1999 Fazer Rear Shock

[Devic]

Hi all, hope your having a nice break over Easter.
 
Got a quick question and hoping someone can answer or advise me on it. Washed the bike down yesterday and got a wheel brush in underneath, have trouble getting down due to a back injury. Anyway today I did my normal routine of checking all the nuts, bolts and screws make sure nothing is loose and while looking on the underside best I could I noticed something on the shock which I never have before.
 
I have seen a shock like this before many years ago, was by design but aftermarket and could be stripped and rebuilt but I got no idea is this is the same type of thing or if it should be like it which is why I am asking for advice as I don't even know if it is an original Yamaha or aftermarket.
 
On the bottom of the shock it looks like a piece has broken off, there are a couple of small stones in the bottom of the shock so be easy to spot not to mention the gap. I can't get fully under the bike but from what I could see it looked broken as the shock had black dirt on it and the bit I assume broken had shiny sides or so I thought. I tried my best to get a camera under and took a couple of pictures for you to see what I mean and well the bit I thought was shiny is black the same as the rest of it.
 
The bike is a 1999 model so hoping someone on here has one or had one so knows what they are looking at. So the questions are is it broken, is it supposed to be like that and if not can it be stripped and rebuilt?
 
Thanks for any advice anyone can give me
 
 

 

[Foxwood]

I have a '99 with standard shock.


Looks pretty same to me. 




Edit: Looks like yours just needs some TLC and it'll look like new again. It isn't too big of a hassle to take off, but wouldn't recommend doing it for someone with a back injury. I took mine off this past winter as a part of dropping the swingarm for getting an endless chain on. Pretty simple design for the rear shock and those small rocks can possibly be pushed out with the help of a small screwdriver.

[Gnasher]

That is the spring retaining washer/plate the slot allows the washer to be removed its fine matey.

[Devic]

Thanks for the info and putting my mind at rest.
 
I agree it does need a good clean up looking at the photo, most of the top half is spotless as I can get into that when I clean the bike it's the bottom half I sometimes have trouble reaching. 
 
Think if it does come off then I will ask a friend who is a retired mechanic and still has all his tools, I fix and maintain his computers and he does odd bits and pieces for me.
 
Thanks again guys for the quick answers and reassurance.

[Fuzzy]

Personally I wouldn't worry too much about the condition of your shock and I don't think it warrants removing it. Most UK Fazers will have shocks that look like that or worse! A rear hugger that has a full length mudguard can help keep the muck off though if you're looking for a long term solution. Foxwood's must be the cleanest oem Fazer shock I've seen. Low miles & no road salt where you ride perhaps? Even after a good clean most shocks' nickel plating have gone brown by now.

[Foxwood]

Personally I wouldn't worry too much about the condition of your shock and I don't think it warrants removing it. Most UK Fazers will have shocks that look like that or worse! A rear hugger that has a full length mudguard can help keep the muck off though if you're looking for a long term solution. Foxwood's must be the cleanest oem Fazer shock I've seen. Low miles & no road salt where you ride perhaps? Even after a good clean most shocks' nickel plating have gone brown by now.

Can't ride at all during the Finnish winter, so it hasn't seen any salt in it's 34 000 kilometers. But like I said, I had to drop my swingarm for the endless chain, so I ended up removing everything back there. Installed a jack-up kit, cleaned everything thoroughly (used massive amounts of Bräkleen) and lubed everything that needed it. I dare say it's close to what it might have looked like when it rolled of the production line. Also have a hugger on it, which helps a lot more than just the original chainguard.

[Fuzzy]

It's probably cleaner than when it rolled of the production line! Good work, you're making me jealous!