PE floater shocks

[monaro308]

Did the aussie PE175 floaters come out with the poor mans rear shock ie no reservoir and rebound adjustment unlike other countries?
Most of the info i can find shows them with the resi and rebound.
I picked up my PE175D....man this thing has had a VERY hard life......you know that saying about lending tools or your mrs???
Flogged out bearings in the floater struts and cushion lever,frame repairs around the kickstand area.....i think a bird with diarrhea did the welding.
Leaking rear shock,fork seals and i'm sure the PE came out with wiring 
Infact i think every single part on this bike has been @#$%^ around with.
Even the throttle has worn a groove in the alloy bars.
Gonna hassle the bearing joints on the cost of the sphericals....going by Alpha Suzuki's US prices YIKES!
Looks like i'm gonna have to take a good hard look at "Princess Fiona" and work out which way to go.
Oh yeah i need to find out how much oil goes in this shocker and nitrogen psi.

On the upside i also now have this RM125F (85) basket case.
Pretty much all there,plastics,brand new dunlop 756....yummy 43mm forks in very good knick 
Engine must have blown a gear lever shaft but they have butchered the crankshaft ends getting it apart.
Was almost worth putting it together until i saw the crank!
Hmmmm....a PE175 engine in this frame??? Surgery on the down tube and remove the rail at the airbox??
I'll see how Fiona comes along!

[BJJ]

Can assist with new FullFloater Decals  http://shop.ebay.com.au/remotepc/m.html?_dmd=1&_ipg=50&_sop=12&_rdc=1

[LWC82PE]

Australia and any other countries that had batties didnt have the shock with the remote reservoir. countries with no battery had the better shock.
The PE forum has info on rebuilding the original shock, inc oil, gas pressure etc in the owners manual you can download.
PE 175 rod and pistons kits are cheap and easy to get. Your big issue will be getting over the cost of some of the heim bearings in the linkaages etc. I have forgotten the correct sizes, but if you let me know i might be able to help because i have since found some other sources of odd size bearings and they might have the size you need, not sure.

[monaro308]

Thanks LWC82PE...i must have missed the shock specs on the pe forum and yes the battery box,forgot about that,so that explains where the resi is located. I did see an E24 spec shock in one of the manuals.
I've had the shock apart for a couple of days now...very simple and will check the forum again.
I knew the floater heim/spherical bearings were always going to be a killer....so a trip to the bearing joint is a must first or if you have contacts that might be better.
Are they a universal size or a Suzuki only size ala stupid Honda seals?
Princess Fiona will go together oneday soon and a possible frankenbike from that RM125 above has stirred the loins 
Cheers and thanks...mario

[LWC82PE]

I jus did a search here http://ozvmx.com/community/index.php?board=11.0 plenty of info here if you look/seach

Spherical Bearing - 8mm ID - 17.5mm OD - 11mm wide. That was measured by another member.

I know you can 10mm ID with 19mm OD because the original PE left side twinshocks have them. I had to import them from ASKUBAL though in Gemany.

the 17.5mm puts them in the 'stupid size' category. You can try www.racetech.com as i know they have some odd sizes found on japanese bikes but i dont think they are going to have 17.5mm od. Also try www.goallballs.com

Most bearing shops will only be able to help with 19/22/26mm OD

If you look the part number of the bearing on www.alpha-sports.com and then let me know it i will run it through the X-ref program and see what other suzukis have it.

Also ask on the PE forum because a few months ago some guys were discussing this very issue and im not sure what they came up with as a viable soloution.

Prepare your self to fork out the cash for OEM though.

The shock info is either on the yahoo forum or linked from there into Lukes skydrive. There was a guy overhauling one a few months back. You can also buy the shock seal heads on ebay in the brands of Moose/Allballs. If you go to the http://www.mooseoffroad.com/ website they list dimensions of the seal heads. Also I know www.racetech.com also have the seal heads and parts to rebuild the PE shock. Australian outlet for them is http://www.shocktreatment.com.au/index.html Also this place will also have parts for the shock like seal heads. http://www.teknikmotorsport.com/parts so you have got plenty of sources there for the shock stuff.

