Disclaimer: We are not responsible for any damages that you may cause to your shock or bike. We are not responsible for any injuries you may cause to yourself or friends while performing this mod or riding your bike. This mod is intended for people with a high degree of mechanical inclination. You probably have tools and do most of your own work on your bike. You have probably rebuilt your own forks before. Read every step of this guide before deciding to order one of our shim kits. There is a chance that you may not be able to perform this mod yourself. Be sure to read the special notes highlighted in red. If you do not feel comfortable doing this, please click here to contact us, we would be glad to do it for you.
In this section, I will explain in detail the process of converting your platform valved Swinger or 5th Element shock into a shim damped system.Since the Manitou Swinger is essentially the same as the 5th Element (Manitou licenced the technology), I will be using my Swinger for an example. If you want to learn what a shim stack damping system is, click here. If you want to learn how the old platfrom valving system works, click here.
So why would you want to do this? Well, for starters, many riders (myself included) do not like the feel of the older platform damping system in the Manitou Swinger and Progressive 5th Element shocks. If you have ever ridden one of these shocks, you know how much fun it is to be kicked off your pedals half the time when hitting a rough section at high speeds. The shock was unpredictable and did not fare well with mutiple high speed hits, due to excessive compression spiking.
If you then had a chance to ride a shim damper shock, like the famous Fox DHX, you know how much better they feel. This modification will make your lazy 5th or Swinger handle just about as good as the Fox DHX.
Unlike the Fox DHX, your shock will not have much of a pedaling platform after performing the mod. It won't be so plush that you will be bobbing all over the place, but it won't be so firm that you have no small bump sensitivity. I run this setup on my bike and I find that it has a good balance of low speed compression (pedaling platform) and small bump sensitivity.
***A special note for the Progressive 5th Element shocks: Progressive used a pretty strong loctite agent on all their endcaps from the factory. This makes just about every 5th Element VERY difficult to open up. You will need a LARGE (350mm or larger) adjustable wrench and some muscle to get one of these open. Over at TheBrokenBike.com (my shock rebuild business), we have gotten a couple older 5th's that were totally seized shut and would not come open. I would highly suggest that you attempt to open your 5th up before ordering one of our shim mod kits, you might be one of the lucky ones with a seized 5th.
This article is geared towards someone with a good degree of mechanical ability. In other words, you have tools, you probably do most of your own work on your bike and you have probably rebuilt your forks a couple of times before. Read this whole guide before attemping this. If you do not feel comfortable doing this, click here to contact us and we will gladly do it for you.
Let get started. Here's a list of parts and tools that you will need to perform this mod:
Step 2: Clamp the body eyelet
I like to use a pair of washers between the shock and the vice when clamping it. This stops the steel jaws of the vice from digging into the soft aluminum of your shock body.
Step 3: Depressurize
Remove the reservoir cap and let the air pressure out of the reservoir.
Step 1: Remove shock from bike and clean it
Cleaning the shock before opening it up is very important. The dirt that's on the outside will make its way into the inside of your shock when you open it up. Also, if your shock has long axles/reducers, remove them from the eyelets using your vice and the right sized sockets.
Step 4: Unscrew the endcap
Use your adjustable wrench to unscrew the endcap counterclockwise. Be very careful not to let the wrench slip and damage the endcap or shaft. The endcap will probably be very tight. Special note: Sometimes, especially on the 5th Elements, the whole body of the shock will start to unscrew from the reservoir linkage piece. If this happens, you will have to send the shock to us if you want this mod done, as special tools will be necessary.
Step 5: Remove the damper and shaft assembly
Wipe off excess oil from the head and place the assembly aside for now.
Step 6: Reset the floating piston
Hook up your shock pump to the reservoir and give it a few pumps (bring it to 50psi or so). This will reset the floating piston to the bottom of the reservoir. Leave the air pressure in for now, it will help keep the floating piston in place during the final bleeding process.
Step 7: Dump oil
Unclamp the body assembly and dump the oil if it's dirty. You might as well replace it while the shock is open, but don't put fresh oil in the shock yet (you'll probably knock the shock over and get oil all over the place). Put the body assembly aside for now.
Step 8: Remove damper head
Clamp the shaft assembly, rememeber to use the washers to prevent the vice from denting your shock. Use your adjustable wrench to unscrew the damper head from the shaft, counter clockwise. Special note: The odd time, the shaft will start to unscrew itself from the lower eyelet instead of the damper head coming off of the shaft. If this happens, it's basically going to be a pain in the ass because you're going to have to make a soft jaw tool to hold the shaft. Click here to find out how you can make this tool from an old crank arm.
Step 9: Remove the platform valve
Remove the platform valve and lower washer from the damper head. Place these parts aside for now.
