(need help) SDI low friction shock piston bushing KX450

spimx
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Port Isabel, TX US
10/16/2020 8:47am Edited Date/Time 2/1/2021 3:40pm
Anyone have experience replacing the piston band with the SDI "low friction" bushing? My goal is to have the shock move a little more freely.
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mxracer515
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Drexel, MO US
10/16/2020 4:34pm
I have ran them on ktm's . It will slide more freely. Feels like a low speed shim was removed from the stack.

Noticed it more on compression than rebound for what that is worth. Track hack will have a slightly improved feel.

Never used one on a shock with a bladder but I assume results would be similar.




1
10/16/2020 8:05pm
Really great "bang for the buck" on KYB and Showa shocks. Use them all the time.
cdoggy81
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St. Petersburg, FL US
10/16/2020 8:39pm
They are better than OEM? Do they hold up as well?
I’m due here soon for a service soon so was thinking of going with this one. If you recommend them Mr Robinson I’m game to try 👍🏻
10/17/2020 6:28am
I'm very impressed with them. The stock band set up is super tight on the KYB and these really take a lot of the resistance out of the shaft movement. Like "mxracer515" said it's almost like you changed the valving. When I put them in for guys just getting regular service they think I did some sort of magic to their shock.

Being they are a bushing I don't think they have the service life of the stock band, but after a couple of years of using them they seem to be holding up really well. At only $15 you can easily afford to replace them at every service if you need that peace of mind.
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The Shop

spimx
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10/17/2020 8:29am
Great, it will be 2 weeks before I can try it out but I'll post a reply.
Bruce372
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10/17/2020 8:53am
How do you guys take the old band off?
10/17/2020 11:11am
That’s what I did. I also read to wrap the new installed band really tight with electrical tape then put it in the freezer for a bit. I have no idea if that helps with anything, but it didn’t hurt to try
1
10/17/2020 12:23pm
Yeah, that's a good trick for the stock bands, but with the SDI band you don't need to do any tricks to install it. It's a metal bushing type band and goes on just like an inner tube bushing. You just cut the old band off and replace the o-rings with the new ones that come with the SDI band and slip it on.

No need to fight it or do any voodoo to get it on and fit properly. So simple a caveman can do it.
3
10/17/2020 1:17pm
Yeah, that's a good trick for the stock bands, but with the SDI band you don't need to do any tricks to install it. It's a...
Yeah, that's a good trick for the stock bands, but with the SDI band you don't need to do any tricks to install it. It's a metal bushing type band and goes on just like an inner tube bushing. You just cut the old band off and replace the o-rings with the new ones that come with the SDI band and slip it on.

No need to fight it or do any voodoo to get it on and fit properly. So simple a caveman can do it.
That’s good to know. I’ll be ordering some of those
slipdog
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Nor Cal, CA US
10/17/2020 5:22pm
Make sure to replace often and keep fresh seal head bushings when using the DU piston bands. I've had more than one come in for service that had smoked the inside of the shock body due to loose tolerances.
Bruce372
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10/17/2020 5:27pm
slipdog wrote:
Make sure to replace often and keep fresh seal head bushings when using the DU piston bands. I've had more than one come in for service...
Make sure to replace often and keep fresh seal head bushings when using the DU piston bands. I've had more than one come in for service that had smoked the inside of the shock body due to loose tolerances.
That's interesting and worrying. How many hours are we talking?
Bruce372
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10/17/2020 5:27pm
slipdog wrote:
Make sure to replace often and keep fresh seal head bushings when using the DU piston bands. I've had more than one come in for service...
Make sure to replace often and keep fresh seal head bushings when using the DU piston bands. I've had more than one come in for service that had smoked the inside of the shock body due to loose tolerances.
And how difficult is it to swap the shaft bushing in the seal head?
slipdog
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10/17/2020 5:33pm
slipdog wrote:
Make sure to replace often and keep fresh seal head bushings when using the DU piston bands. I've had more than one come in for service...
Make sure to replace often and keep fresh seal head bushings when using the DU piston bands. I've had more than one come in for service that had smoked the inside of the shock body due to loose tolerances.
Bruce372 wrote:
And how difficult is it to swap the shaft bushing in the seal head?
The bushing can be easily pressed in and out with a vice after you pry up the dust seal and bumper from the seal head. They are almost always worn because most don't service their shock enough. Many times the leading edge is worn down to the metal. They're usually only about $5 also...
10/17/2020 6:21pm
Interesting, haven't seen any issues like that here.
jaredkeller96
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Huntersville, NC US
10/18/2020 8:14am
I'm very impressed with them. The stock band set up is super tight on the KYB and these really take a lot of the resistance out...
I'm very impressed with them. The stock band set up is super tight on the KYB and these really take a lot of the resistance out of the shaft movement. Like "mxracer515" said it's almost like you changed the valving. When I put them in for guys just getting regular service they think I did some sort of magic to their shock.

