RX3: How to Clean and Grease the Lower Shock Linkage

SpudRider · 11-08-2015, 01:19 AM

It is important to clean and grease the lower shock linkage every 10,000 miles. Otherwise, you can damage the bearings, and possibly damage the shock linkage.

With 12,000 miles on the odometer, I performed this service on my Zongshen RX3.

In order to remove the lower shock linkage, you must first remove all weight from the rear wheel. You can either employ your center stand, or you can use a jack to accomplish this goal. Since my bike doesn't have a center stand, I raised the rear wheel by supporting the bike on a jack, and the side stand.

Once the rear wheel is lifted, I always remove the wheel. This gives me much more space to loosen/tighten bolts, and also facilitates lifting the swingarm to align bolt holes, et cetera.

SpudRider · 11-08-2015, 01:23 AM

I start by removing the rear bolt of the dogbone/link. After swinging the dogbone/link out of the way, I have easy access to remove the lower shock bolt. Then it is a simple matter to remove the final bolts for both the rocker/arm/knuckle, and the dogbone/link.

After the lower shock linkage is removed, I disassemble, clean, grease, and re-assemble the lower shock linkage as shown in the following videos.

SpudRider · 11-08-2015, 01:23 AM

SpudRider · 11-08-2015, 01:24 AM

SpudRider · 11-08-2015, 01:28 AM

The only difficult pieces to remove are the elements of the lower shock mount, located in the front of the rocker/knuckle/arm. In this instance you must carefully pry off the dust seals before you can remove the inner elements.

I use a sharp pick to pry around the circumference of half the seal, until the seal finally releases. After both dust seals are removed, the rest of the pieces come out easily.

SpudRider · 11-08-2015, 01:33 AM

I use Lucas Oil Red 'N' Tacky #2 grease to lubricate the bearings and bushings.

However, many people like the Maxima and BelRay, waterproof greases.

SpudRider · 11-08-2015, 01:40 AM

All of the bearings in the lower shock linkage are caged needle bearings, except the bearing for the lower shock linkage.

For this last bearing I perform the following steps.

Using a pick, I remove all the needles (36) from the bearing, and drop them onto a paper towel. I clean the needles by rolling them around on the paper towel.

I then clean the bearing race with a Q-tip. I apply grease to the inside of the race, and re-install the needles with a pair of tweezers. I then grease, and replace the bushings and dust seals as I do with the other bearings.

SpudRider · 11-08-2015, 01:47 AM

The lower shock linkage of the RX3 employs bolts the same size as most of the bolts in the lower shock linkage of my Honda CRF250X. Therefore, I used the same torque specification of 38 foot-pounds.

First, I install the front bolt for the dogbone/link.
Then I install the top, swingarm bolt for the rocker/knuckle/arm.
I then install the lower shock bolt, lifting the swingarm as necessary, to align the bolt holes.
Finally, I install the rear bolt for the dogbone/link.

After I replace the rear wheel, I lower the bike to the ground. I then test the suspension by bouncing it several times while seated in the saddle. If all is well, the job is complete.

SpudRider · 11-08-2015, 01:52 AM

If you remove the rear wheel, you will have easy access to all the bolts, except one. You cannot remove the top, swingarm bolt of the rocker, because it is blocked by the chain slider. Remove the Allen head bolt which holds the chain slider to the bottom of the swingarm, and you can move the chain slider out of the way to remove this bolt from the rocker/knuckle/arm.

When I re-assembled the lower shock linkage, I inserted this bolt from the right side. Therefore, I won't need to mess with the chain slider next time.

SpudRider · 11-08-2015, 02:01 AM

I have added this thread to the RX3 Tech Sticky, which is pinned to the top of this forum. The link appears under the Maintenance subheading.

http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=14228

SpudRider · 11-08-2015, 03:51 AM

I use a sharp pick to remove the dust seals and the free needles from the lower shock bearing, which is at the front of the rocker/knuckle/arm. I purchased the following pick set from Harbor Freight, which comes in handy for many jobs.

http://www.harborfreight.com/4-piece...set-66836.html

You can apply grease to the bearings with your fingers, or small brushes. I usually employ small shop brushes, which I also bought from Harbor Freight.

http://www.harborfreight.com/36-pc-1...hes-61880.html

Jay In Milpitas · 11-08-2015, 02:50 PM

A most excellent tutorial, Spud! Thanks for doing it.

I'm guessing that although you had all that out, you didn't remove the rear shock to inspect it? I remember that you have expressed discontent with it's performance, and wonder if it's sealed or rebuildable.

detours · 11-08-2015, 11:06 PM

Fantastic walk through! I'm still well away from 10000 miles, but it's good to know what's coming.

SpudRider · 11-09-2015, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay In Milpitas

A most excellent tutorial, Spud! Thanks for doing it.

I'm guessing that although you had all that out, you didn't remove the rear shock to inspect it? I remember that you have expressed discontent with it's performance, and wonder if it's sealed or rebuildable.

I've been keeping this 'under my hat,' but since you directly asked about the shock absorber, I want to be forthright.

