The Penske sh#*s the bed, the winter maintenance list continues to grow

[markmartin]

Well the title says it.  Driving to work today thinking WTF is up with my shock as I seemed to have way to little rebound damping.  I stopped and reached underneath to turn the adjuster knob at the bottom of the shock and found that it turns either way no problem, but no 'clicks' when it turns --no clicks like in the clicks it's supposed to have at every quarter or half turn.  From what I can tell now, it feels like I have little or no rebound damping. Fuck.

So in the mean time,  I'm riding a $647 pogo stick until riding season is over in a few days or maybe weeks. The shock has been on the bike two seasons, 9000 miles.  I'd like to think it's had a pretty good life; the roads I ride aren't that rough, I don't drive that hard, hardly ever ride in the rain, and even riding two up (maybe 30% of the time), combined we're only a little over 300lbs.  Am I right to expect more service than this?  I guess I have to send it back to Traxxion Dynamics to have it serviced?  Has anyone had this problem with a 8900 Series Penske Sport Shock?  Or know how to fix this?

This is a totally unrelated problem to what I was having earlier this month when (trying to) turn the spring adjuster collar.  I was going to take the shock off this winter and try to fix this problem myself.  No putting it off now...

[DB Cooper]

Hey Mark.
That sucks! Let us know how it works out.  I need of a new shock, and I was looking at putting the Penske on this winter. Just for intrest
sake, is there any other brand of shock available for the FJ?
Kevin

[racerman_27410]

were you using a shock sock ?


there is a very vulnerable seal right where the shock shaft goes into the shock body.

ANY road grime that gets on that shaft is going to be wiped off by that seal...... this is most definitely going to create
excessive wear on that seal.

once that seal goes then the nitrogen gas and shock oil all come out and basically you are ridin on the spring alone.

get your shock rebuilt and spend the 15 bucks on a shock sock from traxxion.... your shock will thank you.

my Penske 8987 has been operating perfectly for 10 years now and i've had a shock sock on since day one. 


KOokaloo!

[Pat Conlon]

On both bikes, mine have been going strong since 2004. They have ~42k miles on them.

Mark, sorry to hear this. This is not normal. Please report back and let us know what failed when you get the work done.

+1 on Frank's suggestion on the shock sock.

Pat

[WhiteBeard]

were you using a shock sock ?

Like this one?
http://www.traxxion.com/VentedShockSock.aspx

[racerman_27410]

were you using a shock sock ?

Like this one?
http://www.traxxion.com/VentedShockSock.aspx

yes thats the one.


Kookaloo!

[markmartin]

racerman, I should have listened your advice when I read it two years ago.  I just got a 'sock' a couple of weeks ago from Traxxion and was going to put it on this winter when I removed the shock to address the top collar problem I'm having.  It's gonna go on before next season for sure.  I had discounted the advice because it reminded me of when I left my only 'good' rifle in it's case stored in the attic garage over the winter only to find it pitted and rusty upon opening the case the following fall. Evidently, the vent part of the vented sock is key, and nobody is reporting this rusting phenomenon happening to their shock when using the sock.  So...next time, it's going on!  Maybe this goes along with the old antage of 'keep it covered'?  I think that was a different subject, but good advice none the less.

All that said, our (my) dirt bike shocks take a beating and get grimey as hell and I've not had a seal failure problem with those.  Oh well, I'm anxious to see what Traxxion/Penske has to say about it. 

DB Cooper, there are other shocks, and I have no experience with them, but as disappointed as I am with this latest development, I'm still a fan of the Penskee shock.  I wouldn't necessarily let this bad report make for writing off this choice as a poor performer.  The shock is wonderful when it's working properly, I think you'll find most reports to be very favorable. Those same good reports are enough to for me to chalk this event up to a little bad luck for me this time.

[racerrad8]

...is there any other brand of shock available for the FJ?
Kevin

Hopefully soon...

Randy - RPM

[Flyover Country Joe]

, is there any other brand of shock available for the FJ?
Kevin
[/quote]
Kevin, Hagon still makes a shock for the FJ. I have never had one, nor work for them. Just thought I would throw that one out there........

[racerman_27410]

All that said, our (my) dirt bike shocks take a beating and get grimey as hell and I've not had a seal failure problem with those. 

dirt bike shocks are designed to handle those extreme conditions... triple wipers on the seals, flaps to keep mud and spray from getting blasted directly onto the shock shaft etc.

i used to be a fair weather only rider and was still amazed at how much crud was on the underside of my FJ.... with the purchase of my new penske i felt like the sock was cheap insurance ... turns out it was and has been for many years now.

i'm going to have my shock serviced for the first time ever this winter.... i want some new oil inside it after 10 years it has to need some kind of freshening 


KOokaloo!

[markmartin]

I wrote to Traxxion Dynamics last night.  Response today.

Mark, We can rebuild the shock for $150. Complete disassembly, inspection of everything, dyno test, etc. Time between services is usally longer than what you have experienced, but the main seal on a shock is like a fork seal, all it takes is a small rock ding or some dirt to eat away at the seal, and cause it to leak the nitrogen. We use a different style of O-ring shaft seal when we rebuild them, so if you run a shock sock, it should last for much longer next time. Let me know if you have further questions. Best regards,Dan
   

[Pat Conlon]

FYI... I split the YZF vs GSXR wheel discussion out of this thread and moved it over to here: http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=5210.0  Pat

[markmartin]

Update: I pulled the shock off this afternoon, and found that the air nipple at the top of the shock (nitrogen nipple?  someone with knowledge please chime in?) was cracked and about to break off.  Oil leaked out of it when I turned it upside down.  So it's no wonder I had no damping.  I must have inadvertently hit and broken the nipple when I was trying to adjust the collar at the top of the spring.  I didn't think I was being so careless, but oh well, I guess I was.
So it's off for a rebuild.

The better news is that the seals or the shock didn't fail after 2 years of normal use, --- I broke it.  That restores my faith in the Penske, and hopefully the same to anyone who had the same thoughts. 

Theres still the issue of the torrington bearing and the lack of ease that the spring collar turns for adjustments.  We'll see how it is when it comes back from being serviced.