please explain shocks

[lilpoppy]

I'm thinking of making new shocks my first big upgrade but I am a little confused as to what some of the options are and weather or not I need them. I am leaning twards Elka front shocks but I don't know what the difference is between dual and tripple rate, Compression adjustable, Preload, etc. Also is there any difference between piggyback or remote ressies other than the setup because it seems a lot easier to go with piggyback. I don't plan on doing any racing or hitting huge jumps in fact i do most of my riding in pismo but I would like to keep my options open. I don't want to buy the most expensive models because I think it would be too much overkill but im not sure which would be the best for me. Thanks for any help.

[GT300]

Dual rate shocks have two springs on the shock. A big one for soft things and a smaller one for hard hits and jumps. A tripple rate shock has three springs. A big one for small bumps, a smaller one for bigger bumps, and a third spring for big bumps. It takes a lot more to compress three springs than it does to compress two springs. Rebound is how fast the shock "rebounds" after being compressed. And piggy back shocks have the shock oil resevoir attatched to the shock while remote rezzies have the oil resevoir hooked up to a line that is attatched to the quad. I don't know what compression and preload do but here is an example of an Elka piggy back tripple rate shock.

[Sparks425Ex]

Amount of Springs:

Dual=2 Springs
Triple =3 Springs

Rezzy:

PiggyBack= Rezzie is attached to shock Body

Remote= Rezzie is attached by a hose-Difficult to use along with steering damper

Compression= Is how much of a force it take to compress the shock

Rebound=How fast the shock returns to the normal/standard travel or position

SSD=Self Sag Device-causes the atv to sit lower while riding then in the air it extends for maximum travel

Brands: I went with Elka Triple Rates with SSD and Piggy Back Rezzies

I would not recommend getting Works. They are good for beginners but after that you are gonan want more.

I would suggest Elkas. They are great. Get them from Jeff/Quadshop. They are great to deal with and he is a nice guy.

[lilpoppy]

Thanks a lot that was really helpfull. Now what about preload no one has explained that yet and i noticed some sites advertising ride height adjustable. Is that SSD?

[racerx573]

SSD means Self Sagging Device, which allows the shock to sit at a lower stance, but still allows more travel. Since you're not gonna be racing, and like you said, you ride at Pismo, Works wouldnt be a bad choice. ANYTHING is better than stock.

[forum]

preload refers to how much the shock sags when the rider sits on the machine. Zps(zero preload) or SSd(self sagging device) wich is both basicaly the same, is that the wait of the bike itself ways down the preload and the rider does little or nothing once sitting on the atv.

To further help you, How much money do you wanna spend and what type of rideing do you do.

Triple rates are not always better!. Many XC riders like the dual rates better because they are softer for longer shock stroke. Suspension is a very difficult thing to understand so Realying on other peoples opinions is often the best way to go. But remeber make sure you talk to someone thats knowledgable. And asking peoples opinion on brands isn't always smart. Get the brand you can afford. Elka, Axis, PEP, TCS are all high quaility shocks and are close in performance. For novice riders works are good too.

[lilpoppy]

well i would like to keep the cost under 1000 for the fronts and probably rebuild the stock shock in the back. Most of my riding is going to be in pismo and hollister hills because that is what i live closest too. Mainly dunes but also some trails and tracks. I think i would rather pass the works and go with elkas i just dont want to buy a shock that is going to be way more than i really need.

[lilpoppy]

by the way you said tripple rate may not be the best for my type of riding. From what my last post said what do you think? I want as many opinnions as i can get so keep em comming guys.

[crashinmatt]

i may be totally off on this, but i always thought that zero preload meant that there was no tension on the springs when the shocks were totally extended? which in turn makes the quad sit lower. and i believe preload is the amount of pressure on the springs, which controls ride height, and way the shock compresses. now as to which is better; triple rate or dual rate, certain people like one better than the other. so i cant really help u there, either way u be fine with either.

[optikid123]

well elka dual rates sound like a good setup for you considering what your gonna be doing with them and get the piggybacks they are easier to deal with and are under 1000

[jaspurx]

here is an idea dude , try e-mailing the tech guys about what you want. include make , model your weight , how and where you ride , and ask a lot of questions. mostly , the prices are comparable , for the most part. i went with works and no complaints. also , i went with resivoir , because of a little more fluid to disperse heat. the longer you ride , the more heat they build ( much like brakes and air cooled engines ) heat kills effectiveness.i wish i went with some sag for more stability. but that kills ground-clearance. should not hurt much in the dunes. the tech guys will be a lot of help. they were for me. if i would not have asked them , i would have messed up bad!!

[forum]

yea. Phone elka. Tell them your spending limit and what you ride. they will tell you the best setup.

[forum]

no Im pretty sure zero preload does not mean that there is no tension on the spring when fully extended. Zps is just a spring that is very soft so the weight of the quad itself compresses it. Giving more up trvel for ruts and holes and a lower ride hiegt. Then again i could be wrong

[Texan32]

Forum, you are correct. You, you need to understand one thing. On stock shocks, the preload adjustment IS what sets the ride height and the loading preasure of the spring. Walk up to a stock 400. Pull up on the bumper. Did you knotice that the tires came off the ground IMMEDIATELY?! Ok, when you get a shock like elka's with SSD, here is how they work. The very top spring is very soft. So, when you install the shock, the weight of the quad compresses that spring (hence self sag device). The threaded top portion of the shock bodie (as some call it the "preload adjuster") on THESE shocks does nothing more than change the ride height. See, with ssd, there is between 1-2 inches of rod IN the shock. So, when you pull up on the front of my quad, the suspension travels up about an inch and a half before the tires lift off the ground. Personally, i LOVE my elkas. I would recammend them to anyone. But, i will tell you this. If/when you order them, if you go with tripple rate, you might want to have them set up for your weight MINUS 20 lbs. Truthfully, when i put mine on, i really didn't notice a "night and day" difference for when i was just putting around and hitting the little bumps. Now, when it come to puttin the hammer down and taking on the elements...the ABSOLUTELY SHINE!!!!!


edit: theren will ALWAYS be some tension on the springs. On the ssd's, it is relevent to where you have you ride height set at. If you want your ride height very low, there will be nearly no tension on the springs and vise versa. With SSD, there is a way to "preload" the shock, but that would mean setting the ride height ALL THEY WAY up, therefore defeating the purpose of ssd. But, there must be SOME. If not, then when you go airborn and the shock extends fully, the mount plates could come loose and the shock come apart! TRUST ME, you need some tension to keep the springs in place

Originally posted by NACS425Ex


I would not recommend getting Works. They are good for beginners but after that you are gonan want more.



Does this mean I suck since I still run works???:( And I tried running the beginner class and they said I couldn't because I was too advanced of a rider..:confused:

[Sparks425Ex]

Sorry Rico for offending you I was just saying most ppl that get into higher levels of racing will want a better shock. I am nont saying Woks is bad. Works are still a buncha times better then Stock but I would prefer a better shock than Works.:rolleyes:

Originally posted by NACS425Ex
Sorry Rico for offending you I was just saying most ppl that get into higher levels of racing will want a better shock. I am nont saying Woks is bad. Works are still a buncha times better then Stock but I would prefer a better shock than Works.:rolleyes:

You didn't offend me dude,,I was just yankin yer chain..I'll be on a full set of elka's come spring time..:devil I can say that I've been very pleased with my works over the last 2 years..not one complaint about them..

[Dave400ex]

Call Jeff at the Quadshop. He will get you setup with the right shocks for you and your budget.