‘76 KZ900 LTD restoration

Ah, so maybe there is a nut underneath that rounded plastic piece on the top of the shock body. These had to be put together somehow, right?

Upon further and closer looking, I don’t think these were actually off the 76 LTD. The springs were originally red. Someone has painted over them with black. And the oem springs were a single spring, these are a dual spring. Bummer

I have not seen rebuildable ones yet myself.

I Asked Wookie to exchange our emails

Yeah…it doesn’t appear that these are rebuildable. The return to eBay is approved which is good but the search continues. Wouldn’t be as big a problem keeping the Fox shocks I put on way back in the early 80’s but all the fluid is gone from those as well.

I got your email Mikaw and will get with you tomorrow. I’m web scanning all things Boge-Mulholland for street shocks from this time era and there may be a bit of hope because I’m pretty sure this shock was used on many other bikes. That being said who gives a rats petunia about having the oem shocks on this bike?? Good point even to myself but that’s just the way my brain works. Besides, the challenge is most of the fun…….

motomisfit wrote:

Ah, so maybe there is a nut underneath that rounded plastic piece on the top of the shock body. These had to be put together somehow, right?

My bin is full of things I have destroyed following the "a man put it together so another man should be able to take it apart" mantra. Sometimes for speed and production cost "non serviceable" items are assembled in such a way that you really can't take them apart. A lot of car shocks are assembled and then "crimped over" in a press 

I found a pair in the UK that look to be the right ones but again, they may not have any oil in them and I’d bet the seller doesn’t know if they do or don’t.

Wookie58 wrote:

motomisfit wrote:

Ah, so maybe there is a nut underneath that rounded plastic piece on the top of the shock body. These had to be put together somehow, right?

My bin is full of things I have destroyed following the "a man put it together so another man should be able to take it apart" mantra. Sometimes for speed and production cost "non serviceable" items are assembled in such a way that you really can't take them apart. A lot of car shocks are assembled and then "crimped over" in a press 

This is how must of the Kz LTD Mulholland shocks are. I was recently shown and offered a rebuild set, of a rebuildable style. They have a gland/spanner type top nut. 

I like the way the oem shocks look on the bike vs the shocks with the chrome cover on the top.

Check out this article I found awhile back. Good stuff

www.motorcyclistonline.com/1976-kawasaki-kz900-ltd/

If there are no leaks then I would logically conclude the oil is still in them.  

The seller replied back that they still have good damping. Too bad they’re not in the US.

Alas, I bought the OEM shocks from a seller in the UK and the damping was as he said, still good. I love the look of these shocks and they cleaned up really nice. 

They look good!  I have a set on my 1980 LTD.