Adjusting rear shock

[yernkie]

Bike is a 01 400ex with stock shocks. Suspension is too soft, so I want to tighten it up. What do you use to adjust the rear shock? Some type of spanner wrench? Do you need to compress the coil first?

[400eXr1d3rZ]

kinda random but how much do you weigh?

i weight about 160+ and my shocks are hard as hell

[yernkie]

I weight around 175. The rear shock is too soft.

[-copyguy-]

spray the threads with wd-40 and clean up any of them that you can with a toothbrush. Then use a long brass drift or something like it to knock the top lock collars tension off of the lower adjustment collar. Adjust the lower one and then bring the top lock one back down to hold it in place. You don't need to compress the spring to do it, but the cleaner the threads are, the easier it will be.

I bought a spanner attachment to use when I did mine...what a piece of crap...ended up using the method I described above.

hope this helps.

[400eXr1d3rZ]

is theres any way to adjust the front shocks?

i dont have the money for suspension, if i cant adjust the fronts is there andthing else i can do to make them softer?

[-copyguy-]

Yeah, the front shocks have five position collars on them. Turning the collars so to the "shorter" stops will soften the front up some. When I picked my quad up the fronts were set up in position 3...I softened them up all the way and it made trail riding better.

[400eXr1d3rZ]

where do i adjust it at?

[-copyguy-]

here's a pic from the service manual. the smaller the 'bump' the softer the suspension. hope this makes sense.

[400exrider707]

OK adjusting the collar on the rear is mainly for setting ride height, not stiffening the shock up. It does stiffen it to a certain extent but will not give you the results your after. The stock 400ex rear has compression and rebound settings on it. Tighten the little brass screw on the top of the shock. That is your compression. Turning this in will stiffen the shock up. The fronts are pretty bad stock. They are only preload adjustable, which is the same thing as the collar on the rear, mainly meant for ride height, but it will stiffen it up slightly.

[-copyguy-]

yup. I posted the pic of the front because he started talking about fronts...450r fronts will pretty much bolt up to a 400 won't they as an alternative to aftermarket?

[400exrider707]

Originally posted by -copyguy-
yup. I posted the pic of the front because he started talking about fronts...450r fronts will pretty much bolt up to a 400 won't they as an alternative to aftermarket?

Yeah they will bolt up, is it a good idea though? Up to you. If your budget oriented and are not a serious racer, then sure go right ahead. If you hit a track on a regular basis, save your money and buy the right ones.;)

[-copyguy-]

nope, I'm a trail rider on a limited budget. I'll get tired of the stockers eventually. Then I'll either pickup some second hand peps or elkas...or go with the 450 shocks...who knows...for now I'll just ride it til it breaks :scary:

[yernkie]

400exrider707 -

I am not near my 400right now...is the brass screw to adjust it on the top? Can you get to it without having to remove the airbox? Stupid questions, I know, but I have not had a lot of time to work on my 400 lately...locked up the motor in my K5 and I have been trying to get it ready to go wheeling again. Thats one thing I love about Honda quads...run the piss outta em and they love it. Different story with wheeling built 4x4's :mad:

[400exrider707]

Originally posted by yernkie
400exrider707 -

I am not near my 400right now...is the brass screw to adjust it on the top? Can you get to it without having to remove the airbox? Stupid questions, I know, but I have not had a lot of time to work on my 400 lately...locked up the motor in my K5 and I have been trying to get it ready to go wheeling again. Thats one thing I love about Honda quads...run the piss outta em and they love it. Different story with wheeling built 4x4's :mad:

Nope should be able to adjust it with a long regular screw driver without removing a thing. It is at the top. There is also one at the bottom which is your rebound. That determines how fast the shock springs back from being compressed. If that is too low then your shock will not react fast enough to the terrain and your rear end will be bottoming out through rough terrain. Too high(fast) and it will be super bouncy

[yernkie]

Thanks, I will check it out and play with the adjustments. I need to do something because the rear suspension is way to soft...hard to keep control at high speeds (rear end breaks loose) on lose terrain and the front wants to come up on steep hillclimbs. Wheelies like no other, though. Any suggestions on where to start? I'll admit that I need a good lesson in the workings of shocks.

[400exrider707]

Originally posted by yernkie
Thanks, I will check it out and play with the adjustments. I need to do something because the rear suspension is way to soft...hard to keep control at high speeds (rear end breaks loose) on lose terrain and the front wants to come up on steep hillclimbs. Wheelies like no other, though. Any suggestions on where to start? I'll admit that I need a good lesson in the workings of shocks. \


Well lets start with what type of riding do you do?

[yernkie]

Tight trails with lots of hillclimbs, gravel and pavement cruising at night, and occasionally the dunes.

[400eXr1d3rZ]

i still dont understand, where do i put the screwdriver at?? is it easy to turn, or do i have to hit it with something?

[-copyguy-]

maybe this article will help you out.

http://www.quadmagazine.com/quad/features/article/0,24942,1172631,00.html

Also, here's a pic of the rear shock with labels...

[400eXr1d3rZ]

i dont understand how to adjust the front, where do i put the screw driver?

[yernkie]

You don't use a screwdriver on the front. Use a big channel lock pliers to adjust them. The adjustment is at the bottom. There are 5 or 6 settings. I just adjusted mine about an hour ago. Takes like 30 seconds.

[400eXr1d3rZ]

it took me 10 minutes just to get one of them!!!!

i got the left one but i CANNOT get the right one

tipssssss?

[-copyguy-]

clean it up and maybe spray a little WD40 on the area to lube it a little...

[400eXr1d3rZ]

well thats just the problem i cant get a grip.

[-copyguy-]

I used a pipe wrench on mine...just wrap it with a piece of leather or something so you don't gouge it all up...or just be careful when doing it.

[400eXr1d3rZ]

well i guess i wont be able to do it now, by dumb *** got it all scuffed up, i was trying to use cahnnle lock pliers but it obviosly doesnt work

[-copyguy-]

screw it...just go buy some PEPs or Elkas...when all else fails just throw money at it :D

[yernkie]

Stupid question, but are you sure you are doing everything right? I didn't clean mine up at all and the bike is 5 years old, but the channel locks worked like a champ. Are you putting the channel locks on the "nut" or on the smooth part?