Are rear shocks really different between left and right?

[pokrovsky]

Sorry if this has been covered before, hope you don't mind to enlighten me.
Rear shocks on my 2003 CD are seized (shocks are OK but the adjustments aren't).
While browsing through partzilla parts fiche I noticed the elf and right have different part numbers and left is no longer available so the reason for my question.

I've upgraded rear shocks on my other bikes and that has never been the case, am I missing something? what's so special and magical about Valkyrie (I know there are a lot of things of course) to warrant different part numbers for left and right?

Thanks very much!

[Chrisj CMA]

The fight dude shock mounts to the final drive. The left has a more universal type bracket. The lower eye and bushing sizes are different

[gordonv]

Rear shocks on my 2003 CD are seized (shocks are OK but the adjustments aren't).

Have you tried the tool? A belt strap/clamp? and rotate.

I'll let someone else confirm, but I thought it was said you can go right around from 5-1, but it's hard and I've not tried it. (I actually don't even know what my bike is currently set to, IS riding 2 up).

[sandy]

The only difference is the bushing in the lower eye. You can order 2 right shocks and exchange the lower bushings out of you old shocks.

[nogrey]

The only difference is the bushing in the lower eye. You can order 2 right shocks and exchange the lower bushings out of you old shocks.

+1 on this. I’ll also add that it’s a lot easier to adjust the shocks with the rear end lifted so there is no weight on the shocks at all. Also, I’ve adjusted them on several bikes, the way to do it is to move the adjuster from 1 to 5. Often times the stickers are gone so I just rotate them until they compress as far as they’ll go then decompress. Kindof a big “boing” at that point. That means you’ve just fallen from 5 back to 1. Yes, you can rotate it as many times as you like as long as you’re stepping it upwards. You can go from 5 down to 1, but rotation will stop completely at that point as the step back up to 5 from the 1 position is large and essentially a wall. At least that’s what it seems like to me. Hope this all makes sense.

[pokrovsky]

thank you very much guys! makes total sense!
One more question to follow up: I see a lot of people praise Interstate shocks as an upgrade to standard/tourer shocks. I doubt it's a worthwhile upgrade for me as I ride 1 up exclusively and although I did put tourer bags on my deluxe I don't see myself loading up the tail much anyway (plus I'm only 175# myself). Are there any other pros to do that? 

[Jess from VA]

Lots of std/tourer guys swapped to (a bit stiffer) IS shocks over the years (solo or two-up).... mainly because all of them are 20 years old.  But finding a pair of decent (20yo) IS shocks isn't as easy as it used to be.  And it is no panacea to suspension perfection.  First see if you can make what you have work for you. 

[pokrovsky]

Thank you,

As I stated my shocks are totally functional albeit not adjustable. I tried one more time and it does not seem to budge at all.
Ironically my shocks are only 16 years old (bike is on of the last produced in 2003) and there is only 3500 miles on it, so I don't blame them for being seized

If I do go the route of replacing them it looks like that OEM left shocks are still available in both S/T and IS flavor so I wanted to see if going IS route is advisable for my application 

[hubcapsc]

Thank you,

As I stated my shocks are totally functional albeit not adjustable. I tried one more time and it does not seem to budge at all.
Ironically my shocks are only 16 years old (bike is on of the last produced in 2003) and there is only 3500 miles on it, so I don't blame them for being seized

If I do go the route of replacing them it looks like that OEM left shocks are still available in both S/T and IS flavor so I wanted to see if going IS route is advisable for my application 

Try the idea about lifting the bike until the rear wheel is just touching the
ground, but the shock is neither compressed or extended. Maybe it will
adjust then. Maybe that plus some "liquid-wrenchy" type stuff up in
there. If the shock works in every way except adjustment, it is probably
still pretty good.

I saw a low mileage set of Interstate shocks for cheap on ebay yesterday...
something happened to the bike, one shock was dented... if the good one
was the unavailable-new right one, maybe that is something to look into.

-Mike "Progre$$ive 444 shocks  "

[Jess from VA]

The 16 years and 3500 miles tells the story on internal corrosion, sitting though weather and temp seasons.

I'm no expert, but maybe spraying a bunch of PB Blaster or Lock Ease (not WD40) up in them and repeating and waiting awhile (and judicious rapping with a rubber mallet), might help them break them loose, with patience.  Or maybe taking them off and putting them in the freezer for two days (I dunno).

But breaking them (beyond repair) with tools or strap wrenches would obviously be worse than what you have.

Mike's right on taking the load off, but not hanging the rear wheel/tire and swingarm on them either;  tire just touching.

I'm no Progressive Suspension fan (ever again), but if you aren't too heavy or go two-up all the time, a set of the correct spring rate (for you) PS 412s are adequate and reasonably priced replacements for 16yo Honda Showas (which when new were certainly superior to 412s).

As far as different L & R mount bushings, most aftermarket sellers with shocks for Valk, provide an assortment of bushings so they can be made to work for Valk.