Jacking up bike ? lowering links

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TXFJR

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Location
Cibolo, TX
No front stand required or jacking under the engine.

Put bike on center stand.

Place floor jack under back rear of the right swingarm.

Loosen all dogbone nuts and bolts.

Raise swingarm slightly until the upper dogbone bolt can be easily removed.

Remove lower shock mount nut and bolt.

Rotate lower shock mount until lower dogbone bolt can be removed.

Install new dogbones and lower mount nut/bolt.

Install lower shock mount bolt/nut.

Raise swingarm using floorjack until the upper dogbone mount bolt/nut can be installed.

Lower floorjack.

This job took me 15 minutes and is easy weasy, except I raised the rear but same job.

Well, I ordered the 7/8" Kouba links, they should be here sometime next week. I am looking forward to the install (sort of), I think I am going to start with just 1/4" raising of the forks (or lowering of the frame...however you look at it) and see how she does with that! I also ordered a front and rear set of the mcenterprises guards, and will tackle that install next week as well!

 

superfuzz

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Location
Gig Harbor, WA
No front stand required or jacking under the engine.

Put bike on center stand.

Place floor jack under back rear of the right swingarm.

Loosen all dogbone nuts and bolts.

Raise swingarm slightly until the upper dogbone bolt can be easily removed.

Remove lower shock mount nut and bolt.

Rotate lower shock mount until lower dogbone bolt can be removed.

Install new dogbones and lower mount nut/bolt.

Install lower shock mount bolt/nut.

Raise swingarm using floorjack until the upper dogbone mount bolt/nut can be installed.

Lower floorjack.

This job took me 15 minutes and is easy weasy, except I raised the rear but same job.
I just put on the raising links and using the above method worked the best. my $.02

 

TXFJR

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 10, 2011
Messages
194
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Location
Cibolo, TX
No front stand required or jacking under the engine.

Put bike on center stand.

Place floor jack under back rear of the right swingarm.

Loosen all dogbone nuts and bolts.

Raise swingarm slightly until the upper dogbone bolt can be easily removed.

Remove lower shock mount nut and bolt.

Rotate lower shock mount until lower dogbone bolt can be removed.

Install new dogbones and lower mount nut/bolt.

Install lower shock mount bolt/nut.

Raise swingarm using floorjack until the upper dogbone mount bolt/nut can be installed.

Lower floorjack.

This job took me 15 minutes and is easy weasy, except I raised the rear but same job.
I just put on the raising links and using the above method worked the best. my $.02

thats the method I used, and it worked GREAT!

 

ULEWZ

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Northridge, CA
Glad it helped out. I write repair manuals for a living and try to find better ways to do things whenever possible, but I do not reinvent the wheel if it seems sound already. :clapping:

 

BillyWilde1

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Sep 9, 2023
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Location
New Port Richey, FL
No front stand required or jacking under the engine.

Put bike on center stand.

Place floor jack under back rear of the right swingarm.

Loosen all dogbone nuts and bolts.

Raise swingarm slightly until the upper dogbone bolt can be easily removed.

Remove lower shock mount nut and bolt.

Rotate lower shock mount until lower dogbone bolt can be removed.

Install new dogbones and lower mount nut/bolt.

Install lower shock mount bolt/nut.

Raise swingarm using floorjack until the upper dogbone mount bolt/nut can be installed.

Lower floorjack.

This job took me 15 minutes and is easy weasy, except I raised the rear but same job.
UWELZ's is the best method of changing dog bones. Removing the shock bolt made it easy to remove the bottom link bolt.

If you're installing Soupy links, ignore the YouTube video out there that says you should pre-adjust the links' length. Wrong! Put them on just as they came in the package. Don't tighten or loctite the lock nuts.

To adjust the rear end height, simply turn each Soupy links to the desired length. One member says to use 2 wrenches simultaneously. I suggest marking the turnbuckle and counting rotations until the desired height is reached.

Now on to adjusting front height!
 

Super13

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Oct 26, 2016
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Colorado
UWELZ's is the best method of changing dog bones. Removing the shock bolt made it easy to remove the bottom link bolt.

If you're installing Soupy links, ignore the YouTube video out there that says you should pre-adjust the links' length. Wrong! Put them on just as they came in the package. Don't tighten or loctite the lock nuts.

To adjust the rear end height, simply turn each Soupy links to the desired length. One member says to use 2 wrenches simultaneously. I suggest marking the turnbuckle and counting rotations until the desired height is reached.

Now on to adjusting front height!
I lowered my Gen2 using Kouba links. 1" lower. Then slid the fork tubes up one inch. Happier now. Except the exhaust header scrapes on some speed bumps. Bike still feels great at 120.
 

Super13

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Colorado
I lowered my Gen2 using Kouba links. 1" lower. Then slid the fork tubes up one inch. Happier now. Except the exhaust header scrapes on some speed bumps. Bike still feels great at 120.
Lowering the bike necessitated shortening both the side stand and the center stand. I lived in TX at the time and found an older (darn old) welder. I swagged the new lengths. He cut and welded, ground them smooth, and spray painted them flat black. It worked out fine, although I'd like the side stand 1/4" shorter. So must the next owner buy replacement stands?
 
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