anips Posted December 14, 2016 Share Posted December 14, 2016 I was wondering if anyone has the K-Tech rear shock and has adjusted the preload on it yet? The shock came with these 2 long thin tools that looks like it's supposed to fit in those holes around the 2 silver colors so you can turn them, however the tools don't even fit in the holes and even if they did I don't see how you would get any leverage to turn it. The bottom silver collar is the lock, and the other one is the adjustment according to the manual so you need to loosen the bottom silver collar and then adjust the other one for preload. Am I missing a spanner wrench or something because I am at a loss right now on how to use the 2 tools that came with the shock. The stock shock was super easy to adjust with the spanner wrench that came with it so am confused why this one would be so difficult unless I was just supplied with the wrong tools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattonme Posted December 14, 2016 Share Posted December 14, 2016 I have one in pieces on my table. Yes the spindly-a$$ tool was a poor choice. If the shaft doesn't fit the 4mm hole that's wrong. It should. Do you have a grinder/sander you can kiss the ends with? Can you send me an up-close pic of the tool in relation to the hole? Last night I sent a 1 page email to K-Tech engineering pointing out a few things they could do better and vastly improve the end-user experience. From the pic it looks like your silver rings are getting close to their max setting. If you need more preload than that and the spring rate is otherwise correct (eg. trying to compensate for heavy load-out or 2-up) then you have to back the silvers off, unlock the black ring, twist it down a suitable amount and fine tune with the silvers. Oh and since 22mm wrenches are unicorns in the States, you can use a 7/8" instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anips Posted December 14, 2016 Author Share Posted December 14, 2016 I have one in pieces on my table. Yes the spindly-a$$ tool was a poor choice. If the shaft doesn't fit the 4mm hole that's wrong. It should. Do you have a grinder/sander you can kiss the ends with? Can you send me an up-close pic of the tool in relation to the hole? That pic wasn't mine, I just found it online to show others what it looked like but I am trying to adjust preload for 2up riding. Below are pics I just took of the tools and it kinda going in the hole. It goes in maybe like 1mm or less so I can possibly hammer it in which would probably work but then it would get stuck most likely. If it does go in all the way it doesn't seem like there is much leverage to turn (I guess I'm picturing the tool either snapping at the tip or stripping the hole edges). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmacas87 Posted December 14, 2016 Share Posted December 14, 2016 those look like basic punch tools, not sure how you'd get any leverage to move collars with those. a spanner type would be much more useful. LOL that picture is from the guy I bought my shock from. I dont have the spanner for it either (yet) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anips Posted December 14, 2016 Author Share Posted December 14, 2016 those look like basic punch tools, not sure how you'd get any leverage to move collars with those. a spanner type would be much more useful. LOL that picture is from the guy I bought my shock from. I dont have the spanner for it either (yet) Did yours come with the same tools as in my picture? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmacas87 Posted December 14, 2016 Share Posted December 14, 2016 those look like basic punch tools, not sure how you'd get any leverage to move collars with those. a spanner type would be much more useful. LOL that picture is from the guy I bought my shock from. I dont have the spanner for it either (yet) Did yours come with the same tools as in my picture? I don't think the previous owner included them, I'll check the box it came in. The shock won't be installed just yet so looking forward to what we find here, even though I plan to have a suspension shop do the basic setup after install. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anips Posted December 14, 2016 Author Share Posted December 14, 2016 I wonder if something like this would work: https://www.amazon.com/OTRMAX-Adjustable-Spanner-Crescent-Vanadium/dp/B01LYBDVFK/ref=sr_1_9?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1481746269&sr=1-9&keywords=spanner+4mm. The small one says it's 4mm diameter which Matt said is the size of the hole so it looks feasible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick Posted December 14, 2016 Share Posted December 14, 2016 That might work, but I'm gonna guess it's too small. This is the hook spanner that came with my Ohlins https://www.amazon.com/Ohlins-OH00710-02-PU-Shock-Spanner-Wrench/dp/B00415XAH0/ref=sr_1_sc_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1481749680&sr=1-1-spell&keywords=Ohlines+shock+spanner it will turn the ring in both directions w/o flipping it around. You might have to round off the tangs a bit with a file. