amount of travel with LT arms and shocks

[zeke83]

Anyone know what the average inches of travel that the yfz can get with longtravel shocks and arms? Just want to compare with the new suzuki 450

[400exrider707]

Wheel travel is the same w/ long travel. Its the shock that gains more travel.

[R3Concepts]

Id say 10.50 to 11.50 inches is pretty common..Upwards of 12-12.5 if its a really well set-up T-Pin.

[zeke83]

Originally posted by 400exrider707
Wheel travel is the same w/ long travel. Its the shock that gains more travel.

THATS NOT TRUE

[400exrider707]

Well only if you put extended arms on I guess you would get a little more travel. Most people have this big misconception that long travel is going to make your wheel travel increase substantially when in reality its really only increasing shock travel to allow for more fine tune adjustment. Hey are you from NY by the way? ZEKE83 you race a YFZ right?

[Jersey450R]

Originally posted by zeke83
THATS NOT TRUE
YES IT IS
LT means your getting a longer shock with more valving capability. Maybe their might be a slight difference in travel, but maybe an inch if that, which we all know...an inch of travel dosent mean were not still gonna bottom. But it does make a difference over the little stuff. A longer shock has the opportunity to be valved where as standard is limited to a certain degree. We can get all into this but this is not the place, nor the thread. I've known of people who have their standard travel ste up so well, its like bread and butter over some of these ridiculous LT set ups.
LT = more $. Basically thats what it is.

[zeke83]

I do know that the shock is what they are refering to...its plain to see from the geometry. But it does increase the wheel travel. If it is an inch then that to me is still alot. ill lay it out in solidworks since i have so much time here at work lol.

Yeah 707 we have raced
#83 quad ex

[sampleez]

well....i was told by a suspension guy that the way i measured the frame travel isn't exactly right.....but it's still a good comparison if the different setups are measured the same way. with my standard travel setup(elka/houser) about 12.5 inches of travel. compared to about 10.5 with just my aarms. but i didn't measure it completely stock.

but i am pretty sure that the way i measured wheel travel is correct. i got 10" of wheel travel with shocks and aarms, compared to someone with a LT houser/elka setup that got 10.5 wheel travel and 12 & 5/8 frame travel(using same method as i did).

here's a link to the ways the travel was measured http://www.yfztech.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=2075

[BLACKeR]

LT = more $. Basically thats what it is.

thats pretty much right the only true "long travel" front end will be a T-pin spindle set up. the only real benifit to the long shock is its easier to set up, and stays cooler. a properly set up standard travel shock is just as good as the long travel shocks. long travel is basically just a good way for the builders to get another $2000 out of you. you can get more travel out of your rear end with the new linkages and such though. but fronts are esentially the same.

[TBD]

LT frontends have more travel because the designer builder chose for it to be that way. I can get the same travel from both style frontends.
Blacker is somewhat right that you can make both frontends work well. The main reason I designed and built "Long shock" a-arms is because that most of you believe there is this huge advantange and will only use the LS style arms. If the demand is there then build it. As far as the shock staying cooler, it doesn't. You may have more oil volume but you also have more shaft velocity which creates more energy which is then turned into heat. It pretty much balances out. If the shock builders would put as much time and testing into standard travel shocks you would be very surprised what you would come up with. I know our testing has proved that. The fact that you have a much wider range for error with "LS" shocks makes it much easier to valve them.