Shocks???

[ATKnewbie]

My son has been riding his new Unison 90 around the neighborhood and some open fields all summer, but this past weekend we hit some real trails with jumps, etc...

I have to say that it held up pretty well.
We found that the plastic is a bit week and needs to be reinforced in a few places.

The biggest thing was the front shocks, they need to be replaced.
They are just dangerous when jumping.

I need to buy some new shocks, the question is what brand?

My son is not a hard core rider that is racing every weekend, we ride trails and jump some every other weekend.

What is everyone else out there running and any recommendations?

[Pappy]

id say standard Works shocks if budget is a concern.

[Evana13]

Or hit up www.Hetrickracing.com. :D

[ATKnewbie]

Budget is always a concern, but at the same time I want the right equipment for him not the least expensive.

I do not know anyone locally that even has a kids atv to know the difference between the quality of the Elkas versus Works.

[Evana13]

It is a night and day diffirence between Elka and works Elkas are soooooooooooooooooo much better. If you plan on adding aftermarket arms you have to get elkas your kids will be so much happier

[ATKnewbie]

Will the stock length shocks work with aftermarket arms?

My plan was to simply purchase shocks for now and wheel spacers, but do not want to rule out new arms for the future.

[Pappy]

Originally posted by Evana4x
It is a night and day diffirence between Elka and works Elkas are soooooooooooooooooo much better. If you plan on adding aftermarket arms you have to get elkas your kids will be so much happier

please stop spouting brand versus brand when it comes to these shocks, works or elkas will feel identical on these small machines. we have run both, have you?



ATK, you wont go wrong with either, if i felt works elka were superior for the application id have suggested them hands down. save yourself some cash and buy standard works for your application or at the most elkas with out ressys.

you can have the shocks revalved later on if you add wider arms.

[Evana13]

Yes my son has ridden both works and elkas.He thinks Elkas are sooooooooooooooooooooo much better than works. But we are all entitled to our own opinions.:D

[Pappy]

just dont wanna see another parent steered towards a product that they dont need. not to down elka in any way, but out of the box the works preformed as well as the elkas at a decent enough savings to warrant comment.

i geuss it also depends on how big your kid goes to form a true opinion over which does better at racing or trail riding:scary:

[AtvMxRider]

Originally posted by ATKnewbie
Will the stock length shocks work with aftermarket arms?




Yes, the shock mount is in the same place

[Evana13]

it depends on what type of arms you have

[212racing]

we started out with stock a-arms, 1 1/2 wheel spacers,and +2
works, trail ride was 100% improved, and had 0 problems on the
mx track. the good thing with this set-up, you can re-sell spacers
and shocks and not lose much on your investment, if you decide
to upgrade later. imo unless full boogied racing standard works
have no problem on the trail or track and the savings are worth it.

[MOD 50cc DAD]

For trail use, the works shocks IMO will be fine with the stock A-Arms. Be willing to spend some time with works performance to get them working the way you want. Many who buy the works shocks simply bolt them on and thats it. Sometimes that works out fine. But, in my experience with works shocks you can get them to function better once they have been mounted on the quad and tested. If they aren't performing the way you want send them back for adjustment, but know what to ask for!;)

The best shocks I have used on a mini is PEP, then Elka, and then works. Pricing is pretty much in the same order. Sometimes it's better to spend more upfront for your set up rather than going thru three intermediate stages of not being satisfied.

Good Luck!

[ATKnewbie]

Any chance anyone has upgraded to a new full front end and have a set of shocks and/or wheel spacers they would like to sell?

[QuadJunkies]

Originally posted by Pappy
just dont wanna see another parent steered towards a product that they dont need. not to down elka in any way, but out of the box the works preformed as well as the elkas at a decent enough savings to warrant comment.

i geuss it also depends on how big your kid goes to form a true opinion over which does better at racing or trail riding:scary: I agree 100% in fact, Ive seen the Works vs Elka and felt the Works were better suited in our minis .. We will cont. buying the Works shocks for our minis, they have been a GREAT shock :)
Atknewbie, for your application Im SURE the Works will be more than enough of what you need ;)

[Hoggr9]

We've ran Works for several years and have no complaints.
Big improvement over stock and ALOT less than Elka.
We have several friends that race hard on Works with no problems. I would also have to say say some$$ and do the Works.

