Me and My Yearben Shock Aabsorbors

[Kinarfi]

Because of distracting problem with other topics, I decided to move and or copy the content from there to here. I'll see how it goes.

[Kinarfi]

When I boought my  Trooper T2, I ordered it with a few option, one being Yearben Shocks and I have been used as a reference for others to buy them also and maybe even recommended them.

 

NOT NOW

 

 

I'm still getting up, but when I go down to the garage, I'll take another look at my Yearben shocks and mileage, when I bought this thing, I ordered with the upgrade and I have been really happen with the ride, I had oversprung my 2008 Trooper and it would launch the rear end and also bottom out and jar my back, doesn't happen much with my 2015 and the yearben shocks, my wife is much happier with them too.  I must say though that I'm seeing an oily shaft and that's what I need to go down to the garage to see if it's one or two and mileage. Have you checked prices at http://joyner-usa.com/ or Call Us Today! (480) 882.9612

Finally got around to looking at my shocks, I think the right rear is gone or going, at 3460 miles,  called Brandon at Joyner USA and he's sending me a set of rebuild kits and gave me some advice, while rebuilding, lose the aluminum sleeve around the shaft, gives more travel but require the use of limit strap, which you should use any way and fill them with 140 PSI nitrogen, air will work, but! the air molecule is smaller than the nitrogen molecule, so air leaks out faster than it does with nitrogen. Personal thought, air is mostly nitrogen any way, so how does it leak out faster, or is it the O2 and CO2 part that's leaking out.

 

Notice the oily wetted dirt on the swing arm! and that's after I cleaned it off a few times.

 

 

[Kinarfi]

Posted May 31 · Report post

HOLD OFF ON THE YEARBEN SHOCKS,  BOTH OF MY REAR SHOCKS ARE NOW SPRINGS, LOST ALL THE OIL, NOT SHOCK ABSORBER ANY MORE!  

AND I ONLY HAVE ~ 3500 MILES OF EASY RIDING ON THEM, I NEVER GO AIRBORNE (on purpose) and stay out of the rough stuff.

TRYING TO GET REBUILD KIT, NO LUCK SO FAR,  IF AND WHEN I FIND THEM, i'LL POST

JEFF  AKA KINARFI

 

 

[Kinarfi]

The lower orbital bearing  came apart in less than 4000 miles?  

I'm going back to my FOA shocks that I saved off my old Trooper.

 

[Kinarfi]

I can not endorse Yearben Shock from you, from Joyner USA or any one else, mine failed in short order and I am unable to rebuild them, at present, there is no REBUILD kit available, so they are NOT rebuildable.

I am putting my old F-O-A shocks back on and changing the spring rate from 400 over 600 to 200 over 400 and putting seal kits in both sides, 

As I was rebuilding my F-O-A Shocks, I was having problem getting the main shaft seal to go in and gave F-O-A a call plus a email with photos, while discussing MY problem, F-O-A took the time to look at my photos and once he understood my problem, the best solution was ordered.

F-O-A does get my endorsement, they are easily resealable and/or rebuildable and the kits are only a phone call away, plus the UPS timeIMHO, they must use some good quality parts, I'm still using the original orbital bearings from 2009, 7 - 8 years so far instead of failing after 1.5-2 years.

 https://f-o-a.com/

 

[Kinarfi]

Because UPS seems to be waiting a day to process my orders from F-O-A, meaning what should be here today or tomorrow won't be here until Monday, so I had time to figure out how Yearben shocks come apart, I could labor on and tell you, but I'll let you figure out your self if you buy them, my opinion, I'm not too proud of them, they don't lend themselves to being rebuilt because I doubt the main shaft seal probably won't be available, the rest are just O-rings, once you figure out how to get at them, they use what appears to be a special compound to seal the seal and the threads, the nut that holds valve pack in place is welded, so you can't tune them.

I think they are a one use and replace shock and mine didn't last long enough to suit me and I don't how the ride compares to the stock shock because I replaced the rear stock ones on my 08 Trooper in 09 and the fronts in 12 and when I bought the blue 2015 Trooper, I ordered it with the Yearbens, they gave me a good ride for almost 4000 miles, at which point, they were out of oil, just springs, not shocks.

