Making Mods any advice on the installs?

[tedwilley]

Okay, I've been reading all of the good (and bad and misplaced) advice here since before I bought my 250ex two months ago.
Here is what is getting put on over the next ten days, if I can stop riding long enough!

300ex rear shock - hope it will ride smoother

300ex Front shocks - ditto, am going to plan this out a little first
$165 for all 3 shocks on Ebay

HMF full exhaust - loose the lawn mower sound and better breathing $250 on Ebay

Moose power up kit - to complement the exhaust (filters, jets)
$50 on Ebay

Big Gun CDI - small rev increase, but better ignition curve, I hope $99 on Ebay

Following these installs, I'm putting 20x11-9 rear tires (Maxxis, Kendas or Holeshots, can't decide)

I'm also planning on Amstar +2 a-arms with a diamondj shock adapter to adjust my my angles
And +2.5 rear spacers, then I'm finished, at least for this season!

I'm mostly riding at off road parks, and some trails, rarely ride any mx tracks unless they are empty. I am an older guy so I don't want to embarrass myself!


Any one have any good installation tips or advice?

BTW I have always done my own vehicle mods (BMWs, other sportcars) and have almost every hand tool required, just no welder or machining tools.

[klutchbuster250]

everything sounds good exept the dimond jwidening kit since ur geting a arms and im guesing +2 a arms u can adjust the camber on the a arms itself the widening will just widen it and its no good if ur already getting a arms and the 300ex shocks DO NOT FIT THE FRONT OF A 250EX ONLY THE REAR and teh rev box will also increase top speed by a lil and since ur geting 20 inch tires instead of 22 u wil need it i know by experiance my 250 tops out at 50 with 20inch razer but with 22 it sops out at 54-56 but with the rev box ur looking abou tclose to stock speed with smaller tires and i sugest kendas best tires mad and cheapest and last forever if u street ride alot

[tedwilley]

Just to clarify, I was referring to diamondj's shock adapters only, not the whole widening kit. This is only an option if I need to lower the front back down to stock, as the 300ex schocks are slightly longer. I am hoping to use the spring preload adjustment to find a ride height I can live without losing the benefits of the new shocks.

The issue with the fitment of the 300ex front shocks (according to all I have read here and on another active forum) is that the bottom bushing of the 300ex shock is wider than the 250ex shock mount on the spindle. I have verified this. The top bushing fits. The bottom is thicker than the mounts. It is possible to machine .010-0.15 total off of the shock bushing (evenly per side of course). The alternative is to splay the spindle shock brackets and force the shock bushing in. Not a good idea.

Your comment about tire size and gearing is what I had figured, but the rev box should compensate as you stated.
I am hoping by going to the 20's I would definitively get rid of the stock 250's tendency to lift its inside rear wheel during slides.
I find hanging my old butt clear out onto the inside fender too demeaning!
Thanks for the feedback!

[klutchbuster250]

o kool let me know how the 300 shocks work on the front and that would be better than spending 300 or 500 on shocks and yea with teh 20 the inside tire stays planted nicely have fun let me know how it turns out:)

[BlasterEaten250]

The only thing I would say is that if you are not an aggressive rider and under 150 pounds or so, I would look for options other than the 300ex rear shock. I am about 165 and am very aggressive, and it works great for me, but it might be on a little bit of the stiff side if you dont ride as hard. Now my dad is around 200, (he doesn't ride hard at all) and he also says the shock is great.

Between the tires, I would say the Kenda Klaws, I have razr's and my dad and brother both have klaws on their 400's, and I have to admit the klaws seem a bit better.

Good luck and by the way, what year is your 250?

[mx825]

will a 300ex shock fit on the back without drilling and washers and crap?

[tedwilley]

Width wise at the bushings, the 300ex will fit. You need to add two flat washers on either side at the top mount. The shock should not have more play than it needs to pivot.
The bottom mount looks about right, and according to other posts, it will fit without washers. However, the bottom bushing requires a 12mm bolt. Stock is 10mm, so yes you have to drill out the stock mounting holes on the bottom, and use a shoulder bolt (one with threads only on the end, not where it goes through the shock bushing) and a lock washer and nut to secure the new shock. Locktite is a given.
When I actually mount the shocks, I'll post what sizes and such, gotta go to Hollister and ride!

[Conman007]

I want to see pictures when your done.

[mx825]

same here dude, i want to see it when you're done.

[tedwilley]

Well, now I have an electrical problem. Won't start or even light the neutral light. Didn't see anything obvious, and it ruined my day at Hollister Hills. I chose to drink some beer and look at it tomorrow.
After it is running I'll start the mods. As I mentioned previously, my past practices for modding any vehicle is to do it in stages and benchmark what each change is doing and sort out any issue before adding another variable. If you don't change everything at one time and then have some issues, it makes it easier to diagnose,
'What was the last thing I did before it quick running?' is my motto.
I plan to do the rear shock first, then have a quick ride, I have a couple of rocky/rough areas I can go to after work. After I see how that feels and effect handling, I'll get started on the fronts.
I should be getting my HMF/filters/jets between the rear shock install and doing the fronts. It will hard to resist adding those on and testing the ex!

