Why are Works "So Bad"

[Rip_Tear]

I am planning to get TCS shocks, because I believe they make an awsome product and charge reasonably for it. But I want to know why/how Works shocks can be so badly talked about? I know their a lot better then stock, but is it that they don't set them up correctly, they are not made as well (manufacturing/materials)?

What is the deal? Any info about any company, I want real info, not they suck, I need/want to know why?

Thanks

[Jake250ex]

they arent that bad, they arent as precise and as good as materials as other brands.

works goes in gaps of 20lbs when valving, others go 5lbs
works has 1/2'' shafts, others are 5/8
works doesnt coat their spring, its just painted and will chip off
works have rubber internals and can blow out


you get what you pay for but works is still a nice improvement. i have them on my shee

[Rip_Tear]

I think all their new shafts are 5/8", but I didn't realise about the vavling thing. I can't see that a 20lbs difference would be enough to throw the difference, if you set up the shocks properly with the settings you would have...

Any more info guys/gals?

[scramblerracer]

jake250ex- nice avatar- I love bum fights!

[wolffie]

what Jake250ex said: you get what you pay for.
it depends on the main type of riding you do. We got a pair of Works Dual Rate for my brothers Raptor 350. Now i realize this is by no means a "race" machine, but i am pleased to say to they work very well for him (and me as well, when i goof around on it) they have preload ajustability and the option of adding rezzies. we payed $320 shipped and everything for em. i personally can flat land around 6-8ft of air without bottoming and i am 6ft 210lbs. obviousely if you start airing it out on bigger doubles, it will not perform as well. but, for my bro who is like 5'7" 160, they are perfect!

i have not used the more expensive triple rate shocks, or the higher end black widows, but according to Dirt WHeels (for what its worth) they say that the new G-Series Emulsion are right on par with the Elkas.

I dunno, it all depends on what you primarily do with your quad, and how much you are willing to spend. if you do occasionally jumping or your a duner, the Dual Rate Shocks arent bad.

For high performance MX and other forms of racing, Elka, TCS, and Pep are among the top guns! Fox isnt too bad either! i got the Podium Shocks on my Preddy!

[Rip_Tear]

What you are saying about getting what you pay for, I agree with. Except that Elka and in my opinion PEP and Axis, are all charging way to much for thier product. I was talking with a dealer friend, and he is trying to get a TCS source through Canada for me, he deals Elka but says they are way over charging, although you are getting an awsome product. TCS is offering an awsome product for much less, with the same "gaurentees".

[luvmyex]

i have had both. when i got the works i liked them alot. more travel and a much better ride. Then i got elkas.They were much heavier material and the ride is that much better again. The elkas dont even come close to bottoming out on the same jumps the works would.Even had them revalved by derisi later. which made them better but still nowhere near as good as the elkas i have now.Its all about what you can afford. I have a tcs rear that i just bought to go on the rebuild. i look foward to seeing the improvement there. hope i helped some:ermm:

works valving isnt exact, they use bad internal components compaired to others, they also dont have near the R&D the other brands do, plain and simple the works shock is a good replacement for just your every day riding, but once you get into the ressies on the works, etc, you might as well spend your money elsewhere, because if you dont you will regret it

[pudamac12]

simply put the technology they use is outdated. The valving is not as precise as mentioned before either

[NacsMXer]

Yeah, I agree with what everyone else is saying. A set of Works tripple rate steelers with the reservoirs was my first upgrade over my stock shocks. At first, I thought they were the best thing ever because they were a huge improvement over stock. Later in that year, I quickly found myself outriding the abilities of this shock on the MX track. Off every jump, they would land like a ton of bricks, basically they wore you out like none other.

The Works were a lot stiffer than my PEP's if you push down on the suspension, but it's the valving that counts. Switching to PEP's on the same MX track, I was landing jumps plushly with ease and turned much faster overall lap times. They are also much more forgiving than the Works if you mess up or flat land it.

So overall, Works is definitely a huge improvement over stock, but nothing to get excited about when looking into performance suspension. Good for the average trail/dune rider, but wouldn't recommend for serious competition of any kind..

