How to protect rear shock?

Hello All, 

Just got a nice new rear shock for my 5th gen and was wondering what everyone does to keep their rear shock protected from salt, rust, mud and sandblasting from rear wheel. 

Are huggers the answer, or neoprene shock socks? Don’t care about looks - just want it to last as long as possible.

I’m worried the hugger doesn’t protect enough and that the sock will trap moisture/dirt inside. Not sure what is best. 

Washing the bike after every ride is simply not an option. 

All advice welcome. 

Stray 

I have a hugger on mine that extends below the SA which ghas done a wonderful job of keeping the shock and linkages clean, NWS I believe.

I don't know if it will trap anything inside or not, since I never used it, but I was once given a long length of clear plastic warehouse door flap (heavy, but flexible) to wrap around the shock.  I may try to use it some day, but fixing it so it looks nice will be the greatest challenge.  I'd expect that even a plastic cover like that would leave enough openings to not damage the shock--and protecting it from dirt and debris is exactly what the wrap should do!

(Of course, I have huggers--because they look cool...)

Ciao,

Similar to Dutch I have added a flap, but also have a hugger & a heat shield.

can’t find a good pic, but this one shows most of it. My flap is neoprene rubber, glued to the bottom of the battery box, it catches any crap that makes it over the hugger.

What flap?  All I see is Smurf Power!!!!  :goofy:

[image: smurfs.gif]

Or you can make one from a crashed front mud guard, wrap it poorly in imitation carbon and put a couple of screws into ths SSA to hold it in place, then add a matching chain guard.....

9 hours ago, Halfrider

Or you can make one from a crashed front mud guard, wrap it poorly in imitation carbon and put a couple of screws into ths SSA to hold it in place, then add a matching chain guard.....

That may well be fine in Australia but it's too narrow to be effective in the weather we get

It's mostly show, if that, and useless and

more of something to do

Thanks for all the advice, folks. Really helps. 

It apoears no one is using the neoprene sock concept. The consensus seems to be hugger and/or a flap thing. 

I’m impressed with the ingenuity and simplicity of the flap idea. Halfrider, your fake carbon stuff looks the business too.

Egg, JZH and Mohawk seem happy enough with their huggers so I’m going to go that route. Will look for a long one like Egg’s and may add a flap (a la Dutchy and Mohawk) for the complete belt-and-braces approach. 

Thanks again, everyone. 

By by the way, why can I only “like” some posts and not others? Seems random. Wanted to thank everyone in this thread but could only do Halfrider for some reason? 

Stray