Yes, I did remove the Chinese shock, and installed a Progressive shock absorber which was sent to me for testing. The stock shock has a notch at the bottom of the shock tube, so I guess you could break it apart.

However, I don't know where you would get the proper parts to rebuild it.

Therefore, for all practical purposes, I don't consider the stock shock to be rebuildable.

The Progressive shock absorber is wonderful. It is far superior to the stock shock absorber, and it is completely rebuildable.

CSC is still testing different springs for the Progressive shock. Also, I think they plan to further test the shock, perhaps taking it on the Barstow/Vegas ride. Therefore, I haven't mentioned the Progressive shock until now, because I didn't want to subject the guys at CSC to a lot of phone calls regarding a product they haven't yet finalized for sale.

rtking · 11-09-2015, 03:22 PM

Nice Spud! That Progressive shock looks like it has a wider shock body, so the piston has more surface area (better control). Also, there's more usable spring travel since you won't get into spring bind like the more tightly coiled stock spring. Glad to read that it's a superior shock!

One more item to add to my "Christmas want list" for the RX3!

11-08-2015, 01:19 AM	#1
SpudRider Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Idaho Posts: 25,054	RX3: How to Clean and Grease the Lower Shock Linkage It is important to clean and grease the lower shock linkage every 10,000 miles. Otherwise, you can damage the bearings, and possibly damage the shock linkage. With 12,000 miles on the odometer, I performed this service on my Zongshen RX3. In order to remove the lower shock linkage, you must first remove all weight from the rear wheel. You can either employ your center stand, or you can use a jack to accomplish this goal. Since my bike doesn't have a center stand, I raised the rear wheel by supporting the bike on a jack, and the side stand. Once the rear wheel is lifted, I always remove the wheel. This gives me much more space to loosen/tighten bolts, and also facilitates lifting the swingarm to align bolt holes, et cetera. __________________ Spud "Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level, and beat you with experience." Mark Twain 2015 Zongshen ZS250GY-3 (RX3) 2006 Zongshen ZS200GY-2 (Sierra 200) 2005 Honda XR650L 2004 Honda CRF250X 1998 Kawasaki KDX220 Mods made to my Zongshen ZS200GY-2: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=6894 Last edited by SpudRider; 11-08-2015 at 01:59 AM.
	1

11-08-2015, 01:23 AM	#3
SpudRider Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Idaho Posts: 25,054	__________________ Spud "Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level, and beat you with experience." Mark Twain 2015 Zongshen ZS250GY-3 (RX3) 2006 Zongshen ZS200GY-2 (Sierra 200) 2005 Honda XR650L 2004 Honda CRF250X 1998 Kawasaki KDX220 Mods made to my Zongshen ZS200GY-2: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=6894
	0

11-08-2015, 01:24 AM	#4
SpudRider Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Idaho Posts: 25,054	__________________ Spud "Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level, and beat you with experience." Mark Twain 2015 Zongshen ZS250GY-3 (RX3) 2006 Zongshen ZS200GY-2 (Sierra 200) 2005 Honda XR650L 2004 Honda CRF250X 1998 Kawasaki KDX220 Mods made to my Zongshen ZS200GY-2: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=6894
	0

11-08-2015, 01:28 AM	#5
SpudRider Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Idaho Posts: 25,054	The only difficult pieces to remove are the elements of the lower shock mount, located in the front of the rocker/knuckle/arm. In this instance you must carefully pry off the dust seals before you can remove the inner elements. I use a sharp pick to pry around the circumference of half the seal, until the seal finally releases. After both dust seals are removed, the rest of the pieces come out easily. __________________ Spud "Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level, and beat you with experience." Mark Twain 2015 Zongshen ZS250GY-3 (RX3) 2006 Zongshen ZS200GY-2 (Sierra 200) 2005 Honda XR650L 2004 Honda CRF250X 1998 Kawasaki KDX220 Mods made to my Zongshen ZS200GY-2: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=6894
	1

11-08-2015, 01:33 AM	#6
SpudRider Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Idaho Posts: 25,054	I use Lucas Oil Red 'N' Tacky #2 grease to lubricate the bearings and bushings. However, many people like the Maxima and BelRay, waterproof greases. __________________ Spud "Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level, and beat you with experience." Mark Twain 2015 Zongshen ZS250GY-3 (RX3) 2006 Zongshen ZS200GY-2 (Sierra 200) 2005 Honda XR650L 2004 Honda CRF250X 1998 Kawasaki KDX220 Mods made to my Zongshen ZS200GY-2: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=6894
	0

11-08-2015, 01:40 AM	#7
SpudRider Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Idaho Posts: 25,054	All of the bearings in the lower shock linkage are caged needle bearings, except the bearing for the lower shock linkage. For this last bearing I perform the following steps. Using a pick, I remove all the needles (36) from the bearing, and drop them onto a paper towel. I clean the needles by rolling them around on the paper towel. I then clean the bearing race with a Q-tip. I apply grease to the inside of the race, and re-install the needles with a pair of tweezers. I then grease, and replace the bushings and dust seals as I do with the other bearings. __________________ Spud "Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level, and beat you with experience." Mark Twain 2015 Zongshen ZS250GY-3 (RX3) 2006 Zongshen ZS200GY-2 (Sierra 200) 2005 Honda XR650L 2004 Honda CRF250X 1998 Kawasaki KDX220 Mods made to my Zongshen ZS200GY-2: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=6894 Last edited by SpudRider; 11-08-2015 at 03:44 AM.
	1

