bottoming out

[400exrider99]

i went riding on friday at ki track in oregon IL. at the track i bottomed out a few time on the rear shock. i was wondering if there is a way to stiffen up the rear shock without making the ride uncomfortable.

[DEVINF450R]

ALL YOU CAN DO IS TURN UP THE COMPRESSION

[400exrider99]

is that just tightening the spring

[DEVINF450R]

nope. on you rezzie for the rear shock there is a screw at the top of the bottle. Look in you owner's manual. my 450r had it in there. there will be an arrow that says "H" at one end and an "S"
at the other. turn the screw a few clicks toward the H

[400exrider99]

ok thanks

[rooster300ex]

Does the 02 400ex have fully adjustable rear susp?

[exrider008]

Originally posted by rooster300ex
Does the 02 400ex have fully adjustable rear susp?

mine dosent:confused:

[rooster300ex]

Originally posted by exrider008
mine dosent:confused:


I think the never models with reverse have the fully adjustable rear shock.

so all you have is preload adjustment. compress the spring more maybe that will keep ya from bottoming out.

[DEVINF450R]

My brother's 04 does

[Tommy 17]

all 400exs 99 - 07 have preload, compression, and rebound from the factory on the rear shock only... front shocks are only pre load...

[400exMO]

Crank the compression up like the other guy said. Bottoming once or twice a lap is good, it means you're using your suspension to it's fullest potential.

But if you can't get it set near right, send the thing to C@D Racing. Have them make it dual rate with zps. Their special valve increases rear travel 1". I no longer bottom every jump.

[redexrider]

I adjusted my preload (spring) and it solved my bottoming problem... and YES all 400ex's have a fully adjustable rear shock. To those who think they don't you either don't have a stick shock, or you just haven't read up on where your screws are for adjustment. they can't be missed...

[rooster300ex]

Ya i knew the front shocks were pre-load only. Thats why i put a question mark on the end of what i wrote. I wasn't sure about the rear shock.

[400exrider99]

i went to ki track in IL at tightened the screw near the resivior all the way and i dont bottom out as much but i still do on the bigger jumps. if i tighten my spring up will i bottom out only on hard landing, because when i bottom out its only on big jumps and that just wears me out. what does the top screw do and what does the bottom screw do on the rear shock.

[krt400ex]

Originally posted by DEVINF450R
My brother's 04 does


ya, they r all fully adjustable

[CannondaleRider]

Are you landing hard on the gas?

The throttle is an huge part of the way your suspension works. If you land off the gas, the bike will want to bottom out. Landing on the gas will pick up your suspension, and keep it from bottoming out.

Landing on the gas allows you to run a softer shock setup, to let you ride through the small stuff longer, but still not bottom out on the big stuff.

And like someone else said, Bottoming a little per lap isn't a bad thing, it just means your using the suspension to its fullest potential. Bottoming HARD every jump is a bad thing.

[krt400ex]

Originally posted by 400exrider99
i went to ki track in IL at tightened the screw near the resivior all the way and i dont bottom out as much but i still do on the bigger jumps. if i tighten my spring up will i bottom out only on hard landing, because when i bottom out its only on big jumps and that just wears me out. what does the top screw do and what does the bottom screw do on the rear shock.


top screw is copression and the bottom screw is rebound, and yes it will hepl a little to stiffen up ur preload

[Colby@C&DRacing]

You can adjust all you want but if that is a stock rear shock that is over a year old and has never been serviced it will not perform very well because the fluid is worn out. Get the shock serviced and it will work much better.