OK....what's the secret to removing old shock bushings?

[John Schmidt]

I'm putting some of Gary's in and spending(wasting) a Sunday afternoon trying to get the old ones out. I'm about to forget everything I learned in Sunday School as a kid.    Putting them in I should be able to handle, but all the tricks I learned in the past hasn't budged these fool things, they've been in there since Hector was a pup and the inner metal bushing just won't budge either.

[John U.]

John, you must be talking about the lower shock bushings. I've never changed mine but could you support the shock eye with a socket of the right size and drive them out?

[John Schmidt]

I did use the method you talked about and first drove out the metal insert. Forgot to mention these are Progressives. A small socket on one side the size of the insert, and a larger one on the other side for it to slip into, put in the vise and squeezed out real easy. After that the old rubber came out out easy. Next problem....apparently Gary sent me new bushings for the OEM shocks. Because once I pressed one in place without the metal insert, it was way to small for the opening, and it doesn't appear the insert will expand it that much.

Now I'm simply trying to reinstall the original rubber back into the shock mount eye. I can get the rubber in, but not the metal insert. Or....I can install the insert in the rubber before trying to press the whole thing back into the eye and that doesn't work either. Now I'm stuck, fortunately I only removed one bushing, but if I can't get it back in I'm dead in the water.

Darned if I do, darned if I don't. 

[R J]

Try some WD-40 or petroleum jelly on the metal insert installation.

Put rubber in the shock, then grease up the hole in the rubber & the start of the insert, and kind of force the insert in.   At the shop we have a 'C' clamp made up to work.   Small piece of flat steel welded onto the swivel(s) of the 'C' clamp and a socket welded onto the threaded post..    Get it fitted and hit it with the impact wrench.  Watch it very close on the initial go in of the insert.   If possible get it started, then impact it......

You are right, I don't think Gary's bushings are for Progressive shocks.

I know way back when they weren't, unless he started making them also.

[John U.]

I thought I heard that Gary was working on a bushing for the Progressives. Might be worth contacting him.

[Shockbushing Gary]

John,
I make bushings for some of the Progressive shocks.
As you can see from the ones you're working on, Progressive has a significantly different design bushing from the OEM. OEM bushings come out in seconds with finger pressure, Progressive bushings (for benefit of those not looking at them) are "I" shaped, and can be very difficult to remove and install.
Best way I've found is to use a caulk gun as your press, and get the appropriate socket to push them out. Hammers don't work well, as the rubber simply rebounds. It may work, but you stand a good chance of buggering things up.
Now I'd better address the Progressive shock bushing issue:
As it turns out, Progressive makes 2 different sized bushings for their shocks, even within a given part #
so you can't tell if I have your part (I only make one of the 2) unless you measure and compare.
Measure the width of the shock eye. If it is 5/8", I have the bushing. If it is 1/2", I do not. Because the question seems to come up a lot, this is not a diameter. It is the width of the shock eye.
2 bushings are $17 shipped in the USA
4 bushings are $32 shipped in the USA
My new e-mail is eckfam-at-clearNOSPAM-dot-net
Remove the caps, the rest you'll figure out.

You MUST tell me you want Progressive bushings, or I will send you OEM bushings.

[John Schmidt]

These I have are new, I'll measure them and let you know what I received....and also the measurements for the Progressives. They are the 412's, actually the rubber doesn't look all that bad so might not change them just yet. I'll be in touch re. sizes, I've had these for awhile so don't recall if I specifically asked for Progressives or not. It seems I asked for a set shortly after you added the Prog. to your line.

John

[John Schmidt]

What a PITA, but I did learn a little trick to get the metal insert in if ever needed in the future. I'm not sure if it's what RJ was talking about...sounds a bit like it. I inserted the rubber only slightly, leaving about half of it still protruding which allowed me to push the insert in a small distance. Can't start the insert with the rubber fully in place, it just doesn't give. I put the whole thing in the vise and slowly closed it, pressing the insert in (well oiled also) and it also presses the rubber in most of the way. When the insert is all the way in the rubber bushing, the bushing still hasn't come out the other side so I used a socket the size of the outer ring, set the shock on it and one good whack with the hammer and it's all in place.

Now the bike is on the ground, sitting on the centerstand. Done messing with it for now.

[Garland]

I put in a full set of Gary's Progressive bushings a few months ago. The first one took me 40 minutes, second one thirty minutes, then just a couple minutes apiece on the last two. I tried everything initially. What worked best for me was using my large needlenose pliers, deforming the bushings radically and stuffing them in. It wasn't easy, but that is what worked for me. I did not have any issue at all with the metal inserts.