Fornale Shock Absorbers - again

  • Baloffski
    Baloffski
    4 years ago
    Maint on Road Glide today, one item to check and adjust was the rear Fornale shock absorbers. Undoing shock bolts, not rough handed, nor stressing anything, noticed the lower bolt not connected to the shock body, wtf arggggh!
    The jpeg shows what I encountered on the right hand side rear.The lower holding bolt hole has separated from the main shock body, somehow. Don't know when happened or how.
    Is it possible to repair, as trying to get reeplacement may be difficult?
    The lower section seems as though it screws, as you can see the top section cover comes off with the air nipple visible. But it may have to be Fornale workshop, there is a mob in the UK.
    As you can see, have the old original shockers to install asap, as not happy with bike being off the road. 
    Just another question: I drained the fluid I had put in the orininals, how the fuck do I get 300 mls in each quicker than the method I'm trying? 
    Some help there would be great.


  • Far Canal
    Far Canal
    4 years ago
    Looks grim mate.
    Good luck with Bertram Le Frog, the invisible silent Aussie distributor.
    Wonder how long it has been like that Balofski?
  • imoo6170
    imoo6170
    4 years ago
    Try a motorcycle shock shop as they may be able to repair and add the oil. I have used a company called Shock Treatment who are in Sydney  http://www.shocktreatment.com.au/ . I saw you are in Victoria and I am sure someone on here can recommend a Victoria place
  • imoo6170
    imoo6170
    4 years ago
    Ps if you bought the shocks from "Bertram Le Frog" you could try him but it may just be easier to go to a local motorcycle shock shop
  • Krash Kinkade
    Krash Kinkade
    4 years ago
    Quoting Far Canal on 27 Jan 2020 08:51 AMedited: 27 Jan 2020 08:54 AM

    Looks grim mate.
    Good luck with Bertram Le Frog, the invisible silent Aussie distributor.
    Wonder how long it has been like that Balofski?

    Bertram, was enthusiastic promoting his shocks on Harleys in old days. I think it was about 1981 & at the Sydney custom motorcycle show, at Sydney Showground. I thought the forenames shocks were too soft, & thought they bottomed out. but he got on the rear bouncing his weight to show they never bottomed out. I sold them soon after & got a set of Works shocks from USA. I loved the Works well made & the bike handled great with them on.
    Balofski hope they come good and replace the shock, as that should never happen to a top quality shock like that. Bertram would be getting on in years now, but I remember him to be pationate about those shocks. And he was from Victoria so should see if you can , dee him face to face.
  • Baloffski
    Baloffski
    4 years ago
    Yeah, wonder how long parted ways... I cringe at some recent riding with the shock like it is. I know what did it, I took my Doctor for a ride a few weeks ago, I'm going to tell the fat barstead he broke my shockers.. LOL
    Have used shock guys at a few places in Vic over the years, so will start the old ring around. Did use some crew at Glen Waverley or around that way who were only shocks and very switched on.
    Time to do some more homework. Thanks guys.
  • Baloffski
    Baloffski
    4 years ago
    Thinking why my right hand side snapped orf.
    Theory is I travel with tool kit roll and same items in the right hand pannier, making it significantly heavier than left side. The other dumb thing I did was,obviously, over tensioned installation last time pumped air in them, although use Tension wrench, too many bloody Newtons.
    Keiths previous posts re-suspension has given me a lot of the work all ready, thanks Keith.

  • DocGreen
    DocGreen
    4 years ago
    Mr Balofski, sorry to hear about your broken shock mate -looks like it may have had a fatigue crack internally for a while before finally letting go completely (based on the colour of the material in your pics) - just putting this out there as another alternative if you don't like your standard air shocks, but I think JR888 still has his 13" HD Premium adjustables for sale.

    DocGreen
  • Ken in Cairns
    Ken in Cairns
    4 years ago
    You may find someone who will TIG weld it back together, but you would need the unit pulled down and cleaned, and I wouldn't like to bet on it lasting either. Best bet is to replace both shocks as the other side will have been carrying all the extra load. If they are lifetime warranty should be no worries, perhaps contact the company direct, if " The Frog" is unreachable.
  • tussuck
    tussuck
    4 years ago
    Quoting Ken in Cairns on 27 Jan 2020 10:10 PM

    You may find someone who will TIG weld it back together, but you would need the unit pulled down and cleaned, and I wouldn't like to bet on it lasting either. Best bet is to replace both shocks as the other side will have been carrying all the extra load. If they are lifetime warranty should be no worries, perhaps contact the company direct, if " The Frog" is unreachable.

    Im not sure that TIG would work.  I would have thought the heatign and cooling will mess with the alloy a bit.
  • steelo
    steelo
    4 years ago
    Friends. I reached out to Bertrand via his website portal. He was good enough to reply today in an email. I rang him and he was happy for me to put this response in the forum to advise his situation.

    "Thank you for your email Steve (Steelo).
    You are correct.
    Fournales Australia Pty.Ltd. which I have created in 1981 and run with passion ever since, is indeed limping and I do apologise to the customers and my faithful clients.
    The explanation is very simple. Prior to my move to the Sunshine-Coast from Tasmania I was diagnosed with a sickness known as "Myelo-Displasia" a precursor to leukaemia.
    Since, I have been diagnosed with full leukaemia and for the last 2 1/2 years not only I have been profoundly debilitated by this incurable and terminal cancer, but just as much by the various treatments (which saved my life so far  by the way) especially heavy chemotherapy.
    My ability to look after my business has been, to my great chagrin, considerably reduced as you and the members of your forum can well imagine and have discovered.
    It is actually quite a miracle that I am still alive and the doctors looking after me are just as dumfounded as I am.
    However, things should soon be improving as my daughter (who is between jobs) has accepted to give me a helpful hand for a while. Also I hope that after all these years, I will find someone to take over and continue to offer the Fournales sales and service in Australia as realistically, I am on the death row right now.
    I am still open for business and will be for as long as I can.
    I hope this will clarify the situation.
    The worse part of all this is that very unfortunately I cannot ride motorcycles any longer and one may wonder if life is worth living without riding ? Bloody crap !!!!!
    Best of day to you and may your lid never skid.

    Bertrand CADART.
    Founder and Managing Director of Fournales Australia Pty.Ltd. in 1981.

    PS: best is to contact me on my mobile phone : 0407511454 as I find a lot easier to talk than to write lately.