plan rear tire change today . . . .

[bill v e]

 . . . . . but i always have trouble getting the right shock bolt re-threaded - am thinking of using a slightly smaller rod to 'line it up' first.  any other ideas??

[Bone]

Look very closely at the beginning of the threads for any damage. 

[Wildman]

Remove the shock completly.
Try the bolt with out the shock to be sure that it starts without any hang-ups.
Start the lower mount bolt with the shock in your hand, work the shock into place, start the bolt.
The shock will move enough side-ways to press the shock/bushing over the top shock peg.

[Larry]

. . . . . but i always have trouble getting the right shock bolt re-threaded - am thinking of using a slightly smaller rod to 'line it up' first.  any other ideas??

Remove the shock from the top bolt and put the bottom one on first. It's a bit easier to slip the top on. I use a bike lift and have the rear tire barely touching the floor. Pushing down on the seat or lifting slightly you can usually get the shock on quite easily. You also have hold your top lip curled up on the right and/or stick the tip of your tongue out slightly. Good luck.

[hubcapsc]

I use a bike lift and have the rear tire barely touching the floor.

I'm with Larry... jack it until the shock is "neutral", not in compression or tension...

Before I started doing this, I almost stripped a shock bolt... Dave Weaver did strip one
right before the Fall Color Ride...

-Mike

[X Ring]

I've got I/S shocks on my Tourer.  I've got to put it on the lift just remove them.

[R J]

I took the bolt and put a taper on the nose of it.

Kind of like this (<).

That way I can get it in the hole a usually aligned enough to get the bolt started.     I have cussed that flat bolt several times.

[bill v e]

thanks to all - i ended up using a nail to line it up and was able to get the right side first and then the left.  see next thread for new problem.