TSC Shocks, Trying to set them up...

[JhallettEX]

I finally got some MX time on my new shocks. I am not completely happy with them yet. I know I have to get these dialed in for me but I really dont know how to do this. They are the TCS SCS shocks with remote rezzies, the rear is just the rebulit stocker. I just don't like the handleing of them yet, It seems like I just about bottom out of the smallest jumps and it doesnt handle to well through the whoop section, bounces all over. What do you think I should do, what exactly will happen when I turn the adjuster on the rezzies and also how do I set up the rear shock. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

[NJ300ex]

If i remember right you bought these used. Are they set up for you or for extended a arms? If not get them revalved for you and they will perform much better.

[JhallettEX]

They are all set up for me, 150 lbs +2 arms and MX.

[Lasher]

Three things could be wrong.

They are not valved correctly for your machine and weight.

They are not up to proper pressure, possibly leaking.

They are not adjusted properly.

I have TCS shocks and never bottomed them out. Even when I cased a few doubles. If you brought them used, I would send them out to be revavled and service, just to be safe. If you are from the North East, send them to REP in West Springfield MA, Tony is authorized by TCS and does a great job at a cheap price.

Now for the adjustements. I noticed in your picture that there are no threads showing at the top of the shock. Is the clip thing at the top of the spring all the way up? If so, that could be your problem. The higher the clip, the lower the ride height and softer the preload. The lower the clip, the taller the ride height and harder the preload. Try it in the middle and play with it there.

Another place could be the compression. On the cans themselves is a dial. On the dial should be arrows and directions as to which way is harder. Again start in the middle and fine tune from there. There is no rebound on the fronts, I believe.

As for the bouncing...get the bottoming all set then see how it is. One thing I found with the TCS, is the faster you go, the better they work. If you try and half *butt* it around the track, they will kill you. But open the machine up and they just keep on soaking up the bumps.

[400exRacerX]

Its bad if you have never bottomed your shocks before. This meens you aren't using all of your shocks travel. Its ok to bottom at a few points on the track.;)

[Lasher]

Yes, I know I am supposed to slightly bottom them out at the largest jump on the track.

But in my defense, I am still building up my jumping distance. Last year, I never got to practice during the season. And it is hard trying to practice jumping while on the track. I have come down very hard on the front wheels when I came up short on a double. They shocks soaked the landing up very well. I could feel the travel of the shocks as I was landing. Another thing, I need to adjust my ride height on the fronts a little lower, so that will soften the shocks some.

When I first got my shocks, I thought I had +1 arms, but they were actually stock length. So my TCS were set up wrong. Now they were stiff. I could tell by watching the videos of myself on the track that something was wrong. I got +2 arms and had them revalved correctly and it made a ton of difference. Now I am actually using a lot of travel. Could they be softened up some more? In my mind, I do not think so. Fine tune the adjustments, yes! And increase my distance in the jumps, most defiantly!

[JhallettEX]

Lasher......Lots of good info, Thanks. Think you could just come here and do it all for me? j/k !! Anyways man, think you could get a picture of your shocks so I can see how yours are exactly set up in regard to the threads you were talkin about? I would appreciate it. Thanks again.

Once you have determined you have the proper spring and valving for your weight a-arms stylye etc you need to dial in the fine tuning of the shock as well and this can change from track to track etc.

Check out the following link as it does have some good info on setting up the suspension on a bike. Just ignore the obvious two wheeler info like on the front forks etc.


http://mx-tech.com/core.asp


Good luck and have patience as it will be a ongoing thing to keep them set up right.

[krazykurtk]

Looking at your picture...unless you have it on a stand and your wheels are hanging....it looks as though you haven't set up your pre-load. From the picture it looks like you have your pre-load set so there isn't any sag at all. Your a-arms shouldn't be sitting as verticle as they are in the picture. Your sag (pre-load) on both shocks should be the first thing you set before playing with anything.

[JhallettEX]

Yes, In the picture the quad was on a stand, and also in the pic I had stock a-arms. I now have +2 and the shocks are set up for them.