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Indian plunger shock removal 1940-53

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#1 ·
Indian big twins and Fours built from 1940 to 1953 are all rear plunger shock frames. Axle mounts a little different with 3 upgrades in strength over the years but the shock towers are the same size externally. The are mounted at a 6 degree forward rake.

Internally 1940-1945 same parts, 1946 to 1953 are the same internal parts but different from the 40-45 parts. DO NOT INTERCHANGE THEM.

How to remove the Indian plunger shocks:

Get a INDIAN SHOCK REMOVAL TOOL, sold by Jerry Greer and a few other parts suppliers. 99.7% impossible to do this without this tool. :eek:

1. Remove the lower pinch bolt at the bottom frame casting.
2. Remove both upper and lower shock end bolts, (little fat ones with the zerks in them)
3. Unscrew the lower cup, the outside lower cover will probably be attached, it is held to the cup by friction and a rubber gasket in the cup.
4. Place slider pipe over shock tool and insert small threaded end into the lower end of the plunger assembly. Screw the threads into the plunger as far as they will go without force. There is a LOT of tension to collapse the internal shock springs so you need a lot of holding power and you don't want to damage the internal threads in the plungers.
5. Screw the nut on the shock tool while holding the bolt head and the slider pipe will move up against the bottom of the shock body.
6. IMPORTANT Remove the small Allen head jam screw in the top outside of the frame, this presses into the top outside shock cover and holds it in place against vibration, once the jam screw is backed out pull the top outside cover down and expose the top of the plunger. Again this outside shock cover is also held by rubber gasket and maybe years of gunk, try not to damage it.
7. Continue to turn the nut on the shock tool and you will see the top end of the plunger growing shorter. Once you can clear the top frame mount tilt the plunger top out and remover entire plunger assembly with shock tool still attached.

To install do this is reverse order, make sure your top outer cover is on before installation, it just slide over the lower top above the axle mount leg and you can fit it into the top frame casting mount once the plunger is back in place and secure. The lower cup is aluminum and the lower frame mounts are cast iron, use anti-seize on threads to prevent galling. You may have to loosely install the lower mount pinch bolt to align the bottom mount at the split. DO NOT TIGHTEN pinch bolt until lower cup is in place. There is a good video of Indian shock rebuilding on the KIWI website and it also shows how to shock tool is used. The Jerry Greer website has great exploded views on all the parts you can use for reference.

NOTE The shock cover are only sold as a FULL set of 8, damage one of them and it gets expensive.
 

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