Shock Splash Guard (on the cheap)

[Huck369]

Me being the Thrifty (read "Cheap SOB") that I am, wanted a cheap way to protect my rear shock from spray/dirt slung off the rear tire....
So here is what I did...

I Took a Black 1 Gallon Anti-Freeze Jug (Could be a gallon Oil or grease jug)
And cut out the flat section around the main section of the jug (cut off the top, and bottom, used the middle)
The cut it down one side, so I could flatten it out, then cut out a piece to act as a "Mud Flap" for my shock (much like most dirt bikes come with)
Shown below....
Then drilled a hole on each side of the upper part, lined it up to the area I was attaching it and drilled 2 matching holes in the plastic inner fender, near the existing slits on either side of it.
Then attached it with 2 zip ties thru the new holes, and back out thru the pre-existing slits, and Wa-la a mud flab, for basically free

Hope this helps some other Cheap SOB's out there....

 

[Bug Dr.]

I like it. I need to use the rest of the $2 trash can I cut up for a rear fender extender.
Mike

 

[StratTuner]

Nice piece of work! I especially like the material you used... cheap, easy to find, and sooo durable. Does the flap touch the rear wheel at all? Wouldn't matter much if it did since the wheell rotates in a direction that won't ever trap the guard.
the mud guard seems to do the best job overal of keeping grime out of the bike AND off the shock.

I've seen fabric "coats" for the shock (they look like THIS). Little different approach.

I made my own shock "coat" out of a "rain fly" from an old tent we don't use anymore. (Rain Fly is that extra cover for a tent that helps keep rain out.)
It looks like this:


I still plan to make the mud guard, and I think I'll use your design.

 

[Huck369]

Doesn't really touch the tire anywhere, but might while riding, not sure how much air moves thru there, but yeah, even if it touched the tire, it wouldn't "catch" on it due to the direction of rotation.Most dirt bikes come with this type of mud guard from the factory, I don't know why Honda didn't put one on the NC...Just got back from a 75 Mile ride, and it did fine

 

[Bamo]

Well, after seeing your on the cheap mud guard, I decided to make one of my own. I like the huggers but they are more expensive and are more street looking. I like the thought of a dirt bike style mud guard. So after scouring the garage for a possible donor I found an old baking sheet that looks like it will do the job. I have the Honda accessory side bags and they have two mounting bolt on each side that I decided to use for mounting and although I have not finished, it seems like it will do the job. Thanks for the great idea. Here are a few pics to start, I will post more when I finish it.

 

[Huck369]

I'd be very careful using metal for the mud flap, as if it catches on the tire while rolling backwards, could slit your tire...

 

[DanWill]

Guess you could roll the bottom lip towards the front of the bike to keep that from happening. Hmm...
Wonder if you'll get any noise from the water hitting the metal plate while riding in the rain??

 

[Spaceteach]

There are a lot of clever ideas on fabricating shock mud guards here, but I don't understand the purpose they serve. I know this keeps water and road grit off the top of the shock, but the piston rod slides into the body of the shock below the swing arm and that area doesn't seem to be covered by the guards and I don't see how spray from the rear tire would impact that area even without a guard. Are you keeping dirt from building up on the spring? Is it protecting from corrosion? I don't ride in the dirt, so maybe my experience is far different from others, but I just don't see an advantage to having a mud guard.

Bob

 

[Torquepen]

Some of the older Hondas can rot out at the swing arm. Probably best to have something there that stops the worst of it. I have some black plastic similar to that mentioned earlier but may experiment with it clamped to the oval hole at the swing arm instead. I don't want to drill the underside of the existing guard.
I stuck a fender extender onto the front last might with twin pack. Came out good. I didn't wanna drill the front guard either. I like to be able to put stuff back as it was!

 

[StratTuner]

There are a lot of clever ideas on fabricating shock mud guards here, but I don't understand the purpose they serve. I know this keeps water and road grit off the top of the shock, but the piston rod slides into the body of the shock below the swing arm and that area doesn't seem to be covered by the guards and I don't see how spray from the rear tire would impact that area even without a guard. Are you keeping dirt from building up on the spring? Is it protecting from corrosion? I don't ride in the dirt, so maybe my experience is far different from others, but I just don't see an advantage to having a mud guard.

Bob

In as simple a reply as I can manage... Is it better to keep mud off the shock or to let the rear tire spray it with grime?

I have no data to support that it's better to keep it clean. I note that it is easier to clean out the spray when it's limited to the wheel well area (if that's the right term) the shock is a more complicated device, with more surfaces, and harder to clean.

The other reason we (I) do it is because... I can. It's a simple modification that doesn't cost much that makes it easier to clean the bike.

 

[L.B.S.]

I don't ride in the dirt, I just don't see an advantage to having a mud guard.

If you've ever spent time trying to chip off cement-like globs of thick dried mud from in between hard to get at shock coil springs, you would curse the stuff, lol.

Much as some people advocate front fork mini-deflectors, or old school bellows style coverings, or neoprene sleeves, etc.,:

There are arguments for and against whether this one works the best, or that one, or they all are for naught, or "I've never had a fork seal ever leak because my protectors sealed out gritty goo" VS "I ruined my forks because the protectors sealed in gritty goo".

Rotating tires fling stuff into the most amazingly impossible places. Basically aiming a sandblaster and a fire hose directly at the rear shock, all that gipe and mud and grit oozes it's way down the shock body, clinging to even upside down surfaces with grim determination. This does make it's way down onto the shock's piston rod to get wiped over/through by the seal.


If old LBS brain can remember, I will try and take a picture of the mud glorped all over my rear shock and post it up later...

 

[ziggie]

Ahhhh clean the bike.spring or shock looks dirty just spray it off that is what i do.

 

[L.B.S.]

Ahhhh clean the bike.spring or shock looks dirty just spray it off that is what i do.

But I are lazy...

 

[StratTuner]

Ahhhh clean the bike.spring or shock looks dirty just spray it off that is what i do.

and that works with most grime..... but not road tar, gum, stuff like that...

 

[LA_NC700X]

U guys worry too much... I never clean the rear shock... Isn't that thing water proof? Why bother cleaning it?

Front forks, yes... Wipe them with damp cloth regularly...

 

[Oldenuf]

True the shock is waterproof. Now that shiny shaft works up through a rubber seal. Keeping some of the grit off that shaft will lessen the chance of that seal going bad.

Art

 

[L.B.S.]

U guys worry too much... I never clean the rear shock... Isn't that thing water proof? Why bother cleaning it?

Front forks, yes... Wipe them with damp cloth regularly...

...........................................................

 

[Huck369]

Now that shiny shaft works up through a rubber seal. Keeping some of the grit off that shaft will lessen the chance of that seal going bad.

Art

THIS is why I do it, the shock seal will last much longer if it is kept clean, same with fork seals...

 

[Spaceteach]

True the shock is waterproof. Now that shiny shaft works up through a rubber seal. Keeping some of the grit off that shaft will lessen the chance of that seal going bad.

Art

I completely agree with that, but the mud guards, and huggers for that matter, are all positioned above the swing arm and the shiny shaft is below the swing arm. I just don't see how they would protect that shaft.

Bob

 

[Huck369]

The rotation of the tire slings the dirt and water from above the swingarm more than below it....I can already tell it is keeping the shock Much cleaner, which is what I was going for...