Elka MacDaddy Set-up - 400ex

[ajr400ex]

Anyone else have the rear shock conversion for the 400ex from Elka. I am running triple rate comp. adj. front with the rear conversion for XC racing.

Front setup is about 1" of thread showing on the preload, 4 clicks up from full soft on compression adjust

Rear setup:
Matched ride height with the front. Have tried comp. and rebound all the way soft to about the mid point of adjustment.

The rear end "kicks" or "bucks" up when I hit bumps at high speed - long straight with a few small whoops for example. It was not as bad with the stock shock (might just be going faster). I would really hate to go over the bars at 50-60mph. Any input on setup?

Second thought is to sell the conversion and get the Elka rear to match the fronts. Any thoughts?

[cdalejef]

Slow down the rebound!

[ajr400ex]

I have had the rebound at the slowest setting and have been slowly increasing it. I am at about the mid point right now. Could the main spring rate be a factor in this?

[cdalejef]

Originally posted by ajr400ex
I have had the rebound at the slowest setting and have been slowly increasing it. I am at about the mid point right now. Could the main spring rate be a factor in this? :confused: you mean you had it on full hard (slow)?

Rear setup: Matched ride height with the front. Have tried comp. and rebound all the way soft to about the mid point of adjustment.

I am not a suspension guru or anything, but you may want to set up your rear suspension by sag amount or ratio rather than matching the front. This will give you more controll over your settings.

I usually mess up the url's but try the following links to some suspension set up pages and read them a few times.

http://mx-tech.com/

Custom Axis (http://www.customaxisshocks.com/technical%20manual.htm)

http://www.extremegarage.com/techtips/stechtip.htm

This stuff is a lot of trial and error and hopefully over time you get the hang of it or at least the basics. I had always set up everything by feel and since getting into the quads have found out a lot of info because these things are real tough to get to ride "plush" compared to the bikes. It can be frustrating so have patience.


I have had the rebound at the slowest setting and have been slowly increasing it. I think by the first post he means lowest.

[ajr400ex]

When I said slowest I am referring to the rebound setting slow=soft. Rebound dampening controls the rate of rebound.

[ajr400ex]

When I said slowest I am referring to the rebound setting slow=soft. Rebound dampening controls the rate of rebound.

[monkeynuts]

hey i'm having the same problem with my elka rebuild on my 250R! anyone have any more good fedback??????????????

[cdalejef]

Originally posted by ajr400ex
When I said slowest I am referring to the rebound setting slow=soft. Rebound dampening controls the rate of rebound. You went the wrong way!!! Slow rebound = hard!

[monkeynuts]

ok, one more time to clarify this for me. if my rear end comes shooting back up like it's gonna tumble over the front wheels, i adjust the rebound, correct? i turn it to harder (slower rebound), is this correct?

thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cdalejef]

Thats correct!:cool:

[ajr400ex]

I started off with the slowest setting and am gradually increasing it. Elka's input was they thought the shock was packing up from rebounding to slow and said to increase the rebound speed. It is pretty easy to tell that it was on the slowest setting. Sounds like there is no "easy" fix and it will take some time to work through it. Overall handling is alot better - just trying to tune out this one issue. It may just be a limitation of the stock shock with the SSD setup. I know the main spring is stiffer and thought this may be contributing as well as the crossover point from the SSD spring to the main spring.

Thanks for all the great replys! The Custom Axis manual has alot of good info in it.

AJR400 go check out those suspension tech info sites. they may help you.

If you over adjust it can be worse than what your trying to correct for.

[CBRSLIDER]

I'm having the same problem with the rear end kicking me in the butt. I haven't messed with the setting yet. Gonna have to check it out. I've almost lost it a few times in the rough stuff due to the rear kicking up and to one side or the other. Think that they call that swapping.?

Ray

[rowlrag]

when adjusting rebound or comp adjusters ALWAYS if your not sure where they are, turn them all the way in (clockwise) while counting the clicks (so you know where you started at). All the way in on compression ( the adjustment on top of shock) is full hard, all the way out is full soft.

I like to call rebound fast or slow terms.
Rebound, (the one on the bottom of shock) all the way in (clockwise) is slowest rebound all the way out rebouns fastest, on the shocks like Elkas the rear shock rebound knob is the same principle there just made differently, if you laid on your back with the quad on top of you, you would turn this knob the same way, clockwise=slow rebound, counter clockwise= fast rebound.
Hope this helps dont ever be afraid to "screw" on your shocks!:devil

These adjusters are only a needle valve type, kinda like the needle and seat in your carb. They do not directly control the valving inside the shock on the piston, however, these 2 adj. control how fast or slow the oil in the shock gets to the valve stacks, while stoking.
Correct me if I'm wrong, just trying to explain in easier terms instead of the true science thx.:blah

[airheadedduner]

Originally posted by CBRSLIDER
I'm having the same problem with the rear end kicking me in the butt. I haven't messed with the setting yet. Gonna have to check it out. I've almost lost it a few times in the rough stuff due to the rear kicking up and to one side or the other. Think that they call that swapping.?

Ray

Your rebound is also too quick. When ever I ride someones ex that is between teh first year all through 00's I always got to firm up the rebound. Swapping refers to when the rear want to "swap" ends with the front while going over whoops are other ruff terrain. Ride any stock yamaha over rough whoops and you will imediatly get the point.

[quadman21]

You guys got me confused now. Don't you want a "fast rebound?" In theory, wouldn't you want the shock to rebound a liitle fast so that it pushes the wheels back to the ground for traction? Somebody school me.

Grrrrrrrrrrr... I had made a long post and the damn thing was lost again, so heres the short version.


quadman21 You guys got me confused now. Don't you want a "fast rebound?" In theory, wouldn't you want the shock to rebound a liitle fast so that it pushes the wheels back to the ground for traction? Somebody school me.

No. not unless you like riding a bull at the rodeo.

If you want to how your suspension should work go turn on one of the 250 open MX (two wheeler) races. You want your quad to work like carmichaels 250. And when you get it do do that, come on down and set up mine too.

NO BS this stuff is a pain and you will never be done setting up your suspension, unless you dont know any better.