[Tommy 17]

its all in the valving and the type of spring they use...

the works valving isn't nearly as good as say and elka or an axis...

plus a works shock don't have SSD or ZPS or any of the other zero preload type systems that lower ride height and make the ride better...

[#8red]

yeah - like he^^said - I just sold my works trip's w/ rezzies - they were a great ride - never bottomed out - and I'd never badmouth them -but the preload is what gets ya' - it keeps yer' ride ht. up like stock shocks do - and if yer' blazin corners on a track - a lower ride ht. makes all the difference - thats why elka,pep... are so much more popular w/ racers - the " zero preload" style -if yer' not a way competative racer - or just rec. & dune ride - works are a very nice upgrade

[300ex73]

I had a set of dual-rate Steelers with rezzies on my 300. They gave a smooth ride, but they bottomed out horribly. I tried to get them valved to be stiff from the factory, but I could still bottom them out off of like 3-4 feet of air. I even have pictures. And at 5' 9" and 160 pounds, I'm definitely not very big. I wouldn't put down anyone that uses Works, but I definitely can't say that after my experience with them, that I would recommend them to anyone.

[deathman53]

I have a works shock on my atc200x, is a improvement over the stock shock, the stock shock felt like a ton of bricks about halfway through travel, the works shock, goes slower through the travel and evenly, its a definate improvement. My big complaint is the valving is way off, I had they done for 200 lbs, but it feel more like they were done for 160 lbs. I only used works as they are the only ones will make a shock for most trikes. the elka shock I have on atc250r is much much much better than any works shock or stock. Elka said they would make the shock for a atc250r as it is so close to a trx250r and the only difference is the top mount is thicker.

[<DRS>GPF]

personally mine have been good.. i dont race, but i ride trails hard at times and i still like to jump..
never bottomed out and they feel great..

i suspect that many bought rec shocks and raced with them til they were trashed from bad landings etc.

althpugh i agree that you get what you pay for ...

but if you dont pay for the right parts, then theres no reason to blame the wrong parts for a bad decision..

[300ex73]

Originally posted by <DRS>GPF
i suspect that many bought rec shocks and raced with them til they were trashed from bad landings etc.



I never raced on mine. The worst thing mine ever saw was about 3-4 feet of air off a small jump that's in my yard, but they still bottomed-out bad. They would nearly bottom out from a wheelie. I had them valved and sprung for about a 190-200 pound rider, and considering I only weigh about 160, they should've been a little stiff. And they weren't used. I bought them brand new, directly from Works.

[<DRS>GPF]

Originally posted by 300ex73
I never raced on mine. The worst thing mine ever saw was about 3-4 feet of air off a small jump that's in my yard, but they still bottomed-out bad. They would nearly bottom out from a wheelie. I had them valved and sprung for about a 190-200 pound rider, and considering I only weigh about 160, they should've been a little stiff. And they weren't used. I bought them brand new, directly from Works.


well id have to agree.. "that blows"...

did you get your money back?

[300ex73]

I just ran them for a while, til I got some money saved up. Then I sold them, and ran stockers until my new Elkas and Burgard LT's came in.

[humblesquirel21]

i have had them for muiltple years on my recon and they are fine for it they dont "age" well paint chips and in my opinon they lose alot of performance i have a works rear on my 300 it has a ressie but nothing but preload adustment and i have elkas on the front the elkas blow me away the hard i push them and the more i adjust the better they perfor and the more i lvoe them but as for the works rear well it does the job i put it on and forgot about it 2ish years and its still the same as it ever was no more no less it does the job and no more i have my max jump hieght at like 7-9 feet and my max distance is 75 feet and it has never come close to bottoming but its alot more harsh than my fronts i allso hill climb and play on big mounds alot and it (with the preload adjustment adjusted to be stiff) holds the rear down


in short they do the job and no more for moderat to hard riding i dis like them as front shocks as a rear shock they are marginal not bad not good i would have if i had done it over again gone with aixis or elka (i absolutly love my elkas)