[monaro308]

Luckily for Suzuki that the RM/PE full floater worked very well otherwise it would be a "stay away" from this type of bike for restoring.
Luke helped me out with the X ref program and i will sus out the part # and other models...either way the wallet is gonna cop a hiding.
Thanks for the other links too....very helpful.
Stay tuned 
Cheers....mario

[Marc.com]

If you have the basket case 125 I would sling the suspension in the bin and use the 125 stuff. Or score some 125 stuff in good condition, good used will always be way cheaper than reconditioning.

I used 125 suspension, TS185 piston, DG pipe back in the day and it went like a missile.

[monaro308]

Hi marc....i was actually playing around in the shed doing just that when you posted that up.
Now....RM s/arm fits in the PE frame nicely....but the bottom shock mount hits the centre stand mounts which means that the s/arm doesn't drop down far enough.
Next problem....the bell crank arm off the RM is narrower (PE frame wider) and has a larger diameter shaft.
Can space out bell crank and then add thicker internal bush to fit the smaller diameter PE shaft.
Next.....the pivot points between the swingarm centre to bellcrank centres are wider on the PE which stuffs up the ratio/length between the strut points.....then the top shock mount on the RM bell crank is offset to the right of the frame to accomodate the one sided airbox (PE is twin air,shocker sits in the middle)......its all up the shite 
It was a bit of fun mixing and matching though just to see "if".
The PE will go back together oneday......and the frankenbike will get somekind of engine transplant....just tried the RM125T bottom cases in it.....semi cradle will need working with the angle exh/port.


Cheers...mario

[Marc.com]

Hi marc....i was actually playing around in the shed doing just that when you posted that up.
Now....RM s/arm fits in the PE frame nicely....but the bottom shock mount hits the centre stand mounts which means that the s/arm doesn't drop down far enough.
Next problem....the bell crank arm off the RM is narrower (PE frame wider) and has a larger diameter shaft.
Can space out bell crank and then add thicker internal bush to fit the smaller diameter PE shaft.
Next.....the pivot points between the swingarm centre to bellcrank centres are wider on the PE which stuffs up the ratio/length between the strut points.....then the top shock mount on the RM bell crank is offset to the right of the frame to accomodate the one sided airbox (PE is twin air,shocker sits in the middle)......its all up the shite 
It was a bit of fun mixing and matching though just to see "if".
The PE will go back together oneday......and the frankenbike will get somekind of engine transplant....just tried the RM125T bottom cases in it.....semi cradle will need working with the angle exh/port.


Cheers...mario

[Marc.com]

When I did it I just used the shock and kept all the PE linkages. What about the other way round with the PE motor into the RM frame. Remember everything fits everything else eventually.

I would like to build PE500 one day.

[monaro308]

The PE motor into the 125 frame was /is my first port of call  as i have the PE fully stripped.
The PE will still get done,but meanwhile i will see how the 175 sits in the frame.

How you going with your bike marc?

cheers...mario

[Marc.com]

How you going with your bike marc?

cheers...mario

Been a bit busy socially last couple of weekends (staying home and keeping my ol lady happy)

But the bits are piling up, FMF Porky had will go on this weekend and Simons clamps. Just converting swingarm to bearings rather than a bush.

[monaro308]

Hey nice arse 
Yeah gotta keep the mrs happy....lucky i don't have one 
You reminded me of an article about swingarm bearings vs bushes.
I'll post it in  tech talk section.

Also to LWCPE82...i've emailed shocktreatment and teknik on prices so thanks for the links (pulled down the RM shock too ...blown seal head and bladder in the resi)

Oh well.....i'll keep the PE talk in this section and RM frankenbike in the Suzuki section.
Thanks....Mario

[Marc.com]

Hi Mario,

if you have an article on bearings versus bushes I would be interested.

BRG Marc

[monaro308]

Hi marc.....probably a bit late replying on that article as you would have found it in the tech talk section 

cheers...mario