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[Curt]

Hi all,

I already got a replacement FXE, but I need to get my 2016 FX in decent shape to sell, as inexpensively as possible. In August it developed a leak in the rear suspension and started dripping oil into a puddle on the garage floor.

I took it out and gave it to a local Zero dealer, who has been calling around. Zero will only sell a whole shock 22-05879 and doesn't have seal kits. My shop will be happy to put in a seal kit for 1 hour labor, if I find the right one.

It's a SHOWA 40 mm x 14 mm. From my research, I found a couple options, but I don't have the experience to know which might work. Would you recommend either of these?

1. MOOSE OFFROAD 1314-0047 37-1010 Shock Seal Head Kit — 0.55" Shock Seal Head -
14 mm ID x 40 mm OD - Round Snap Ring 43 x 1.5
https://www.ebay.com/itm/336034612166
This seal head is a 24 mm long vs stock 20 mm long, and would slightly alter the suspension height.

2. RACE TECH SHOCK SEAL HEAD ASSEMBLY 40MM X 14MM | SSSH-4014
https://www.partzilla.com/catalog-product/collection/race%20tech/E7DF4BACFF23FA20DD438C83D1BB5955AD28EA1D?titan_sku=1NG2-RACE-TECH-SSSH-4014&srsltid=AfmBOoqXRpCuo4TvMbosbBJSVqfQiTs3ePRKdZJmsWW4sL9aYM9ZHMXRuOY

There are also options All Balls and TEKNIK, but they may be overseas. Thanks.

[TheRan]

So I've never taken a coil shock apart but if it's leaking oil doesn't that mean that mean it's the shaft seal that needs replacing, not the piston head?

[Curt]

So I've never taken a coil shock apart but if it's leaking oil doesn't that mean that mean it's the shaft seal that needs replacing, not the piston head?

From what I've gathered, there is a "head seal" which is an aluminum knob with and outer 40 mm seal and inner 14 mm bladder-looking seals. A new one is around $80. Then there's a rebuild with $40 of seals only, but you have to know what you're doing. Overall, it's not rocket science, and there are YouTubes showing the procedure, but you do need to discharge it carefully and refill it up with 250 psi nitrogen afterward.

I took my bike to a Zero dealer. It turns out Zero does not sell seal kits, only the entire shock. And that's "shocking" because it's a pretty generic SHOWA 40 mm x 14 mm. I've been told by a mechanic friend that a 40x14 head seal is standard and easy to get.

So the dealer still has it currently, and they are ordering parts from Race Tech. It *might* be done Tuesday for $180 + parts. I should have just taken it to a local shock specialist because we have good people here.

Since I already got a new FXE, I'm just fixing the FX to sell it. The dealer is also a consignment seller, but after I described the weak battery situation, they won't take it. I can't blame them. It'll be a Craigslist deal. Someone will get years of use out of it, but only for a commute under ~30 miles.

[TheRan]

What I'm saying is, unless I'm completely misunderstanding the construction of the shock, that piston head doesn't seal the oil from getting outside of the shock body and neither of those kits look to include the seal that does. The piston head is inside the body and has oil passing through it to either side, controlling the damping by how quickly it allows oil to pass through. That o-ring on the outside of it just stops the oil bypassing the holes in the piston. What you need is the seal that goes on the outside of the piston shaft to stop oil escaping between it and the hole in the shock body that it passes through.

[Skloep]

I had a totally different solution on my 2017 SS/S
I just took out the expensive Showa and put in a much cheaper generic brand shock form a parts supplier. Just make sure that the new one fits through the hole in the frame. New Shock kosted around € 119,00 (I'm from the Netherlands)
I have driven around 30K miles with it and I really didn't notice any difference in riding.

[T.S. Zarathustra]

Which generic shock did you use?

[Curt]

What I'm saying is, unless I'm completely misunderstanding the construction of the shock, that piston head doesn't seal the oil from getting outside of the shock body and neither of those kits look to include the seal that does. The piston head is inside the body and has oil passing through it to either side, controlling the damping by how quickly it allows oil to pass through. That o-ring on the outside of it just stops the oil bypassing the holes in the piston. What you need is the seal that goes on the outside of the piston shaft to stop oil escaping between it and the hole in the shock body that it passes through.

It took another day of forum errors before I could get this post through.

I think the shock body is only open on the adjuster end. The head seal fits in the open end and seals against the 14 mm shaft on the inside and against the 40 mm shock body ID on the outside. Further inside are the piston, valve and shims. This video shows the whole assembly process.



I ended up taking the shock to a local suspension specialist who took all of 1 hour and $240.