450R front shocks have less travel than stock 400ex fronts

[pit/wood]

I am planning to use 450R fronts on a build I am working on.before I did I had to see if repositioning the lower shock mount would benifit me.I hung both sides on a bare frame clamped to my hoist.I then removed the springs from a 450R front and a 400ex front.After I installed each on the frame I measured total wheel travel and found that the 450R shock shortened the travel by at least 3/4".I will put up pics soon.I need to see where the 3/4" is coming from.

[pit/wood]

the R shock starts out 1/2" lower than stock,it has 6 1/8"travel at the balljoint.measured from the shock mount crossbrace.the stock shock has 7 1/4" of travel at the ball joint.

[pit/wood]

the R shock has a healthy snubber that looks awful long.it looks like you could cut a bit off it and perhaps gain the lost travel on the top end.But I dont think steve would like it if I cut up his shock snubber.If anyone has a trashed 450Rfront shock you should remove the spring and trim the snubber to see if the travel increases.then post back and let me know.I will make a few calls.

[zrpilot]

pit/wood,

thanks for the great analysis! I also run 450R shocks on my 400ex.

Knowing there is an issue with the R shocks and their travel, I sent mine to GT Thunder. Laz re-valved, re-sprung, and reduced the compressed length of the R shocks by 7/8".

Here is a quote from his web site:
"2. Compressed length – The compressed length of these shocks is too long to run a good sag setup. If you run a good sag setup, the shocks will bottom very easily while the frame is still several inches off the ground. We now have tooling in house to modify several shock components to let us shorten the compressed length and gain 7/8 inch shaft travel, giving us more options with this shock then previously thought possible. This modification is what makes this front shock setup unique from any others."

That should take care of the issues you mentioned?!

ZRpilot

[pit/wood]

thanks zrpilot,Iguess one of my calls should be to gt thunder.

[zrpilot]

Let us know what Laz says about your observations.

Zrpilot

[400exMO]

So are you planning on putting the 400ex springs on the R shock body? I would suggest calling eibach and seeing if they can send a spring with the right length. Call laz first and find out what he's found out. But def. keep us updated.

[F-16Guy]

To be totally fair with the 450R shock, I would measure the bump stop and add a temporary spacer to the 400ex shock. If you do that, let me know what measurements you get. I'd be curious to know; I have 450R shocks on my 400ex. As a side note, I did a "less than scientific" test with the travel. I jumped on the front bumper of my quad with the 450R shocks and my wife's stock quad, and the travel looked almost exactly the same. This probably wouldn't be appropriate for someone who races seriously, but I was just looking to make sure that there were no serious binding or over-extension problems (which there were not that I could tell).

[pit/wood]

my theory is that even thoght the R shock has less travel,it has the ability to dampin the movement in that amount of travel.I also believe that all that is required to increase the travel is to shorten the snubber.seems to me that whoever designed and built this shock would not have added an extra inch+/-,of shaft.all that is needed to confirm this is a shock that I can dissassemble.I have not made the measurement,but we already have 1/2" more travel past where the stock shock is fully extended.when I get into the shop this morning I am going to play around with the geometry a little(see if repositioning the lower mount will give me back the inch I lost on the top.If I can get it back then I will have increased the travel by about 5/8"I believe.a little more travel,but alot better shock.As far as swapping the springs,I dont think that is an option,but that is not carved in stone.