BlasterEaten250 - It is a 2007, I am 5-11 ~200#. The stock suspension beats me up on most trail rides.

[mx825]

yeah, the stock suspension sucks. I need to do something with mine. let me know how the 300 shocks work.

[tedwilley]

Well, no progress on the shocks yet. But I got my HMF today, and installed in thirty mins.
I am going to jet it and install the K&N tonight. Test it tomorrow.
The Big Gun CDI is supposed to be here Monday.
I am still trying to plan out what to do on the front shocks, I can't find any 12mm bolts either.
I will do some before and after pics while I am installing the shocks.
'Film at Eleven'

[tedwilley]

I tested the new jetting with the HMF today.
OMG its like a new quad!
I can definitely feel the increase in torque low to mid band. I am also still on the power band in 2nd and 3rd when I hit the rev limiter. Don't use first very often after getting rolling.
I don't mind the exhaust volume at all, but it is louder than most of the other aftermarket exhausts that I have heard.
Jetting:
Needle clip - 4th position from the top
Main jet - 104 (probably going to 108-110)
Fuel screw - 2-1/2 turns out
Airbox lid off w/K&N and outerwear
Today I was at about 200' above sea level, most of my riding is between 200-3000' feet. I plan to put the lid on if it leans out
~3000 feet.
I was able to break the rear loose at almost any speed, and I had to feather the throttle climbing hills to maintain traction. Nice problem to have!
I sent a message to a machinist friend re: machining the 300ex front shock bottom eyes and bushing, haven't heard back yet.
If this is not economically viable (>$50-75 job) I'll probably look into the shock conversion from diamondj. It looks like the top mount for this kit can be adjusted in width to fit the BOTTOM of the 300ex shocks, mounting them upside down-NBD
BTW, I haven't compared the 250 and 300 front shock length off the quad, but it looks like the 300 shock is going to be at least 2" longer, another reason to consider the shock conversion kit as it has about 4 height settings.

[hillclimbingrec]

Sir.

I put 300ex front and rear shocks on my recon.But the top shock mount ( on the frame) was too small so i had to bend it out a hair. Plus it was a VERY tight fit with the 300ex shocks. they made my a-arms go down Very far. But the ride comfort and handling was WAY worth it. i put the rear on and i LOVED it! i went 5 foot with out bottoming out.. heck i didnt even come close to bottoming out! BUT i warn you know. ALL shocks where on there lowest compression settings and at slow speeds it was a VERY rough ride. But i would ussualy be 3-4 pinned threw the trails and creek beds. this is where the shocks work the best. they soaked the bumps right up. The shocks also made my recon sit up a little higher too.

IMO i think +2 a-arms and 300ex socks wuld be PERFECT! just the right amout of leverage, and travel. Also. the front shocks gave me 13 inches of travel in the front! ( yes, i made a sport quad out of my recon!lol) here are some pics before my blaster



300ex rear

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/recon_02/IMG_0008.jpg

( ouch ) i seemed to have Misplaced the front shock pic. But in these action shots you can Kinda see the fronts.Sorry

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/recon_02/IMG_0011-1.jpg


NacNac
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/recon_02/IMG_0040-1.jpg


No footer( tried to do a superman! didnt work out too well lol)
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/recon_02/IMG_0041.jpg


and a roost just for **** and giggles

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/recon_02/IMG_0018-1.jpg

sorry for braggin on my self. if you have ANY questions ask!

[tedwilley]

Thanks hillclimbingrec, nice pics.
I' not as concerned with slow speed roughness, we have a lot of rocky trails here in Central Cal, and I just get beat up when trying to motor thru at any speed. I'm hoping, as you pointed out, that when I get around to widening the front, the extra leverage should really enhance the suspension upgrade.
I'm finishing up on rejetting after adding K&N/Outerwear intake and HMF full exhaust.
Next I will try out my Big Gun rev box/CDI.
Then it's on to the suspension!

[BlasterEaten250]

Originally posted by hillclimbingrec
Also. the front shocks gave me 13 inches of travel in the front! ( yes, i made a sport quad out of my recon!lol)
A lot of pro-level 450's arent even that much, so I don't know about 13 inches lol

[tedwilley]

Okay. Here's where I ended up with the jets...
I was getting more than the occasional back fire on deceleration, so I went up to 108, and finally 112.
It seems to be running a lot better, no difference in power between the different jets.
The Big Gun CDI/Revbox is on, it does seem to have an easier cold start. But, heck it's 70 F so how cold a start could that be?
I am taking a run to Hollister Hills, about 250-3000 feet I believe.
Lots of one way trails and big elevation changes.
I am going to bring my stock CDI and change back and forth a couple of times to see if there is truly a performance difference other than the extra 1500RPM.
BTW, anyone who is reluctant to try jetting, it's pretty darn easy.
Not as easy as a Webber side draft, but easy.
You need a clean well lighted area. If your water heater is in your garage, I suggest the driveway, as you will spill about 4-5 tablespoons of gas during this job.
Tools:
10mm combo wrench
00 Phillips screw driver
1/4 flat screw driver
Diagonal pliers to pull the body clips out (carefully there are soft!)
Needle nose pliers for the hose clamps
Follow Ryan's instructions in the 250ex Performance FAQ thread!
The first jetting took about 45 minutes, the last two times about 25 minutes start to finish.
The Big Gun takes about ten minutes tops.

