2004 - 2006 955i Shock Removal

[Bixxer Bob]

Ok, the 2004 - 2006 955i is different to the 885i. The cast wheel version has two aluminium lugs on the swing arm about 30mm thick each side. The bearing pin is a press fit, steel into aluminium. Unfortunately this may cause galvanic corrosion (which , in my case, was accelerated by salt water (which effectively turns it into a weak battery) over thousands of miles of winter riding.

Here's what I did when I removed mine.

Remove rear wheel.

Move the caliper well out of the way.

Remove battery and battery box.

Remove both side panels.

Going underneath, undo shock bottom bolt that retains the 17mm bearing pin and remove it.

Here: jump to Black Tiger's input below for withdrawing the bearing pin, it's a different marque, but the principle's the same.  If your bike has done thousands of winter miles on salty roads and has steel on aluminium corrosion like mine, this might not work (it didn't on mine, I stripped the threads twice) in which case go to the next line:

Get a solid metal (brass or steel) drift, needs to be around 10" long and just less than 17mm in dia. If you can get a bit of the end turned down to fit the hole, so much the better.

I don't like saying this as it's well known I prefer science over brute force but knock shit out of it from the LEFT side until it comes out.

Remove drift and lower swing arm.

Undo the two screws retaining the remote adjuster and ease it down and to the right. With a bit of wiggling it'll come down to be beside the shock.

On the left side get a ring spanner on the mounting bolt.

On the right side, you'll need a torx bit in a square drive adapter and U/J, square extension and ratchet or T bar.  You can get your fingers under the mount from the battery side to guide the torx bit into the bolt head.

Holding the ring spanner, use the torx and ratchet to undo the bolt; you might need to just crack it off first with the spanner but there's bugger all room to turn it more that half a flat.

Take care removing the bolt and lower the shock; unsurprisingly, it's quite heavy.

At this point I couldn't get mine out and remove it so removed the undertray for easier access.

I later found that if you tilt it toward the battery tray it almost goes but fouls the battery tray mount.  I found that if you edge it round until the bracket goes between two coils of the spring you can gently rotate it one full turn anticlockwise (take care not to damage the hose for the remote adjuster). It'll then just ease out.

If it just needs a clean and grease you're lucky. It'll most likely need a new bearing pin (WorldofTriumph) a needle bearing (17mm id, 24mm od, 20mm long) and two seals 17mm id 24mm od 5mm thick.

Install is the reverse. Knocking the bearing pin back in needs care (I had a piece of 16mm tube which helped keep  the pin aligned) or you'll knacker the seal  (DAMHIKIJFK).

[blacktiger]

If I remember right yours is a cast wheel one? Ought to point that out because the swingarm is different to 2001~2004 model 955i. Don't know if it makes a difference.

As for pulling the bush out. I made a puller from a threaded bar and a couple of nuts ground down to slightly smaller than the O.D. of the bush.


Push the puller through the hole.


Then you rig up something to wind on and it'll pull right out easy. No hammering.

[Bixxer Bob]

This topic is now locked.  If you have comments or additions please sendme a PM, Cheers,