

Am seriously considering doing the same thing. Looking at the parts fiches, the only difference between the '10 and the '11 is the shock body.

However, looking at the shop manual, there is some crazy looking shock tool shown for working with the shocks. It's got me freaked out to attempt it at home. My biggest concern is how the heck will I get the spring compressed enough to get the retainers threaded on.

It is far easier to adjust than it looks. Just get the tires off the ground and use the tool :thumbup: Frankly I thought it was going to be a challenge as well, and I am pretty good with tools. It took me under 5 minutes and that includes getting and returning the jack from the garage... lol...

Not sure what the title was on the thread walking folks through the removal and installation. I will do a search in hopes to help. But I can say this...

If you have the Shock Kit in hand and assembled... Just jack the front of the RT into the air and lock the jack in place (If possible). Then remove the lower bolt from the shock and remember the direction it was installed.

Then repeat with the upper...

Then remembering the direction of the upper bolt, grab your new shock, slide the bolt in and hand tighten the nut on.

Repeat this with the lower...

Now take your torque wrench and torque to specs.. Go to the other side and repeat above...

Stand back for 15 minutes and gloat about how much money you just saved.... Suit up and plan for a 60 minute ride...

With that fresh new smile on your face that will take 48 hours to remove... Get the jack back under the bike and check your torque... Clean bugs out from teeth so when you tell folks about how much better your ride is they will not die of laughter... hyea::roflblack:

After another 100 ish miles re-check the Torque and call it good....

 

[Hobstopper]

I am in the process of doing it. I got them from my dealer (45 minutes away) with the thought that I would go down to my local autozone and rent some tool for compressing the spring. No go, the shock and spring are smaller in diameter than an auto shock an coil, so no tool that I could see would fit properly. I tried to use the strut tool, if it would have fit the coil properly it would have worked. I even called my local (5 minutes away) cycle dealer and they said that the shocks they deal with have a pin that they remove to release the spring so they dont have a tool to compress ours. I hope that someone will know if there is a tool that I can rent or buy that will do the job.:helpsmilie: Dont mind spending a little money for one since I plan to keep my Spyder for a long time.:doorag:

 

[Hobstopper]

Forgot to mention that I purchased just the shock.

 

[Hobstopper]

Well found the solution for anyone wanting to do it yourself.
Northern Tool
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200396119_200396119

They are are only $30.00 and should last for several uses. The u-bolt leaves just enough room to get on and off and the shock in or out when they are attached. You may have to press on the shock ever so slightly to get the u-bolt off or on. Biggest pain was screwing the nuts on to the U-bolts, but hey I was able to do it myself.:doorag:
On to the next project!

 

[mishapman]

$30 tool would easily pay for itself, especially when my local shop's labor is $90 an hour.

 

[Bob Denman]

$30 tool would easily pay for itself, especially when my local shop's labor is $90 an hour.

:agree: but only $84 per... :thumbup:

 

[cjackg]

Looking at the parts fiches, the only difference between the '10 and the '11 is the shock body.

The other thing that is different on the 2011 shocks is the adjuster ring. It was probably remanufactured due to some problems with the old one breaking under stress. see picture.... http://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/album.php?albumid=1172&pictureid=13409 (the shock with the shiny adjuster is the 2011)

 

[frank3]

I have already replaced the front shocks on my 2010 RT with the 2011 shocks. Much easier job if you remove the front trunk. Not a hard job and really allows free access to everything. Just follow the procedure in the service manual. I sanded and painted the 2011 shocks with a gloss black and had the springs powder coated in metalic grey prior to installation. I used a coil spring compressor that I purchsed on line from some motorcycle tool supplier. It has nylon pads where it contacts the spring so didn't leave tool marks. Cost me around $30. Sorry but I've lost the info for the purchase. I'm on the road on business but when I return home, I'll take some pictures and post them here and see if I can find some info for the spring compressor. You'll love the cornering improvement.

 

[InspectorGadget]

2011 front suspension upgrade

I just ordered the 2011 Shocks #706001059 and Adjusting Ring #706001061 from my dealer for $193.79. I will look into the spring compressor from Northern Tool, and do the assembly and install myself.
I will post results of the re-build and install when it happens.
Thanks to cjackg for his information and inspiration:clap:.
Have fun and ryde safe C-YA RL

 

[Dragonrider]

Hmmmm - I haven't seen the need for a shock change at all?? I ride the freeway a lot, and have run at triple digits....

I had to change my shocks & sway bar on my RS... Am I just lucky, or is this not a problem for us "larger" folks???? :dontknow:

 

[IWN2RYD]

Hmmmm - I haven't seen the need for a shock change at all?? I ride the freeway a lot, and have run at triple digits....

I had to change my shocks & sway bar on my RS... Am I just lucky, or is this not a problem for us "larger" folks???? :dontknow:

For us not necessarily larger people... But two up and we live in an area that is heavy in turns and hills. We found the 2010's to be to weak. Granny kicked in waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to early. Even cranking the springs up, while helping, did not allow for the Touring ride any farther. So adding the sway bar helped.

Having the RT stand up a little better in the corners (Not feel like it wants us off) there by not kicking in the granny as often is a desirable item for us.