Being they are a bushing I don't think they have the service life of the stock band, but after a couple of years of using them they seem to be holding up really well. At only $15 you can easily afford to replace them at every service if you need that peace of mind.
It feels like you changed the valving because you are putting a split piston band on...oil is literally passing through the band.
spimx
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10/28/2020 4:07pm
I'm pretty sure it's not supposed to have this Gap. Can anyone comment if they have done this before.
spimx
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10/28/2020 4:18pm
The outer diamiter is 50 (49.9) mm
spimx
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10/28/2020 4:38pm
Is this facing the right way hahaha
. I only had threadlocker blue should I go get threadlocker red. The red color on the bushings is just from the towels I used to clean it
10/28/2020 4:54pm Edited Date/Time 10/28/2020 5:02pm
I guess you installed the supplied o-rings?

Put it in the shock body and see if it closes up. It may just need a little "normalizing" after being sprung open during installation. It looks like it will be okay.

These bands are OE on some high end shocks, like the new WP XACT Pro Super Trax shock.
cdoggy81
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10/28/2020 5:18pm
I’ll 2nd what Mr.Robinson said.
Do you happen to have a rubber or plastic soft jaw insert for your vise as well? Maybe ever so slightly kiss the edges together the tiniest amount to see if the gap will close before inserting it in the body if it is too right to insert as is.

Also good to know: “These bands are OE on some high end shocks, like the new WP XACT Pro Super Trax shock.”
spimx
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10/28/2020 6:32pm Edited Date/Time 10/28/2020 6:33pm
It took significant force to get it into the shock so I am sure the gap closed some. I coated it in marine grease to force it in and it moves smoothly in the shock now. I will get nitrogen tomorrow and ride it on Friday
cdoggy81
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10/28/2020 8:53pm Edited Date/Time 10/28/2020 8:54pm
spimx wrote:
It took significant force to get it into the shock so I am sure the gap closed some. I coated it in marine grease to force...
It took significant force to get it into the shock so I am sure the gap closed some. I coated it in marine grease to force it in and it moves smoothly in the shock now. I will get nitrogen tomorrow and ride it on Friday
😐 Glad you got it in there but be careful with all that marine grease in there...
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spimx
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Port Isabel, TX US
11/9/2020 7:56am
Update! The bike feels great it really freed up the rebound side.

I'm worried about the piston shaft bolt. It looks like enzo replaced it with a regular bolt with just red threadlocker. I only put blue threadlocker. IDK if the enzo bolt is a friction locking type bolt but I wish I payed better attention.
11/9/2020 12:47pm
You mean the shaft nut I'm assuming? Blue Loctite will be okay. Most use red, but blue is good enough. You can get a special KYB mechanical locking nut, which is what I use, but regular jam nuts and loctite were the normal until a few years ago.
cdoggy81
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1/13/2021 6:15pm
Spimx - still working well on that shock? Did you make any adjustments over your old settings?
spimx
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1/14/2021 4:56pm
cdoggy81 wrote:
Spimx - still working well on that shock? Did you make any adjustments over your old settings?
Yes it feels good. I have been riding every weekend since. I didn't change anything, the rear end just has more movement/ follows the ground better.
cdoggy81
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1/14/2021 8:36pm
Good to hear & thanks. Do let us know how it looks when you go to service the shock as well.
2/1/2021 3:40pm
Here's a PDS shock from a 2011 with over five hundred hours on it that has the bands as OE and this is the first shock service. The bands look good with some wear and body looks like new inside.


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