11-08-2015, 01:47 AM	#8
SpudRider Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Idaho Posts: 25,054	The lower shock linkage of the RX3 employs bolts the same size as most of the bolts in the lower shock linkage of my Honda CRF250X. Therefore, I used the same torque specification of 38 foot-pounds. First, I install the front bolt for the dogbone/link. Then I install the top, swingarm bolt for the rocker/knuckle/arm. I then install the lower shock bolt, lifting the swingarm as necessary, to align the bolt holes. Finally, I install the rear bolt for the dogbone/link. After I replace the rear wheel, I lower the bike to the ground. I then test the suspension by bouncing it several times while seated in the saddle. If all is well, the job is complete. __________________ Spud "Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level, and beat you with experience." Mark Twain 2015 Zongshen ZS250GY-3 (RX3) 2006 Zongshen ZS200GY-2 (Sierra 200) 2005 Honda XR650L 2004 Honda CRF250X 1998 Kawasaki KDX220 Mods made to my Zongshen ZS200GY-2: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=6894
	1

11-08-2015, 01:52 AM	#9
SpudRider Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Idaho Posts: 25,054	If you remove the rear wheel, you will have easy access to all the bolts, except one. You cannot remove the top, swingarm bolt of the rocker, because it is blocked by the chain slider. Remove the Allen head bolt which holds the chain slider to the bottom of the swingarm, and you can move the chain slider out of the way to remove this bolt from the rocker/knuckle/arm. When I re-assembled the lower shock linkage, I inserted this bolt from the right side. Therefore, I won't need to mess with the chain slider next time. __________________ Spud "Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level, and beat you with experience." Mark Twain 2015 Zongshen ZS250GY-3 (RX3) 2006 Zongshen ZS200GY-2 (Sierra 200) 2005 Honda XR650L 2004 Honda CRF250X 1998 Kawasaki KDX220 Mods made to my Zongshen ZS200GY-2: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=6894
	1

11-08-2015, 02:01 AM	#10
SpudRider Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Idaho Posts: 25,054	I have added this thread to the RX3 Tech Sticky, which is pinned to the top of this forum. The link appears under the Maintenance subheading. http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=14228 __________________ Spud "Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level, and beat you with experience." Mark Twain 2015 Zongshen ZS250GY-3 (RX3) 2006 Zongshen ZS200GY-2 (Sierra 200) 2005 Honda XR650L 2004 Honda CRF250X 1998 Kawasaki KDX220 Mods made to my Zongshen ZS200GY-2: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=6894
	0

11-08-2015, 03:51 AM	#11
SpudRider Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Idaho Posts: 25,054	I use a sharp pick to remove the dust seals and the free needles from the lower shock bearing, which is at the front of the rocker/knuckle/arm. I purchased the following pick set from Harbor Freight, which comes in handy for many jobs. http://www.harborfreight.com/4-piece...set-66836.html You can apply grease to the bearings with your fingers, or small brushes. I usually employ small shop brushes, which I also bought from Harbor Freight. http://www.harborfreight.com/36-pc-1...hes-61880.html __________________ Spud "Never argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level, and beat you with experience." Mark Twain 2015 Zongshen ZS250GY-3 (RX3) 2006 Zongshen ZS200GY-2 (Sierra 200) 2005 Honda XR650L 2004 Honda CRF250X 1998 Kawasaki KDX220 Mods made to my Zongshen ZS200GY-2: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=6894
	0

11-08-2015, 02:50 PM	#12
Jay In Milpitas Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Milpitas, CA. USA Posts: 775	A most excellent tutorial, Spud! Thanks for doing it. I'm guessing that although you had all that out, you didn't remove the rear shock to inspect it? I remember that you have expressed discontent with it's performance, and wonder if it's sealed or rebuildable.
	0

11-08-2015, 11:06 PM	#13
detours Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Arvada, CO Posts: 1,004	Fantastic walk through! I'm still well away from 10000 miles, but it's good to know what's coming. __________________ Red 5 standing by! 2015 CSC red RX3 with 19" front wheel, Shinko 804/805, skid plate, tall seat, 13T/45T sprockets, progressive shock, Winyoochanok windshield, GENSSI LED headlight, SW-Motech tankbag, Shorai Lithium battery 2014 Ural Patrol
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11-09-2015, 03:22 PM	#15
rtking Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 410	Nice Spud! That Progressive shock looks like it has a wider shock body, so the piston has more surface area (better control). Also, there's more usable spring travel since you won't get into spring bind like the more tightly coiled stock spring. Glad to read that it's a superior shock! One more item to add to my "Christmas want list" for the RX3!
	0