Suspension suggestions?

[SomeGuyFromCali]

So this FL350R I am rebuilding has dual rear shocks (picture below) but they are pretty hammered looking at there is visibly oil leaking from the larger shocks.
My question is this: should I try to have all four of these rear shocks rebuilt or buy some new ones instead?

[hoodlum]

I honestly dont know the reasoning behind this. I have seen dual shocks before but are set up with a bypass. One shock controls dampening and rebound but doesnt have a spring. That setup seems pretty much useless IMO

[SomeGuyFromCali]

Thanks for the reply, that actually doesnt surprise me too much considering there are a few other things that appear to be jerry rigged in an oddball manner (like the steering wheel and ignition switch).

Now I wonder if it has been modified to the point where I couldn't easily go back to a single shock setup. I'm going to take a look at the manual to see how the original setup looked but if anyone can post a color picture of a stock rear suspension setup up close that would be awesome as the black and white pictures in the manual are hard to make out sometimes.

I might buy a pair of rear shocks from Aftershock or look for some used ones on ebay. Anyone know if the shocks off an old TRX or something else like that I could get by with until I can scrape together $600 for a pair of the G-Series?

[SomeGuyFromCali]

Better pictures of the mysterious dual shock rear setup that came on my FL350 below

[shoubadaba]

Hi where in socal are you?

[shoubadaba]

I have the info on your rear suspension. Lots of the guys back east only know of a few thing for the odysseys that were offered back in the 80's when racing was huge out here in Cali. Your rear suspension was the first aftermarket kit offered for the fl350. Even before works and fox's kit. It uses dual progressive suspension shocks and a new rear tower. My oppinon id this setup is better then the works rear. I have owned all three that was offered Fox works and progressives. your shocks are pretty much waisted.

[shoubadaba]

im interested in your old stuff if your going to buy some new works shocks

[SomeGuyFromCali]

Hi where in socal are you?

NorCal :-) Redding

[shoubadaba]

Thats cool still cali anyways.

[SomeGuyFromCali]

I have the info on your rear suspension. Lots of the guys back east only know of a few thing for the odysseys that were offered back in the 80's when racing was huge out here in Cali. Your rear suspension was the first aftermarket kit offered for the fl350. Even before works and fox's kit. It uses dual progressive suspension shocks and a new rear tower. My oppinon id this setup is better then the works rear. I have owned all three that was offered Fox works and progressives. your shocks are pretty much waisted.

Thanks for the information. I would love to keep the dual shock setup if it were in my budget but yeah there is absolutely no way I can afford to replace all four shocks to keep the dual rear shock setup. These are longer than the stock ones too, around 14-15 inches instead of 12.5". I also need to get some front shocks too as they are also pretty shot looking so I need to consider that in my restore budget.

Right now I am seriously considering converting the rear back to the single shock setup and going with a set of Progressives 412 series shocks since they are roughly half the price of the WORKS and I don't currently plan on racing or jumping a lot, mainly just trail riding and exploring the roads through the mountains around here.

It appears I can unbolt everything but the lower mounts on the trailer arms.

[shoubadaba]

yes everything umbolts. I have the stock rear towers also If you want to work something out for your rear set up.

[SomeGuyFromCali]

Oh it never occured to me I was missing anything to revert back to the stock setup until you just mentioned it.

I thought they had modified the stock rear tower.

Can you post a pic of your stock OEM rear tower you have? I am interested but still undecided :-)

[LiveWire]

The part of the kit that would improve the handling is the tower. By raising the outer end of the upper link, it get's rid of the weirdness at the bottom of the travel where the wheel will tilt back and forth some with no vertical movement. The front shock in that setup is mounted to the factory mounts. You could just get rid of the back shocks and replace the front ones. You would just need the bolts after the plates are removed assuming the threads are still there. The Works shocks come with new lower bolts. If the upper shock bolt currently in it is 1/2" then you could add heims to the upper end of G-series for the FL350R and they would fit with 1/2" bolts. Find the thread by Factory45 where he did just that. Off the top of my head, they are 15 1/4" long, not 12".

I have put a spacer under the stock tower with longer bolts before to get the same handling benefit. The problem it does cause is the link to bind on the frame on the inside at full compression.

[SomeGuyFromCali]

The part of the kit that would improve the handling is the tower. By raising the outer end of the upper link, it get's rid of the weirdness at the bottom of the travel where the wheel will tilt back and forth some with no vertical movement. The front shock in that setup is mounted to the factory mounts. You could just get rid of the back shocks and replace the front ones. You would just need the bolts after the plates are removed assuming the threads are still there. The Works shocks come with new lower bolts. If the upper shock bolt currently in it is 1/2" then you could add heims to the upper end of G-series for the FL350R and they would fit with 1/2" bolts. Find the thread by Factory45 where he did just that. Off the top of my head, they are 15 1/4" long, not 12".

I have put a spacer under the stock tower with longer bolts before to get the same handling benefit. The problem it does cause is the link to bind on the frame on the inside at full compression.

Thanks for all the great tips. I just ordered a pair of the G-series from Aftershock. I will be removing the rear shocks. I will checkout that other thread you suggested. Awesome!