Wilbers Install

Wilbers Install... https://epmperf.com/A Shocking Tale!
Some time ago I began thinking about ditching the ESA shocks on the Mighty Mighty as I could
tell they just weren't performing like the days of old. Sure, at 48K miles I should've done it a lot
sooner but shit happens.
So began my research comparing Ohlins to Wilbers to see which best fit the bill. There was very
little difference in price and in the end it came down to some hearty recommendations from a
couple of i-BMWr's. Plus, I had started up some dialogue with Ted Porter at the BeemerShop
who was pretty helpful and is where I made my purchase.
Delivery of the shocks took about 4 weeks and were built to my specs at the factory... 5 year
warranty & rebuildable.
What follows is for the do-it-yourselfers...

Awe Yeah!
To get started on the front shock removal, you need to remove the belly pan, side panels, battery
cover, tank panels, air intake snorkels, ZFE control unit, fender, brake calipers, wheel, radiator
cooling guide and disconnect the temp sensor connector. While you have the snorkels off, it's a
good time to inspect the air filters and replace them, if necessary. Mine were pretty caked with
butterfly remains and dirt.
Ready To Begin
48K Miles Worth Of Baked Bugs
I used a small lift to get the bike off the ground so the front fork would be free of any load. Next,
remove the nut from the bottom leading link bolt which is located on the left side of the bike
behind the ZFE module.
Bottom Leading Link Bolt Nut (item 10 in exploded view below)
Next, release the nut on the quick release bolt on the bottom leading link located on the right side
of the bike, then remove the quick release bolt. Next, remove the bolt & nut that secures the
bottom of the shock to the bottom leading link. The nut requires a Torx E16 socket to remove...
you can use vise grips in a pinch!
Bottom Leading Link Quick Release Nut & Bolt (items 6 & 9 in the exploded view below)
Exploded View Of Bottom Leading Link
Next, remove the bolt that secures the brake hose assembly to the rear of the fork.
Next, follow the ESA cable from the shock to the plug and disconnect it while removing the
cable ties that secure the cable along the way.
Front ESA Shock Plug
Next, install the wheel axle so you can lift/pull the fork away from the radiator which helps get
the leading link out of the way so you can get the shock out. I used some tie downs with ratchets,
attached to the angle brackets on the ceiling of my garage that hold the garage door opener. I
know, white trash deluxe, but hey?
White Trash Front Fork Lift
This is where you need to lift the front fork until it makes contact with the oil cooler... easy does
it. Push the leading link down so the shock is clear.
Next, remove the bolt that secures the top of the shock to the frame. You'll need a breaker bar to
loosen the bolt. This part can be tricky because the head of the bolt is recessed in the frame and I
couldn't tell if it was a Torx head or hex. For the record, it's a T55 Torx (thanks
Doug/Loggiebone) and depending on the bit you have, it may not be long enough. I had to order
one because mine was short & stubby and the outside diameter of the bit was just a hair too big
to allow it to fit into the recessed hole far enough to make good contact with the bolt head.
A Longer T55 Torx Bit Can Help
Hole Location For Shock Top Bolt
I buggered up the head of the bolt a bit cause I initially used a T50 Torx. Ted at the BeemerShop
gave me some good advice that wound up helping a lot. In this situation, he suggested an old
shop trick of putting valve grinding compound on the end of the Torx bit which allows it to make
tighter contact or "purchase" with the head of the bolt. It works... amazing!
Once the bolt is removed the shock should come out.
Out With The Old & In With The New
Putting everything back together is basically everything done in reverse order.

Torque Values (from OEM Repair Manual)
 Top shock bolt - 35Nm (use blue Loctite on threads)

 Bottom shock bolt - 38Nm
 Bottom leading link quick release bolt - 20Nm initial torque, release, 7Nm final torque
(right side of bike; lightly grease bolt shank & smear a little anti-seize compound on the
bolt threads)
 Bottom leading link quick release bolt nut - 145Nm (right side of bike)
 Bottom leading link bolt nut - 30Nm (left side of bike)
 Front wheel axle - 50Nm
 Axle clamping screws - 19Nm
 Front brake calipers bolts - 30Nm (use blue Loctite on threads)
Now on to the rear...
To get to the rear shock, you need to remove the bolt that holds the muffler to the rear footrest
bracket and a handful of bolts that secure the rear frame to the main frame. These are the bolts
that need to be removed:
One On Each Side
One On Each Side
One On Each Side
One On Each Side (these bolts secure the oil tank to the frame)
Once you've removed all the screws, you should be able to pivot the rear frame towards the front
end of the bike. You'll need a way to hold the rear frame in place so you can continue to work. I
went back to the white trash lift and it worked great.
Rear Frame Moved Forward
Next, you'll need to pull the oil tank out of its holder and remove the top two hoses that are
attached. The oil tank will rest on the muffler if you're careful.
Oil Tank Hoses
Oil Tank Removed
Next, disconnect the 3 ESA plugs and remove all the cable ties. One plug is behind the little plate
where the factory power outlet is located... it's blue.
Plugs 1 & 2
Plug 3
Next, remove the top bolt that secures the top end of the shock. You may need your breaker bar
to loosen the bolt. Then remove the bottom bolt for the shock... having the bike on your floor lift
will help here. Now the shock should come out.
Goodbye Old Timer
Putting everything back together is basically everything done in reverse order.
When you install the shock, use the floor lift to raise the bike up so the rear drive drops down
enough so you can line up the bottom of the shock with the mounting hole so the bolt can go
through easily.
Torque Values (from OEM Repair Manual)
 Rear wheel; 5 bolts (can be helpful to remove the tire/wheel for more room to work) -
60Nm
 Rear shock top bolt - 9Nm initial torque, 38Nm final
o lightly grease bolt shank & use blue Loctite on threads
 Bottom shock top bolt - 9Nm initial torque, 38Nm final
o lightly grease bolt shank & use blue Loctite on threads
I got the optional remote adjustable preload for the rear and I'm just not crazy about how it
attaches to the bike. I'd prefer to mount it parallel to the frame rather than perpendicular. I'm
hoping to figure a way out to do that. Maybe Beech could make a bracket for us Wilbers owners?
All in all, this was a pretty easy install although I did make a few errors here & there.
Hope this makes it easier for those that have this task in mind, like to wrench a bit and want get
to know their bike a little better. Plus, you'll keep some cash in your pocket for your hard work
versus giving it to "the man".
__________________

Wilbers Install

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Wilbers Install

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Wilbers Install

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Wilbers Install... https://epmperf.com/A Shocking Tale!

What follows is for the do-it-yourselfers...

Out With The Old & In With The New

Putting everything back together is basically everything done in reverse order.

 Top shock bolt - 35Nm (use blue Loctite on threads)

Now on to the rear...

Putting everything back together is basically everything done in reverse order.

Torque Values (from OEM Repair Manual)

You might also like