FAQ & TIPS

 

#ShockSox

INSTALLATION:

6″ Shock Sox – 3 Velcro tabs

*When installing the 6″ Shock Sox…First, we recommend securing the middle strap, this keeps the Shock Sox from walking on you. Secure the middle strap around the bottom of the upper fork tube at the dust seal area. Securely wrap the middle tab overlapping the receiving side of the Shock Sox. Second, wrap the circumferential (upper) strap just above, and overlap the receiving side of the Shock Sox….making sure there is not an exposed seam between the upper and middle straps. Third, wrap the bottom strap tightly just under the seal on the lower fork tube.

* The Shock Sox logo should be facing outward. However, in the event that the logo is facing outward and the side-wall of your tire knobby’s are rubbing-tearing into the Velcro tabs, simply rotate the Shock Sox, so that the Velcro tabs are not facing inside and are not aligning with the knobby side-walls of your tire.

Properly installed, the Shock Sox should cover all metal, and you should not see a seam of metal fork tubing underneath.

 

 CLEANING:

 We recommend removing the Shock Sox after each day of riding. Do not leave the Shock Sox on while washing your motorcycle. Remove the Shock Sox and hand-wash with a garden hose, or in a sink with warm soapy water. Lay the Shock Sox flat, and let dry. Once dry, install Shock Sox back on your forks. The beauty of Shock Sox is that they are removable for easy cleaning and great fork seal protection. Don’t be lazy…leaving the Shock Sox on during cleaning will trap moisture and grit, potentially causing fork seal leakage!

 

TECHNICAL QUICK FIXES:

Lower fork guard rubbing the Shock Sox:  Some lower fork guards tend to “lean in” toward the forks a little too much, leaving no room between the fork guards and Shock Sox (minute rubbing is OK). In the event that there is no room between the lower fork guards and Shock Sox, we recommend either adding a washer to the lower fork guard bolts (this will cause some separation up top) or, using a heat gun and pulling the lower fork guards outward a little.

Fork Guard Protector Guide Ring: Many modern motocross bikes come with either a metal, or plastic fork guard protector guide ring at the bottom of the upper fork tube. The metal ring can, and usually cuts into the Shock Sox creating a tear seam. The plastic rings are usually bulky, and usually do not allow for Shock Sox full-diameter covering. We recommend removing these rings to ensure the best fork seal protection, before installing your Shock Sox.

 

Holeshot Device: What if I have a Holeshot Device? No problem, simply install the Shock Sox on the fork like normal, then use a utility knife-razor blade to score through the Shock Sox where the Holeshot Device catch is.

 

This will allow the pin to slide into the catch without snagging on the Shock Sox. Watch the video to the right for a complete install tutorial.

 


KAWASAKI

Some Kawasaki models come with a metal or plastic protector guide ring around the dust seal area. The protector guide ring needs to be removed before installing your Shock Sox.

KX 85 – Front Brake Cable – Solution:  Some KX 85′s have a plastic fork guard bracket on the left and right side of the front forks. The left side bracket routes the front brake cable. You will need to remove both the right, and left side brackets. On the left side, you need to keep the plastic ring that guides your front brake cable through it. Do this by cutting the plastic ring away from the rest of the fork guard bracket, leaving a half-inch of plastic on both sides of the plastic ring. A utility-knife/razor-blade works great for cutting through the plastic. Once free from the fork guard bracket, you should secure the plastic ring to the fork guard by one of the following methods… epoxy, rivets, or two drill-holes and black UV resistant tie-wraps. Make sure the ring is attached securely. – We have found that two drill-holes and UV resistant tie-wraps work just fine, and is the easiest and least expensive method of securing the plastic ring to the fork guard

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 KTM’s

 

  • Plastic Guide Ring:  The ’08 – ’14 KTM model big bikes have a black plastic fork guard guide ring. You will need to REMOVE the guide ring before installing your Shock Sox. Choosing to install your Shock Sox on top of the ring will create a tear seam from rubbing. Watch video to right for example.

  • Wrap-Around Fork Guards:  The ’08 – ’14 KTM model big bikes, as well as the ’07 250SX, have the wrap-around designed lower fork guard protector. These are a slight hassle, as the wrap-around design makes it difficult to even remove the dust-seal for periodic maintenance, and leaves the Shock Sox installation a little more challenging. As most customers agree……we recommend replacing the stock ’08-’14 lower fork guards with the ’07 450SX fork guards, or the ’06 model fork guard protectors.

      YAMAHA

      Some Yamaha models come with a metal or plastic protector guide ring around the dust seal area. The protector guide ring needs to be removed before installing your Shock Sox.

      HONDA

      Some Honda models come with a metal protector guide ring around the dust seal area. The protector guide ring needs to be removed before installing your Shock Sox.

       These are Quick Fixes that both Shock Sox, Shock Sox Dealers, and Our Customers have encountered and tested. These are only recommendations to give you much better fork seal protection when choosing the Shock Sox brand for Hassle-Free Fork Seal Protection!