when you swap front ends do you rebuild?

[DREVS]

Ok so with the 84 200es Big Reds the factory front suspension is junk and the popular thing to do is swap with a 200m or 200s front end.

I cannot for the life of me find a video on how to rebuild 200s front shocks.

I did find a write-up on this forum for a 200m shock rebuild. My question is are the 200s shocks any different than the 200m shocks? And what if any rebuild kits or part numbers for rebuild kits should I be looking for?

I have managed to get ahold of all the parts I need to do the swap from an 83 200s

any advice would be great! Thanks.

Ps I hate to ask this but the truth is I have never messed with shock rebuilds. If push came to shove is this something a dealer or motorcycle shop could do if I took the shocks to them, not that I want to.

[coolpool]

I suggest getting a good service manual, everything you'll need is in there. If it's anything like a 250ES front tube it's pretty easy to do.

[DREVS]

I suggest getting a good service manual, everything you'll need is in there. If it's anything like a 250ES front tube it's pretty easy to do.

I downloaded the shop service manual for the 200es and 200s. The suspension is not the same as the 85 250 bikes from what I understand the 250 Big Reds are far easier to rebuild. The 200s front is what I am going to be using it has the same shocks as the 200m and it seems I am going to need a shop press to be able to do the job. I have no problem buying a press but I will not buy it until I am able to successfully remove the 2 Allan bolts that hold the shock body to the fork shafts.

Those 2 bolts look horrible and from what I understand they are thread locked in from the factory and the rebuild says to thread lock them if you take them apart. I plan to soak the entire shock in Higgins brew for a couple of weeks in hopes that I can get that nasty-looking bolts from 1984 out of the bottom of the shocks where they were packed with mud and debris for the last 37 years.

Then I need a press to push the pistons down enough to remove and install a lock ring that holds it all together inside the shock.

Feel like I am kinda in over my head here needing to buy an expensive press just to do the job. I could use them as-is. They do compress and rebound ok. The one needs a new dust seal and both need new boots.

Just wondering if I should even bother rebuilding them I think I can replace the dust seal without tearing anything else apart that is the last thing that goes on while assembling them. Just pondering my choices atm