Just posting this in case it is helpful to others.
On my recently-purchased 14 I discovered that the right hand shock preload adjuster was seized solid. I had a look round the forum for possible fixes, but mostly the tips are about how to change the oil inside the adjuster mechanism. I didn't think this was likely to work for me, because I couldn't turn the adjuster at all. It felt like it had seized on the "dry" side of the oil, along the shaft of the plastic adjuster maybe.
So basically I just soaked the adjuster in ACF-50 for 24 hours and tried manipulating the knob. ACF-50 is absolutely brilliant stuff, it creeps in everywhere and actively kills off corrosion.
The trick is to try and get it down the shaft of the adjuster, behind the head - it feels like there's a click mechanism in there somewhere which seizes up. I just kept dribbling it in, a bit at a time, and regularly pumping the knob in and out with my thumb. It will only move a fraction of a millimetre, but the gentle pumping seems to draw fluid into the adjuster.
Eventually I found that the adjuster would click just once, and only in one direction. But that lets you rotate the adjuster slightly between clicks, which further helps get fluid in there.
After 30 minutes or so I found it would go multiple clicks in one direction, then a few clicks the other way.
Finally I have a fully adjustable shock that will move the full range from hard to soft and back.
One thing I would say is be patient. I resisted the temptation to use tools on it, because I think it would be very easy to break.
Good luck.
Good post. I've used Plus Gas very effectively over the years, often better than WD40 for freeing up rusty nuts etc. never thought of ACF50 though. Interesting
I'm a happy bunny at the moment. I have saved some money and I can try out some suspension settings more suitable to my large frame. The guy I bought it from was quite small and he had everything set soft, so it wallowed quite a bit with me on it.
You are right, it might work with other fluids like GT85, Plus Gas, or whatever. I even considered sitting it in a bucket of diesel. I like ACF-50 though.
I guess the important things are time, lubrication and gentle manipulation (!).
You might want to try some of the MCN suspension settings as a start point - some of these were determined by riders with a large frame as you describe it - and then tweak to your own preference
http://gsx1400owners.org/forum/index.php?topic=213.0
Would also suggest that you might consider changing the fork oil, always worth doing before playing with suspension settings
http://gsx1400owners.org/forum/index.php?topic=188.0
Great result FF & thanks for putting up the post about it :onya:
Thanks fellas. If it helps anyone else, then great.
Isn't it weird how standing in your garage in the middle of the night and getting the first "click" makes you feel like a scratchcard winner?
I was going to start with the MCN settings as you suggest - it's really nice that they are preserved on this site because I don't think MCN have them online.
Fork oil - I bet the stuff that's in there stinks to high heaven but I might put that job off a little while until the weather gets really bad. This was supposed to be my modern jump-on-and-ride bike and it's in danger of turning into a project already.
Anyone ever heard of Mouse Milk, its a penetrating oil. A friend in aviation uses it.
Quote from: Mister Fishfinger on Thursday, 28 September 2017, 08:23 PM
Thanks fellas. If it helps anyone else, then great.
Isn't it weird how standing in your garage in the middle of the night and getting the first "click" makes you feel like a scratchcard winner?
I was going to start with the MCN settings as you suggest - it's really nice that they are preserved on this site because I don't think MCN have them online.
Fork oil - I bet the stuff that's in there stinks to high heaven but I might put that job off a little while until the weather gets really bad. This was supposed to be my modern jump-on-and-ride bike and it's in danger of turning into a project already.
That's right FF, you have sorted enough out now, so get out there and enjoy it :cheers:
Quote from: Kiwifruit on Thursday, 28 September 2017, 08:41 PM
Anyone ever heard of Mouse Milk, its a penetrating oil. A friend in aviation uses it.
No, but Someone seen me naked & called me something similar to that though KF :embarassed: :)
Cold day was it Sweaty ? :whistling:
Found it ....... Mouse Milk, mate swears by it.
https://www.mousemilk.com
Quote from: Kiwifruit on Friday, 29 September 2017, 10:22 AM
Cold day was it Sweaty ? :whistling:
No, it was the middle of Summer :rofl2:
Resurrecting an old thread - the fix worked for a while, but now my left side adjuster has seized solid. First of all it wouldn't go above '3', now it seems to have jammed completely.
I think some surgery is going to be required.
I'm just heading down this road. oddly the offside one works fine but the nearside one is seized and the black adjuster knob has had some vice grips on it already. The small sdjuster at the top of the shock is also seized. its been soaking in a bucket of WD40 overnight.....i'm doing a few other jobs today so i'll try a bit of 'manipulation' later......
Before you go any further, try refilling it with a syringe (instructions are on here somewhere). It's most likely the root cause of the problem.
Quote from: Mister Fishfinger on Saturday, 01 September 2018, 07:34 AM
Before you go any further, try refilling it with a syringe (instructions are on here somewhere). It's most likely the root cause of the problem.
http://gsx1400owners.org/forum/index.php?topic=130.0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13F7qgwKQlA
Found this on the you tube which people may find interesting....I'm watching it at work and it's too noisy here to hear it,but I'd guess it's in Russian......