Rear Shock failure - remedy!

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paininthenuts
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Joined: Thu May 01, 2014 4:38 pm

KuroNekko wrote:
paininthenuts wrote:Now I live in the UK, and only about half a mile from the Suzuki head office. I have a friend who is a senior executive for Suzuki and in charge of the parts for all the UK, as well as having a Kizi as a company car. I brought this up with him, so he researched it. He can't find any evidence of a warranty claim in the UK for rear shocks. He said that the spec is different in every country, and there is a possibility that the rear shocks you get are different to ours. The U.S is renowned for their love of a softer suspension, so I would guess that your shocks or not the same as ours. I hope so anyway !!
The problem is the shock corroding but that's actually caused by the bump stopper that has a flawed design that traps water. That trapped water then promotes the corrosion of the shock located below it.
I believe factors like humidity and climate have a big effect on this problem as well. North America also sold more Kizashis than Europe, I believe, so the problem may be more prevalent here simply because there are more Kizashis to have this issue.

In the link to the thread I posted above, you can see the difference between the original flawed bump stopper and the "countermeasure" bump stopper design.
Mine is a late car. Do you think the design may now have been changed
bootymac
Posts: 1602
Joined: Fri Jul 19, 2013 1:04 am

paininthenuts wrote:
KuroNekko wrote:
paininthenuts wrote:Now I live in the UK, and only about half a mile from the Suzuki head office. I have a friend who is a senior executive for Suzuki and in charge of the parts for all the UK, as well as having a Kizi as a company car. I brought this up with him, so he researched it. He can't find any evidence of a warranty claim in the UK for rear shocks. He said that the spec is different in every country, and there is a possibility that the rear shocks you get are different to ours. The U.S is renowned for their love of a softer suspension, so I would guess that your shocks or not the same as ours. I hope so anyway !!
The problem is the shock corroding but that's actually caused by the bump stopper that has a flawed design that traps water. That trapped water then promotes the corrosion of the shock located below it.
I believe factors like humidity and climate have a big effect on this problem as well. North America also sold more Kizashis than Europe, I believe, so the problem may be more prevalent here simply because there are more Kizashis to have this issue.

In the link to the thread I posted above, you can see the difference between the original flawed bump stopper and the "countermeasure" bump stopper design.
Mine is a late car. Do you think the design may now have been changed
Nope
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KuroNekko
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Location: California, USA

paininthenuts wrote: Mine is a late car. Do you think the design may now have been changed
I doubt it but you can go easily check yourself. Look into the rear wheel well and you'll see either a white, cream, or yellow plastic-like part behind the wheel. That's the bump stopper. If it has longitudinal grooves in it, you have the countermeasure part. If not, then you have the old one.
My old one was bright yellow. The new one is cream. Refer to this:
http://www.kizashiclub.com/forum/viewto ... 6&start=90
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paininthenuts
Posts: 411
Joined: Thu May 01, 2014 4:38 pm

KuroNekko wrote:
paininthenuts wrote: Mine is a late car. Do you think the design may now have been changed
I doubt it but you can go easily check yourself. Look into the rear wheel well and you'll see either a white, cream, or yellow plastic-like part behind the wheel. That's the bump stopper. If it has longitudinal grooves in it, you have the countermeasure part. If not, then you have the old one.
My old one was bright yellow. The new one is cream. Refer to this:
http://www.kizashiclub.com/forum/viewto ... 6&start=90
This is it, what do you think ?
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paininthenuts
Posts: 411
Joined: Thu May 01, 2014 4:38 pm

KuroNekko wrote:
paininthenuts wrote: Mine is a late car. Do you think the design may now have been changed
I doubt it but you can go easily check yourself. Look into the rear wheel well and you'll see either a white, cream, or yellow plastic-like part behind the wheel. That's the bump stopper. If it has longitudinal grooves in it, you have the countermeasure part. If not, then you have the old one.
My old one was bright yellow. The new one is cream. Refer to this:
http://www.kizashiclub.com/forum/viewto ... 6&start=90
This is it, what do you think ?

Whoops, posted the same thing twice
Last edited by paininthenuts on Sat Dec 27, 2014 11:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
bootymac
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Joined: Fri Jul 19, 2013 1:04 am

Doesn't look like it has any grooves. Here are comparison photos: http://www.kizashiclub.com/forum/viewto ... 178#p24178
paininthenuts
Posts: 411
Joined: Thu May 01, 2014 4:38 pm

bootymac wrote:Doesn't look like it has any grooves. Here are comparison photos: http://www.kizashiclub.com/forum/viewto ... 178#p24178
Excuse me for being stupid. Apart from the colour they exactly the same to me
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KuroNekko
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Location: California, USA

paininthenuts wrote:
Excuse me for being stupid. Apart from the colour they exactly the same to me
It looks to me you have the older type. I don't see the groove. Yours is also the same color as the older types seen on Kizashis all over the world including mine until I got them replaced.
Here is a picture of the groove we are talking about.
http://www.kizashiclub.com/forum/downlo ... hp?id=1739

The Technical Service Bulletin discusses in detail how the grooves are intended to channel water out of the bump stopper.
http://www.kizashiclub.com/forum/downlo ... hp?id=1822
http://www.kizashiclub.com/forum/downlo ... hp?id=1821

Some folks like Woodie preemptively bought the countermeasure bumper stopper from a Suzuki parts dealer online.
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2011 Suzuki Kizashi Sport GTS 6MT (Sold)
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Woodie
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Location: Laurel, MD

Yeah, I've got them just sat here annoying me, probably should have just replaced the shocks before the weather turned cold this fall.

I was looking at shocks a few weeks ago and saw for sale a KYB bump stop which looked identical to the new style Suzuki bump stop. Can't remember where it was I was shopping.
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nytq
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Location: Milford, PA

Just curious how many keep their kizzy garaged at night. Is there any connection with the shock failure/humidity and being kept in a garage.
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