Step 10: Remove the main oil seal
As a bonus, I have included a new main oil seal in my shim kit. You might as well replace it since you have the shock apart. Begin by removing the main seal head assembly from the shaft. Next, carefully remove the main oil seal, which is found just past the dust seal, closest to the glide bushing (Note: your stock seal will be black, not clear like the one in the pic). Use a plastic or wooden toothpick to pry it out, you do not want to scratch the aluminum! Sometimes it's best to stab the toothpick into the seal and then pry it out, since we don't care about the seal.
Step 11: Clean the seal head assembly
Use an old toothbrush and some dishsoap and clean out the inside of the seal head assembly. Rinse it out and dry. Then use a Q-tip to dry out the inner seal seat.
Step 12: Install the new oil seal
I like to use a bit of silicone sealant around the main oil seal. This is the most important seal in the whole shock, so we want to make sure it doesn't leak. This step is especially important if you scratched the aluminum seal seat in step 10 while removing the seal. No worries, the sealant will fix this.
Next, install the new main oil seal. Be very careful during this process and take your time. Pinch the seal and then begin to insert it into the shaft hole. Use the shaft of a small screwdriver to begin to press the seal into its seat. Once about a third of the seal has been pressed into its seat, use some kind of plastic tool to push to remaining bit of the seal into its seat. It should pop right in.
Clean out the excess sealant with a Q-tip. Allow the sealant to cure for about 24 hours!
Step 13: Replace endcap seals
Remove both of the seals from the endcap using a plastic or wooden toothpick. Replace with the seals provided within our shim kit. The larger seal goes towards the outside end (larger end) of the endcap.
Step 14: Reinstall the seal head assembly onto the shaft
Use a little bit of grease on the end of the shaft before carefully reinstalling the endcap assembly.
*Updated!! Please read: Step 15: Install the shims and spacer
Do not use half of the old SPV valve as a spacer as shown in the pictures below. During tests, we found that using a standard 3/8" nut from a hardware store works much better and provides better high speed compression damping. Just place the nut where the SPV valve spacer would go in the pictures below. I'd like to give you a starting point for shim sizes if you are trying to buy them yourself. I am 160lbs and ride a 9" travel bike with a 3:1 radio. I use the following sized shims in my Swinger 4-way (all are 8mm ID): 25mm x .15mm, 23mm x .2mm, 21mm x .15mm, 19mm x .15mm, 17mm x .15mm, 15mm x .15mm. If you are running a 6-way Swinger or 5th, you will need a slightly thinner shims or less of them beacuse of the extra compression damping circuit in the reservoir.
Step 16: Install damper head onto shaft
Apply a drop of red loctite to the threads of the damper head assembly. Apply a few drops of oil into the shaft hole before threading the damper head in. This will help keep air out of the system. Begin to thread the damper head into the shaft. Be careful not to cross thread it. Tighten it until nice and snug with your adjustable wrench (sorry, I don't have any torque specs, just go by feel).
Step 17: Refill shock with oil
Unclamp the damper shaft assembly and clamp the body assembly. If you haven't already done so, dump the old oil from your shock and replace it with fresh 5wt fork oil. Fill the shock just past where the threads for the endcap end.
Step 18: Reinstall endcap/shaft assembly
Make sure there is about 100 psi in the reservoir before beginning this step. This will prevent the floating piston from moving too much while inserting the main piston head/shaft assembly. Wrap a rag around the body of the shock. Begin to SLOWLY insert the endcap/shaft assembly. Lots of oil should pour over the edge of the body as the damper head submerges into the oil. Take your time and allow the air bubbles to come out. Slowly begin to tighten the endcap, allowing excess oil and air bubbles to come out. When the endcap is about 2 turns from being tight, let the pressure out of the reservoir! This will allow the floating piston to move up a little in the reservoir. This is essential to maintaining pressure in the shock when it is fully extended. Tighten the endcap until very tight (sorry, once again no torque specs, just go by feel)
Step 20: Repressurize the shock
Clean and Re-pressurize shock, 80-130psi is good depending on how far you screw in the bottom out resistor (a little less pressure if you run the bottom out resistor far in). You can now run your bottom out resistance a few more turns in without affecting compression damping like before. Be careful not to run it too far in or you may get hydraulic lock. Test this by putting the shock on the bike without the spring and compressing it to see how it feels, making sure you can bottom the shock without too much resistance.
Special note: You will probably want to run a heavier spring than before if you find the shock bottoms too easily. There is a lot less compression damping now. Example: I was running a 350-400lb spring with my stock swinger, after the mod a 450lb is perfect. Do not just keep adding air pressure if the shock bottoms too easily, it's probably just your spring. Don't go over about 130psi, especially if you run your bottom out resistor at 75-100% of the way in.
Step 19: Replace the schrader valve core
Use the valve core remover tool included with the kit to unscrew the valve core. If it's really tight, you might have to use some pliers on the tool. Install the new valve core included with the shim kit.