[dj250r]

we have been useing Works for 2 years just get them rebuilt every 6months
it was about 500.00 for all three
my son started complaning cause he seen some of the other kids with elkas so i swaped out his work with stock ones and didnt tell him

he likes his works now
its a great shock for trail and racing but its not the best
Dwayne

[212racing]

dan-o still uses works

[qwadfather]

There ain't much if any savings in Works over Elkas anymore. Example MSRP on basic Works rear $259, Elka $215. Elka fronts are about the same as works. And yes we run them both. And win on them both. And Elka is twice the shock. Get the Elkas. Valved right initially they are the only ones of the bunch that are forgiving enough to use on stock a-arms then convert to longer a-arms. The others will need to be re-valved and re-sprung to be effective in such a transition. Costs extra money to service these things. No spacers on front! The bump-steer becomes very hard to manage. Wider yes, safer no! Hope I helped a little. I feel the stones coming, ouch! Ride safe, Ed and Lucky 7.

[Pappy]

the elka's have dropped in price somewhat, so thats a bonus. when we first bought shocks the works were almost $100 cheaper.

[QuadJunkies]

I know the shocks we wanted from Elka were almost 600.00 more than our works was :huh

[Evana13]

It all depends on what kind of elka's you get if you get the ones with rezzie's than it will be a lot more but standard is not that much diffirent.

[hetrick425ex]

most of the time michele sells the elkas for just about the same price as the "compareable" works shocks.

i believe you will find a better suspension system with the elka as well.

[AtvMxRider]

Originally posted by hetrick425ex
most of the time michele sells the elkas for just about the same price as the "compareable" works shocks.




Yep she does.:macho

[ATKnewbie]

Who is Michele?

[AtvMxRider]

Originally posted by ATKnewbie
Who is Michele?


Michele Hetrick She knows more about mini atvs then most people

[hetrick425ex]

Michele & Rich Hetrick, my aunt and uncle, own Hetrick Racing, ATV Performance Shop...
:) sometimes i just assume....
sorry...

[AtvMxRider]

Originally posted by hetrick425ex
Michele & Rich Hetrick, my aunt and uncle, own Hetrick Racing, ATV Performance Shop...
:) sometimes i just assume....
sorry...


I wasn't implying that you didn't know anything Casey. Sorry if it sounded that way

[Evana13]

You are one lucky guy to be related to Rich and Michele.
Originally posted by hetrick425ex
Michele & Rich Hetrick, my aunt and uncle, own Hetrick Racing, ATV Performance Shop...
:) sometimes i just assume....
sorry...

[MOD 50cc DAD]

I have a set of works black widow long travel shocks for your race Honda f-sale. I'll post in the classified.

[hetrick425ex]

haha no, not at all... i didnt think that @ all!

i completely agree.

Michele is extremely knowledgeable, it is very humorous to listen to customers that will not give her the time of day purely because she is a female
or....
they will ask her the question, meanwhile i will hear her answer because i am sitting right beside her... they will ask to talk to me, ask me the same question and i will give them the same exact answer, word for word :) we have fun...

[ATKnewbie]

hetrick425ex, my son's Unison 90 is currently completely stock.
We are looking at shocks and possibly longer arms.
Do your +2 arms use stock length shocks or do they require longer shocks?

[hetrick425ex]

Originally posted by ATKnewbie
hetrick425ex, my son's Unison 90 is currently completely stock.
We are looking at shocks and possibly longer arms.
Do your +2 arms use stock length shocks or do they require longer shocks?

That is a huge misconception but understandably so, with all the "hee-haw" hype with "long-travel" and such...

To answer your question, our +2 a-arms, or +3 for that matter will "work" with stock shocks. "Work" being defined as being able to be bolted-on. From bolt hole to bolt hole they will be extremely close/exactly the same length, the additional width per arm is added on the outside of the shock mount on the arm. This set-up was common a few years ago when in most youth classes, extended a-arms were allowed but not aftermarket shocks. This was not a very good set-up because of the added leverage of the extended a-arm. With that said, most suspension companies have complete spec sheets of how our, and many other companies, a-arms will change the dynamics of the COMPLETE suspension system and can compensate for the added leverage as well as valve/tweak the suspension system to incorporate specific rider/riding conditions, bringing out the true potential of the ride in my opinion. To elaborate, the travel and performance of the front end has a direct, “equal and/or opposite reaction” (haha) on the rear as well and visa-versa. I could go on and on but to sum it up…

Stock shocks will mount up to our extended a-arms but because of the added leverage of the extended arm, they will not perform to your, or our, expectations.

