first step to suspension?

[PHIL_B54]

im new to the suspensions area and ive looked thru all 12 pages of this forum and really havent got a solid answer to my question.

to someone looking into suspension, where is the starting point? like you have to have a pipe/filter/jets as the first step for more power. what is the first step of suspension? fronts? rear?

I ride trails and open feilds and terraces, and someday i would like to do a harescramble, and this summer i am planning on going to a local MX.

I cant see spending a crazy amout of cash on shocks that i will never even come close to using their full potential, but i can see that there could be some advantage on getting some shocks.

I thank you for any input you may have

[PHIL_B54]

maybe i need to clearify/narrow down my question.

if you could only do 1 would it be front or rear? why? or is it best to do both. Do I need to be able to adjust them? Money is an issue and I want the best quality/performance i can justyify for the cash

[300exOH]

I would say that doing front and rear together would be best otherwise you'll get a mismatch and ill handling. I don't think the adjustability is necessary for the average rider as long as the shocks are built specifically for the rider and riding style. I would recommend non adjustable Elka's over adjustable Works any day. My Elka's only have preload adj. and they are unbelievable. The Works are better than stock though. Just make sure the shocks you buy are built FOR YOU and the type of riding you do and you'll be much happier than with stock shocks.

[toby400ex]

For a 400ex some good front shocks would be the first step. THe rear shock can be adjusted to work pretty good for the average rider. If you dont want to spend alot of money right now get some elka recreational shocks for about $500, later on you can add adjustable rezzies.

[PHIL_B54]

thanks guys

so the fronts will help me more than the rear. i was considering sending the rear to Laz for the re-valve/linkage thing that i read about and then going works or non adjustable elkas for the front. so i would be looking at $800-$900 for the whole set-up. but if the fronts alone would help as much i would just stay with the works or non adjustable elkas and save me some $

are the elka's good enough to justify the extra cash? i know that they are prob. better, but will i notice or need better?

[300exOH]

I think the Elkas are worth the money. The Works are okay and much better than stock but still nothing like the Elkas. You can also save money by rebuilding your rear shock to match the front shocks. Generally you get what you pay for in an aftermarket shock.

[Doibugu2]

I consider myself just an above average rider, and not as fast as Rico.

Rico kept telling me to get shocks when I asked what to do first. I took his advice and did shocks first. I did just get the fronts first, which I think is okay. The rear will just buck a little more than it used to.

You have only done a pipe, so I think you can understand this. The improvements that you got from your pipe, your skill level was able to increase to handle the power increase.

However, when you gets shocks they make a huge improvement. You will become a much better rider and enjoy your quad much more. You can ride faster and longer because the better shocks will absorb so much more of the bumps. But you wont be able to maximize there full potential unless you start to really push yourself to get really fast. Make sense?

They are worth every penny.

[zephead400ex]

Your riding style is almost identical to mine, but I do ride some dunes too, I ride it all:D Anyway, I have ordered +2 Burgard arms with Works triple rates w/ remote rezzies. The reason I went with Works is b/c I cannot see spending up towards $1k for front suspension that does the exact same thing for less money. My buddy, ledofthezep has Works tripple rates w/ +2 arms on his Banshee and that thing rides like a Cadillac! IMO you do not necessarily need to buy Elkas, PEP, etc for the riding that you and I do. Also, I probably didn't need to get rezzies, but figured I would do it right the first time.

Good luck.

[PHIL_B54]

so the shocks will be a bigger improvement than pipe/cam/piston. and i should start with fronts and if i think i need it get the rear done someday.

got another question....say i get a arms(someday), then i have to get the shocks re-done right?

[300exOH]

got another question....say i get a arms(someday), then i have to get the shocks re-done right? [/B][/QUOTE]

You'll have to have them rebuilt to work properly with the a arms.

[wilkin250r]

The answers to all these questions really depend on what you want to DO, and your skill level.

If you are truly pushing your stock suspension beyond it's limit, then you really can't do it in stages, like get the front shocks first, otherwise you get a mis-match. If your front is better, but your rear shock is still bucking you over the handlebars, this still doesn't allow you to go any faster.

Now, if your goal is just a softer ride, then you CAN do things in stages, as long as you don't push your suspension so hard that the mis-match really comes out and causes problems. But if you aren't pushing your suspension very hard, then why are you upgrading?

Doing things in stages can cost quite a bit more money in the long run. Let's consider bargain shocks at $500 for the front set. Then you get yourself a set of $400 extended a-arms, and you have to spend $250 getting your shocks rebuilt to match the a-arms. You can save $250 by buying the shocks and a-arms as a set.

So what's the point of all this? It really is best to upgrade your entire suspension as a set. If you're trying to do it in stages, I really can't give you a satisfactory answer as to where you should start. I suppose it would be the rear shock, because that's the one that will buck you over the handlebars and really creates a danger issue, although I think most people start with the front shocks.

[PHIL_B54]

thank you all for the input

how do you know if you are pushing the stock suspension?

i have had the rear buck and about put me over the bars a couple times. if puting fronts only on is going to make it worse in any way....i do not want to do it in stages. maybe i do not need to do anything.

[Tommy 17]

i ran SSD front with a stk rear and i was fine... not bad at buckin at all... it did a lil but it was a controlable buck...


u'll know ur pushin ur stk suspension when you are thinkin in ur mind... i know i can hit this faster but its just 2 ruff... or when ur jumpin to the point u bottom the shocks constantly... or when ur all over a trail because ur hitting bumps and its not soakin them up anymore... its just 2 much for the stk... its hard to explain...

[foleyit]

I ride my share of trails and a lot of sand dunes. Well granted ideally you probably don't want to do things in stages because they cost more. Unlike you I didn't ask or do the research first. But I know that I wasn't going to be buying a-arms anytime soon. I had done the fronts first with a pair of Works with Triple Rate rezzies and left the rear alone. Also, I have a lot of friends that we're telling me that Works fronts will make a big difference. As far as pushing your suspension. You probably ridden your quad enough times to know when your suspension is bottoming out or when you as a rider knows that you could something hard but can't because the quad doesn't handle appropriately.

[Nausty]

shocks are one of the best modifications imo. I would suggest w/ going w/ a good shock right from the beginning that way you won't have to upgrade again. They are worth the price anyways.


Go w/ fronts first and then rear, getting your stock shocks rebuilt is a waste of money imo.