The 2011 shocks really do make the RT ryde easier to fine tune and still have the "Spirited" nature of turns.

 

[mishapman]

I resemble larger folks (220-250#). With the fronts set on 5, even one up feels mushy to me. Add a PAX and the outside tire on a turn seems to melt and the inner tire fills with helium, longing to free itself from mother asphalt. I'd like to tighten things up up front.

May make a run to the dealer today to compare prices with BRPs online prices.

Anyone know if stiffer coils would help? If they even exist?

Am I just lucky, or is this not a problem for us "larger" folks???? :dontknow:

 

[SpyderRider]

I thought about changing out the 2010 stockers for the 2011's but in the long run went with the Elka's as I had heard from numerous BRP dealers that the stockers don't have a very long life, are basic and don't offer the response for more aggressive ryding...etc. I am also a rather large fellow at 6'5" and @267 Lbs. I called Elka and John and I custom ordered in the Elka One-Ways with a 325# spring for my type of ryding and my big behind.

I know these are substantially more than the stockers but I can honestly tell the Spyder RT-S has never ridden better. I have also swapped out the stock sway bar for the Evoluzione and am in process of going with Falken Zeix-512 sport performance tires all around. :doorag:

 

[IWN2RYD]

I thought about changing out the 2010 stockers for the 2011's but in the long run went with the Elka's as I had heard from numerous BRP dealers that the stockers don't have a very long life, are basic and don't offer the response for more aggressive ryding...etc. I am also a rather large fellow at 6'5" and @267 Lbs. I called Elka and John and I custom ordered in the Elka One-Ways with a 325# spring for my type of ryding and my big behind.

I know these are substantially more than the stockers but I can honestly tell the Spyder RT-S has never ridden better. I have also swapped out the stock sway bar for the Evoluzione and am in process of going with Falken Zeix-512 sport performance tires all around. :doorag:

Very good advice...

May I add... Elka's are the cats meow. puuuurrrrrrrrrrrr... (Speaking of the fronts here) That said... The Elka's I researched would Run $800. And I understand need to be Rebuilt themselves every 40 - 50,000 miles (Est) So that is $200 - $160 per 10,000 miles. We know the 2011 set runs about $200. We also know we get more than 10,000 miles per set of factory shocks.

So we decided for now to go the cheaper route and know at worst getting another set @ 15,000 or even 20,000 miles we make out like bandits. opcorn:

At least that was the arm twisting input I got from my lovely wife :roflblack:

 

[SpyderRider]

I think dollar for dollar, the Elka's are the better buy. I understand and appreciate your math, however, I hated the stock RT-S 2010 shocks as the byke was so vastly under sprung. Every time I would go into a curve or turn the roll would scare the crud out of me. Besides that, I wanted a shock made in Canada from a group of pro's whom know what they are doing, not a mass produced "throw away" shock as I am been told by two BRP dealers...just my two cents worth. :firstplace:

 

[InspectorGadget]

This weekend I stopped at the Northern Tools in Ocala and purchased the spring compresssor mentioned above(thanks Hobstopper). It is a pretty substantial looking tool. I applied liquid tape to the U bolts that fasten to the springs, in an effort to eliminate any scratching of the springs.
Now I am waiting for the shocks to come in at the dealers.
I'll post the results when I do the job.
Have fun and ryde safe C-YA RL

 

[InspectorGadget]

I just recieved the 2011 shocks and adjusting rings yestarday. I am waiting for my lightweight aluminum motorcycle lift to come in before doing the change out. I will also replace the rear tire while I have her up on the lift.
I am even more excited about the shock upgrade after reading Lamonts report of him ryding the 2011 model.
I'll keep you posted. C-YA at Daytona RL

 

[InspectorGadget]

Ok my lift jack came in Saturday while we were at Daytona, so this morning I tackled the change out. It took about 1.5 hours and this is how it went.
I started on the right side by jacking up the front after loosening the lug nuts. I removed the wheel to get better access to the lower bolt and removed the nut. Then removed the nut from the top bolt.
Place wheel back on and finger tighten 1 lug nut and lower the jack until the bottom bolt will come out easily. Now remove the top bolt and carefully manuver the shock/spring assembly out.
I took the assembly to the bench and attched the spring compressor.
I placed the assembly on the floor so I could place my foot on it to hold it.
Tighten the spring compressor bolts 4 or 5 turns on one side and then the other until the top retaining rings are able to be removed.
The old shock can now be removed.
Slide the new adjuster on from the top of the new shock and slide the new shock up through the spring.
Place the top retaining rings in place making sure that you ofset the slots, and begin backing off on the spring compressor.
Make sure that you have the proper setting on the bottom adjuster ring before completly releasing the spring tension. I set mine to #4.
Carefully place the assembly in place after removing the spring compressor and install the top bolt. Use the jack to line up the bottom bolt before removing the wheel to tighten and torque the bolts.
Repeat on the left side. I found that I had to cut a bit of the plastic air horn to get my ratchet in there to loosen the bolt.
After a short test ryde my assement is that the new shocks deminished the body roll by 20%. Not exactly the result that I was looking for, but in all fairness this was just a short ryde.
I will continue testing and post my results.
Have fun and ryde safe C-YA RL