How to change/remove TEC rear shock springs

Hi all, as some of you may know during my visit to England I was not entirely happy with the std. springs on my TEC shocks, but I also had a second pair which were HD.

After removing all my touring kit I was still not entirely happy, so today I changed the springs and this is my how to :

First of all I had to create a tool to compress the springs during removal; I have included various pictures of the device that I knocked together, with bits around the house.



So,an important difference between this shock and some others is that with this one it does NOT have a "C" shaped spring seat, it is a complete complete ring, so you need to unscrew the eye off the piston. You will need an open ended spanner 20mm for the eye part and a 19mm open spanner for the piston rod lock-nut. Compressing the spring gives better access to the lock-nut

Unscrew the eye and Bobby is your uncle, the spring is free. Installation requires you to compress the spring slightly to ensure you get the eye well onto the piston rod threads before releasing it.

TBH the tool work like a dream. Hope this helps someone.......................

 

When I bought my shocks they came with a second pair of Heavy Duty ones, which I now have on the bike. My concern is that the std. springs felt fine for awhile, then got saggy; so I'm just hoping that this pair don't go down the same, limp road.

I've e-mailed George at TEC so we'll see what he has to say.

Thing is I would never really have known how much of the shock travel I was using if I hadn't attached some red zip ties to the shock piston rods - sometimes ignorance IS bliss.

 

Never thought of that Pete, I had my Land-Rover head on when I was writing that

 

Hi Eric, with the changed springs the situation is much improved, but if I'm being perfectly honest I wouldn't want to carry a pillion on mine. You've met me so you'll have some idea of what I weigh.

I believe that the std springs softened over time, then when I needed them to carry me AND my trip luggage, they just wilted !

With the new heavier duty springs the position is better, I'm not running out of piston travel or bottoming out but I just can't get away from the feeling that the TEC's have too short a stroke. The harder the spring the more hard (not necessarily harsh) is the ride quality but it does give the bike more of a sporty ride - certainly doesn't wallow now.

Incidentally, here's a firm that sells loads of shocks suitable for our bikes in various spring lengths and colours and they look remarkably like the TEC ones. Have a look at their range,costs seem to be between £65 and £75 for a pair.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/13-5-340m...407?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2a31d5201f

If you read the spec, they all seem to have a 68mm stroke, irrespective of the eye to eye length.

I keep hearing good things about the Hagon shocks, the problem is that most peeps don't ride as much as I do, so it's difficult to get good feedback about durability and I would like to be sure, before spending more dosh.

 

Will do.

"Tiggy, hey Tiggy, got something new for you to play with"