[07250ex]

i belive eye to eye shock length on the 300ex shocks is less than eye to eye on the 250ex's

[tedwilley]

I don't know for sure as I haven't taken off the stock fronts to compare lengths, but I have read the 300ex rear is shorter.

[tedwilley]

Revbox report...
I started out yesterday with the Big Gun revbox installed. I had to return to my truck after about twenty minutes. The engine was missing, and as it turns out it was running rich, starting to bog out.
I switched back to the stock CDI, and everything was cool again. Later I switched back to the Big Gun and rode for about an hour. Still occasionally missing and some bogging.
I did notice the difference in the rev limit. The BG allowed me to stay in 2nd and 3rd longer on some technical trail sections. I liked that part.
I am going to try and contact Big Gun this week to find out if the revbox is supposed to include ignition remapping or advance timing. My feeling at this point is that the revbox timing is worse than the 07 stock unit.
I could have adjusted my needle clip yesterday to try and make the revbox run better, but I was too lazy.
I spent the majority of the day with the stock CDI.
I previously read about some of the revboxes changing the timing from stock (procom was one of them). I just assumed that the Big Gun would as well, but it may only change the rev limit.

[tedwilley]

Rev box update:
Been too busy to work on the quad or even ride for the last three weeks.
Okay, I changed my needle clip and main to run leaner with the Big Gun rev box. It just doesn't run right after a while, still running rich or possibly the box has a thermal problem when it gets hot??
I talked to Big Gun and they said the ignition curve is slightly advanced from stock which should not make it run richer than the stock CDI. They are willing to replace my box for shipping and handling, a fair deal. They do not test any returned boxes, so they won't know what the problem was if the replacement box runs correctly.
I really like the rev increase. With my original jetting (clip on 4, 112 main), without the box, I had a lot of low end and smooth throttle response.
With the box (clip on three, 106 main) it had better shift points but bogged and missed terribly.
If the issue is just the Big Gun's ignition curve, I will definitely try another brand to get the rev increase.

[tedwilley]

Suspension update:
Okay, I bought a rear 300ex shock and what were supposed to be two 300ex front shocks off different sellers on Ebay.
The 300ex fronts turned out to be off a 400ex; I already have two 400ex fronts that I previously got on Ebay. Now I have four!
I tried to come up with work arounds to mount the 400ex fronts, but even with a shock conversion kit they are just too long for the 250ex front end geometry.
I have been considering the 400ex front in the rear, but have read several posts warning about using any front shocks in the rear.
Has any one using a front shock in the rear of the 250 experienced any shock failures or issues?

Now, let the negative comments pour forth:
I bought the Diamond J front end kit, it uses the 400ex shocks, +3 each side. I also put on their rear wheels spacers +2 1/2 each side.
I hope to get in some test riding this weekend with the new suspension.

[ALEXANDERJASON]

I HAVE THAT AMR STAGE 2 (OR 3?? I FORGET) REV BOX, AND LIKE YOU I NOTICED AN IMMEDIATE DIFFERENCE IN COLD STARTING (SAME 70 DEGREES). IT ALSO SEEMED TO IDLE BETTER. I SWITCHED BACK AND FORTH FROM AMR TO STOCK AND ASIDE FROM THE EASIER STARTING AND HIGHER REV LIMITS, I DIDN'T REALLY NOTICE ANY "POWER" GAINS. THE OTHER PLUS WAS THAT I COULD START IT IN ANY GEAR. THE NEUTRAL LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME, BUT IT WASN'T A BIG DEAL FOR ME. I DECEIDED TO KEEP IT ON, ESPECIALLY SINCE I GOT IT FOR A STEAL AT $50.

[tedwilley]

I love the DJ front end! NO bump steer, and the front really stays planted. It goes where I point it. :D
The 400ex shocks are a big improvement for rough trails and landings are more solid feeling.
The 19" Holeshots are great, traction and stopping much improved. I used to ride the mx course two or three laps at a time, because the stock suspension and tires did not inspire any confidence. Yesterday I stayed on 12 - 15 laps at a time.
The smaller rears will require that I get the issue with my rev box resolved, however. All my shift points are way lower. I used to spend a lot of time in second and third (with no rev box), now I'm mostly in third and fourth. And flat out I keep looking for sixth gear. I would not recommend 19s without a rev box, it's just too low. But the smaller tires did give me a small torque boost and should work perfect with a rev box.
As far as the rear shock, it's still stock. I share this quad with my son. He's about 100 lbs, I'm twice that. So, I am reluctant to go with the 300ex rear, which would probably work for me, but be too stiff for him. He will inherit this quad when I buy a larger one.
I am still considering the Raptor rear, since it has more adjustment.