:)

[hetrick425ex]

THIS... is why i get upset when customers reply to my estimated suspension wait with, "well, __________ says they have shocks in stock for me!!!" Wow, that is an enormous overhead... Shocks, in stock for riders from 35lbs up to 180lbs in 5 lbs increments. Now divide that up into motocross valveing, XC, TT, Sand, Desert, play, etc... Good luck with that :)

[ATKnewbie]

Shocks are the first thing I am purchasing...
The reason for my question was to know if I could purchase shocks first and then the arms later(as funds allow) knowing that the shocks will need to be revalved.

[AtvMxRider]

Casey I pm'd you about something. Thanks

[hetrick425ex]

hmm, neither would work well but i would say the most logical way to do it would be too get the shocks and then the a-arms... i wouldnt race that way or anything...

[ATKnewbie]

What do you mean by neither would work well.
I appologize for my ignorance, but I am new to the minis and want to make sure I do not waste money by purchasing something that I end up regretting.

[hetrick425ex]

stock aarms with shocks valved for extended aarms vs. extended aarms with stock shocks......

its a draw, they knocked each other out at the same time :)

IMO, neither is a good way to go because not only would your front end not work to its potentional but your rear would also be effected... some will say i am overexaggerating, those people apperently have never taken some of the calls i have :) Prevent further troubles with building your suspension system as just that,

A System.

[212racing]

its better to buy as a complete set. set-up for your riders size.
also what they will be used for,mx/trail/xc.
also how aggressive the rider is. the company setting up your
front end should ask you all this. if they don't keep going till you
find one that does.

[Quadtime]

I would get some MOTOWOZ shocks for the miniquad.
try www.atvshocks.com or you can buy then through www.quadcentralmotorsports.com These are the best miniquad shocks you can buy. I have them on a trx 90 with dual arm set up.

[Evana13]

I have never heard of or seen those shocks anywhere.

[AtvMxRider]

Originally posted by Evana13
I have never heard of or seen those shocks anywhere.


You can buy a new quad for the price of them too. I would say that they are not worth spending that kind of money for a mini:ermm:

[Quadtime]

It's not about money. Never was never will be. I would never in a million years put my kid on a UTM and let him race without proper hardware. Shocks are as important as safty gear. Bad shocks are just simply unsafe. If your not racing its a different thing. In the end you get what you pay for.

[AtvMxRider]

Originally posted by Quadtime
It's not about money. Never was never will be. I would never in a million years put my kid on a UTM and let him race without proper hardware. Shocks are as important as safty gear. Bad shocks are just simply unsafe. If your not racing its a different thing. In the end you get what you pay for.


And you are saying Elkas are not good enough? I just can't justify spending that much on shocks for a mini when 99% of the kids will not use them to there potential even when racing.

[Quadtime]

Dont put words in my mouth. Buy whatever you want. All I know is that I have re-bought many items as I was not educated when we first got into racing. Although I did buy some elkas for the trx 90 and I dont have then anymore. They were the bottom of the barrel wihout a res.CD or RD. So to be fair the elka nobodys are anygood set up like that. FYI to get elkas set up like the MOTOWOZ it would cost about the same. Then it becomes personal choice.

[ATKnewbie]

Well I think I have made up my mind as far as what shocks I am purchasing.
Now onto A-arms...
What is everyone else out there running as far as length? stock, +2, +3?
My son will be running trails, open fields and every once in a while a track, but not for competition.
Opinions?

[Evana13]

Originally posted by ATKnewbie
Well I think I have made up my mind as far as what shocks I am purchasing.
Now onto A-arms...
What is everyone else out there running as far as length? stock, +2, +3?
My son will be running trails, open fields and every once in a while a track, but not for competition.
Opinions?
I would go with +3 because he will not be going anywhere you can't go on your quad right.