Okay, here are the pics I took with my cell phone from my Metisse lowering kit installation:
You don't get much for $195 delivered. I think that the white plastic washer serves little to no use and was just added so that they can call it a "kit".
The first step in the installation is to remove the rear brake caliper, tire, and tire shroud. Then remove the rear shock.
It is probably difficult to tell from this picture, but the new shock end (the Metisse "kit") is about 3/8" shorter than the stock shock end. I think you get an inch of lowering because of the way that the shock attaches to the rear arm and the 3/8" is multiplied to acheive 1" lowering.
The next step is to disassemble the stock shock. The picture shows how I did it using two clamps. I do not recommend or condone this method. It is probably not the best way to compress the spring, but when I don't have the right tool for the job I improvise.
The instructions that come with the lowering kit say to "Tighten the piston rod of the shock strut in the bench vise (use aluminium jaws in order not to damage the piston rod). Heat and unscrew the spring strut eye." Well, tightening the piston rod in the vise and heating it didn't work for me. No matter how hard I gripped the rod with the vise, it still turned when I went to loosen the stock strut eye. I did have to apply heat, but ended up using a pipe wrench on the rod. After, I used a light sandpaper to remove the light marks left on the rod by the pipe wrench. If you grip the rod at the end nearest the eye, there is little to no chance that this part of the rod will ever make it into the shock.
I didn't take a picture of the process, but I had to use a 17mm socket and the vise to press out the bearing from the stock strut eye and then used the same socket and vise to press it into the Metisse strut eye. Make sure you remove the rubber seals from both sides of the eye before pressing the bearing so that you don't damage them. They can be removed with a screw driver by lightly prying. This image shows the Metisse strut eye with the original bearing and rubber seals pressed in.
Here is the shock before I screwed on the Metisse strut eye. The white plastic washer is placed between the washer that retains the spring and the shock absorber bump stop. I don't think that it does much except maybe it allows the shock travel to be less before hitting the bump stop. I am 5' 8" and weigh 159 pounds so I don't expect to be bottoming out the shock too often.
Installation is the reversal of the dismantling process.
Although not flat footed, I do notice that I am definitely closer to the ground. It used to be a chore to back the bike out of the garage. Now it's a breeze. If I wore boots, I could probably stand flat footed.
I didn't lower the front end to match the lowering of the rear. I am not sure that I am going to. I find that the seat is more comfortable now that it is not leaning so forward and pushing me towards the gas tank. I think I like the ride better this way.
but they assure me it will be shipped soon. As this is not an item normally carried by Wild Hair Accessories, it's a special order.
