Rik,
The "defect" may have been a binding where they attach to the swing arm, according to a post from another site.
He fixed the noise(sounded like an internal ratcheting) by putting grease on those connections. My mechanic just tried to lube the shafts.
The works shocks can be rebuilt. No preload adjustment on the shock. The factory has to do it.
I also seem to have better control than the stock shocks on the few winding roads we have around here.
Thanks for the reply,
Matt