I can't endorse them because I think the should last longer, I wonder how long the stock shocks would have lasted and saved me around a $1000.00.

Jeff

[Kinarfi]

 

 · Posted Tuesday at 12:10 AM · Report post

Some history, when I had the F-O-As on the yellow 08 Trooper, I had to run a limit strap to keep the swing arm from going down too far and hitting the axle and knocking it out of the CV, which happened a few times.

When Joyner advised me about rebuilding the Yearben, they said I could get a bit more travel by leaving a spacer out, but I would have to run limit straps again, which was my plan until I started tearing them down and saw what I had. I had to rebuild my shocks, and it became a choice between Yearben and F-O-A. I went with the F-O-As for a lot of reasons, longer travel, dual springs, easy to build. To take advantage the longer travel, I needed to move the shock mount, so I did, I moved it back by the wheel and out, oops too far, add another mount for the top that is behind the the stock mount. Tomorrow, I'll see how I did, and I'll take some photos too.

Here's a few photos of how I remounted my 10" rebuilt F-O-A 2.0" shocks with 2.5 coil over springs (200# over 400#) (and it feels about right), The limit strap is Amsteel-Blue Rope, (http://www.go2marine.com/product/38345F/samson-amsteel-blue-rope.html?WT.srch=1&WT.mc_id=gb1&utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=productfeed&utm_campaign=googleshopping&gclid=CjwKEAjwvYPKBRCYr5GLgNCJ_jsSJABqwfw7GsayfIaI2VFV5AJMJAD1Qoe1Wojhr9ASGTsHv9qK-xoCFXPw_wcB ) so I'm sure it's strong enough!

I'm still doing finishing up things,painting, tightening and checking and need to put the deck back on and test some more.

Edited Wednesday at 09:08 PM by Kinarfi

 

[Kinarfi]

When I set my limit straps up, set it so I have about 1/8" separation between axle and swing arm when the wheels are off the ground, then just to see if they ever make contact, I put tape on the axle and as long as the tape looks good, no contact was made.

[Kinarfi]

  On 6/15/2017 at 8:24 PM, 2scoops said:

Jeff,

Curious how you came up with rear shock mount placement? Is that where you had it on your last rig? What is the total travel? 

With the additional weight of my 32" tires I need to adjust my rebound.

These shocks were on the yellow 08, and the seals were blown, when I bought the blue '15, they took the stock shocks off and gave them to me after putting the yearbens on, when I sold the yellow '08, I took the F-O-As off and put the new stock shocks from the blue'15 on it and kept the leaking F-O-As as spares, it's a season or two later and I need to replace the Yearbens, so this is where I'm at now.

The placement of the lower shock mount was by MY choice, my theory being that all the forces down on the swing arm should be as close to center of the wheel as possible to reduce the tendency to cause the swing arm to roll from rolling, as it did on the yellow'08 and I had to change the right swing arm because the right side tire had a bad inward lean at the top, it may have come that way and I didn't notice.  

The upper mount was because I put the lower one back too far, the shock is compressed about an inch with the limit straps, So I have about 9 inches of shock travel and without taking the springs off, I can't be sure of what the wheel travel is.

As for a good ride, I think I hit my target pretty good, went for a ride yesterday and when I came to a pretty good whoop, I didn't back out of it or any thing else and was very pleased how the Trooper took it, so was the wife.  I have 200# 10" over 400# 10" springs and it's been so long since I messed with the valving washers, I'm not sure how I have them set. 

I uploaded a .AVI video here, it's 10 minutes of the wheel going round and round and the shock going up and down.

VIDEO_2017-06-13 18-04-48.avi

[Kinarfi]

I hope I got that right and in the proper order,  end result of dumping the Yearbens and putting the F-O-A on is an even better ride and the confidence that I can rebuild them again when I need to and every single part can be bought right here in the U.S.A., Las Vegas, Nev. If I want to change my rebound or dampening, I can,

Thanks F-O-A

Jeff

[Racinaround]

@Kinarfi  I was on board to follow your lead on my Trooper and looked up FOA Shocks on there site there $180 and when calling they want $320 each

What one did you use??