The Hodaka Club Forum

Question about the 97/98 KYB shocks. I need to remove the springs to clean the inside surfaces. Is it just a matter of compressing the spring and sliding the top off? Or is there some other method for removing the springs? Thx. Victor

Yes, that's pretty much it. Use a spring compressor and compress the spring enough to slip the spring keeper off. Then carefully back off on the spring compressor until the spring is extended fully ( be very careful as the compressed spring has a lot of potential energy). Once fully extended, remove spring and clean things up.
Just please be very careful when compressing the spring and only compress enough to get the keeper off and then back on.

Dirty_rat. I made a spring depressor like the one Kelly shows in his videos! Works very well! I put one shock back together & started on the second when one of my J Hooks broke. Couldn’t find any long enough ones here in town, so I ordered from Amazon. They will arrive on Tuesday! Put the completed shock on the bike along with the air box. Just need to find my box with the filter in it! Victor

New J hooks arrived late this afternoon! Tomorrow I can assemble the second shock. I’m still drilling out the forward shock bolt hole on the right side. Hoping I get done with that tomorrow as well. I prefer to use the forward shock mounts. Pics soon! Victor

Progress report on my 98 Duper Rat! I was able to get the right shock together! It’s mounted on the bike!

I’ve added the CDI box, the ignition coil, the front fender mount, and I’ve started building the motor. Front wheel just needs tire mounted, and I got a matching DID alloy rim in the mail from Bruce Matty. I plan on spiking the wheel on Friday!

I also sent the pipe out to Get Dirty Dirt Bikes in California to have the dents removed. They received it beginning of the week. I’m just waiting to hear that it’s done & bring return shipped. I’ll post pics when I get it back. I was quoted it would only cost $50 to remove dents, plus shipping to mail it back to me.

Finally moving along again! Victor

Got my pipe back from Get Dirty Dirt Bikes! David did a really good job on it. All the work done for $60! I think that was a score! He even found a small break in the seam which he welded shut. (Last pic). Before pics above, & here’s the after pics!