BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

I may have a pair of Wilburs in hand tomorrow and I have a question about the front shock installation. I've done this on GS and S model where the tank wasn't in the way. With the R it looks like the tank has to go aft an inch or so to get an allen wrench on the front shock shaft and loosen the top nut. Can the tank be shoved back how much has to come lose to move it? Clymers instructions are quite elaborate and involve pulling the tank. TIA!

You'll have to pull the tank to really get at it, you can slide the tank back to get at the top of the shock mount but you still have to do all of the same steps to get to that point so in IMO you might as well just get it out of the way.

Two fuel lines, fuel pump electrical connector, vent hoses...couple bolts. It sounds a lot worse than it actually is, and it's good practice for when you need to get to the battery, fuel filter, or ABS pump if you're on an ABS bike.

Read here: http://home.mindspring.com/~jabrooks/te ... emoval.htm

...and if this is your first time pulling the fuel lines, keep a bucket at arms reach in case you break one of the connectors...don't ask me how i know.

llohbocaj, that's very helpful! Thanks. Looks pretty much like the Clymers minus disconnecting the negative battery cable. I'll proceed. I've already replaced the QD's so I shouldn't need the bucket. Thanks again.

When I bought my wilburs from ted porter he advised using a quick blast with a pneumatic gun to get the front shock on so that you are turning the bolt rather than the entire shock assembly as you tighten it...I didn't have the tools so I did it the old fashioned way, but it's something to think about and watch out for as you do it if you don't have the tools either.

Good luck with the swap. I did it by myself in my parking garage and it might have taken 2 hours to do front/back and get the bike buttoned back up again.

Don't know about your skill level, however, it is very much doable by removing the tank holdown bolt on the right side by the TB and sliding such on the front supports just enough to gain access to the top of the shock. Certainly the impact wrench, if accessible will do the job well.

I would be far more concerned with limiting the drop of the front forks, once you remove the top nut on the shock so as not to put undue stress on the brake line from the front master cylinder to the splitter.

Good luck.......

Thanks, guys. Shocks should come today and I'll give Porter a call. I have pretty good mechanical and fab skills from car restorations and a past welder life, adequate tools, including pneumatic wrench. I'm grateful for advice that saves me work though so I'll try first scooting the tank back far enough to get at that nut. I'm excited to try the Wilburs!

I haven't started the Wilbers install yet, but it's curious that the graphics in their paperwork places the preload adjuster on the right side and not the left. High pressure cylinder goes on the left. So I guess adjustments on the fly are verboten, huh? Saving us from ourselves?

Take a look at this one http://www.advrider.com/Wisdom/GSOIAv1.2.pdf

Installing the Wilbers is almost the same as installing the Oehlins ...

Best regards
Oliver

Boy, that's thorough, Oliver. Thanks. I installed both Wilbers yesterday. On the front, I found that I needed to detach the oil radiators from the tank to slide it back enough to get to the top shock nut. The shocks came in and out if I moved the horn aside. Didn't need to pull the front wheel. The back went fine except that I don't yet have a satisfactory spot for the remote high speed compression reservoir. It's installed on the left side of the bike where Wilbers graphics show it to go, but it sticks out a bit where my left heel may hit it. I can get it farther under the frame tubing it's hung on, but its feed tube from the shock then pushes the mud guard onto the tire. Maybe I need to try the right side. Funky installation so far.

Keppelj

Good show.....on the rear shock look at the bracket positioning and orientation, had to go through a similar exercise when I intalled the Bitubos on mine, but everything turned out fine.