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattonme Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 The rings are 62mm diameter (2.5") so the 2" wrench will probably cam out. I sent a choicely worded email to K-Tech about some of their engineering choices. Got a cordial reply. Haven't responded back yet. In a nut shell the shock for the FZ07/9 was recycled from the dual-shock lineup while EVERYBODY else uses a full-size single-shock as their base platform. On dual shocks the spring rates are 1/2 what the FZ uses so the spindly tool doesn't have to work so hard. Plus the holes are readily accessible since they are out there in the open, whereas on the FZ it's buried under the tank or other frame members. I am disheartened at their failure to apply a proper modicum of thought to suitability and design. The good news is that a solution is already afoot. Timeline unknown however. What really ticked me off is that the silver rings are a near perfect match for the ER40 collet wrench if they were but cut with suitable grooves instead of the dinky holes. There are also commercial pin spanners of the right radius, except the standard is a 5mm pin in this size, not 4. Clearly their design team needs a trip to the woodshed for a good thumping upside the head and a stern lesson in not designing screwball parts when standard tools are readily available. Similarly the black spring collar has pretty little scallops but NO ability to put a tool on it. And yet the rest of the industry uses collars of a practical design that take simple tools. Thankfully the damping department seems to know their stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 pipe wrench - big one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmacas87 Posted December 15, 2016 Share Posted December 15, 2016 I wonder if something like this would work: https://www.amazon.com/OTRMAX-Adjustable-Spanner-Crescent-Vanadium/dp/B01LYBDVFK/ref=sr_1_9?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1481746269&sr=1-9&keywords=spanner+4mm. The small one says it's 4mm diameter which Matt said is the size of the hole so it looks feasible.I have something similar to the medium size one at work. it does 1.25 to 3", but the head/pin is 3/16. I'll shave the pin down and try it out, I'll post what happens... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Global Moderator sorkyah Posted December 15, 2016 Global Moderator Share Posted December 15, 2016 I havent had to adjust the preload on mine yet, but i may try here soon if i can get someone local to help with sag settings. i can say that i wasnt expecting to see 2 pin punches as tools for ajusting the shock. Also anyone notice how much of a pain it is to adjust the comp with our passenger peg installed? ATGATT... ATTATT, two acronyms I live by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anips Posted December 15, 2016 Author Share Posted December 15, 2016 I havent had to adjust the preload on mine yet, but i may try here soon if i can get someone local to help with sag settings. i can say that i wasnt expecting to see 2 pin punches as tools for ajusting the shock. Also anyone notice how much of a pain it is to adjust the comp with our passenger peg installed? I have the passenger peg installed and both compression and rebound is super easy for me to adjust. My hands are on the smaller side though (size small in all gloves for all brands) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anips Posted December 16, 2016 Author Share Posted December 16, 2016 I took another stab with the 2 punch tools and they do indeed work to adjust the preload. Had to use a bit more force and they still don't go all the way in because the tip has an increasing diameter. Don't think this is ever going to be adjustable on the fly since it is a major pain with the frame in the way, I'll just have to set it and forget it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmacas87 Posted December 17, 2016 Share Posted December 17, 2016 I was able to use a tool similar to that Amazon link in the medium size. I just shaved away at the pin until it fit. It ain't pretty after but it works solid. I should probably bring the tool with me when I have a shop set up my suspension just in case. Also it works with the top black ring too, but I think a regular spanner wrench would work better for that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattonme Posted December 18, 2016 Share Posted December 18, 2016 If you mosey over to fj-09 org (cruizin's sister site) I wrote a couple of long posts about this. I've been corresponding with K-Tech directly. A remote preload adjuster is coming and other unspecified improvements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anips Posted December 20, 2016 Author Share Posted December 20, 2016 If you mosey over to fj-09 org (cruizin's sister site) I wrote a couple of long posts about this. I've been corresponding with K-Tech directly. A remote preload adjuster is coming and other unspecified improvements.Thanks, I found it and bookmarked that thread, hopefully we get some updates from them. I'll probably purchase the preload adjuster if it indeed gets released and is priced right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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