[Sladep]

Need some help from someone who's installed a new OEM shock on their GL1800. Mine is an '08 airbag and I'm installing a new takeoff shock assembly from a '16 GL1800. The new shock arrived without the black part in the attached pic which I believe is called the Actuator Angle Sensor (3 pin). It mounts into the remote reservoir in the last photo. A slot in the Sensor aligns with a collar inside the reservoir and electronically controls the hydraulic pressure which changes the preload.

I removed the same part off my '08 shock and went to install it on my new shock. When I lined up the slot in the Sensor and the collar in the reservoir, the screw holes in the Sensor were not aligned to the holes in the reservoir. The collar seems to not be moveable. I thought I could place the slotted part of the Sensor on the collar on the reservoir, rotate the Sensor so the bolt holes aligned, and then bolt it up - wrong. I broke the slotted piece in the Sensor. I have found a new Sensor but am concerned about getting the slot and collar aligned and the screw holes in the Sensor and reservoir aligned. What has to happen is the slotted part in the Sensor has to be rotated to get it properly aligned but it appears it won't move without electrical power. Logical.

Has anyone done this and how? Can the collar in the reservoir be rotated manually?

I'm thinking since the part is electronically activated, it would need to be connected to the 3-point harness and then operate the preload adjuster to get it properly aligned before assembly. The bike is all apart and I'm worried about turning on the electrics with dozens of connectors disassembled. Any help from someone who's solved this would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[Keithg64]

I just installed a 12 shock and preload adjuster on my 07 that I had to put the angle sensor on. The boss that is in the middle of the 2 bolts is spring loaded and will rotate to align with your sensor. Get it centered and rotate it a little to align the bolts. Should work fine.

 

[jsrinhsv]

Search the web site... Look for articles witten by Fred.

should be a video on this on youtube.

 

[Fred H.]

The inner portion of the sensor is a POT, you simple turn it until it lines up with plastic nub it engages on the actuator body. Your photos only show the back side of the sensor, turn it over and look at the other side. You should be able to rotate the POT with a small screwdriver so it lines up properly.


Or another way to do it, is simply install it so that the nub fits into the POT and then rotate the whole sensor until the screw holes line up. This might actually be the easier way to do it.

 

[Sladep]

Fred, thanks for this. I did not try to rotate the POT as you call it (what does POT mean, BTW?) with a screwdriver. Mine broke when I put the sensor onto the actuator body and rotated it to align the screw holes. It felt like it didn't want to rotate easily and before I knew it, with just a little pressure, the plastic POT broke. I am afraid to try rotating the replacement part I have luckily been able to find, with a screwdriver or doing like i did before. Have you done this before and succeeded in rotating the POT? Just want to confirm before trying. Thank you.

The inner portion of the sensor is a POT, you simple turn it until it lines up with plastic nub it engages on the actuator body. Your photos only show the back side of the sensor, turn it over and look at the other side. You should be able to rotate the POT with a small screwdriver so it lines up properly.


Or another way to do it, is simply install it so that the nub fits into the POT and then rotate the whole sensor until the screw holes line up. This might actually be the easier way to do it.

 

[Sladep]

Thanks Keith. To clarify, when you say "boss that is in the middle of the two bolts", are you referring to the angle sensor or then preload adjuster it mounts on? When I tried to rotate the Sensor when I had engaged it to the preload adjuster, it broke before I knew it having applied a small amount of pressure. When I tried to rotate part that sticks out with a spring around it inside the preload adjuster, it would not rotate. I didn't try to force it of course, given how this is going. Thanks

QUOTE=Keithg64;5460225]I just installed a 12 shock and preload adjuster on my 07 that I had to put the angle sensor on. The boss that is in the middle of the 2 bolts is spring loaded and will rotate to align with your sensor. Get it centered and rotate it a little to align the bolts. Should work fine.[/QUOTE]

 

[chrisashbrook]

(what does POT mean, BTW?)

POT is short for potentiometer.

 

[Fred H.]

The POT only rotates about 180 degrees. If it won't rotate in one direction you may be at the stop, so try rotating it the other way. You may have to manually turn the POT sensor to make it line up with the sensing arm on the actuator body. The sensing arm also has a spring on it, and it will skew it to one side a bit when you remove the POT (see 2nd photo). You should be able to easily line it back up with very little force. See the photos attached. You should be able to put a small screwdriver into the bottom side of the POT and rotate it to a position where it will line up with the tab on the sensor arm.



Where did you get the replacement POT and what part number did you order? I'd like to know because we have been researching what the proper replacement part number is.

 

[Joen]

I used the POT off my 08 worked just fine on the 17 I installed...

 

[mrbill21]

I removed the sensor from my '09 and used it on the '17 assy. I installed. Queston? Why did the sensor get removed? How is it used in the trike conversion?

 

[Sladep]

MrBill, that was my question too! I was really surprised when the shock arrived without it's sensor. I called the seller, KP Cycles, which does trike conversions. The parts seller asked the techs who do the trikes. He said that if the sensor doesn't stay on the bike, the bike throws codes and shows symbols on the instrument panel. I don't know if it also won't start, since that's it's purpose, to know when the bike was leaned over a certain amount.

I removed the sensor from my '09 and used it on the '17 assy. I installed. Queston? Why did the sensor get removed? How is it used in the trike conversion?