elka shock problem

[yfzrider310]

After bending my a arms with a accident into a tree my elka shock bent. It is bent at the lower mount at were it bolts onto the a arm. The shaft and springs are still straight as an arrow but the lower mount is a little bent. I guess I was wondering if elka would be able to replace the lower mount of the shock only. If this makes sense. I will try to get pics but the quads at a buddies house right now. Any help is appreciated.

[John451]

Id think it would be worth a try to e-mail them with pics and ask them if they can do that. I coulda sworn they come with a lifetime guarantee so you could send it back for anything even if it went through a woodchipper. How fast were u goin to bend the a-arm AND the shock?? Lol

[01 400EXer]

Elka can replace it and if it is loose at all you can order the part and replace it yourself. When you put it on you would just need to apply loctite to it. I think Elka uses the red loctite but I think blue would be good enough. I have replaced one myself before. Contact Sebastien at Elka: SLevesque@elkasuspension.com

[yfzrider310]

Thanks but how hard is it to replace the mount? Elka said it would $140 to replace:confused: I guess if it was cheaper I could figure out how to do it myself. I bought the shocks used and I wonder if the warranty would transfer over. I really don't even know that they have a lifetime warranty. Also the a arm broke right at the base of the frame (second gear) which I'm glad it did because it took the impact away from the frame.

[01 400EXer]

You will need to take the springs off. The hardest thing is holding the shaft while you are unscrewing the bottom mount. I was lucky because we have a vise with thick rubber attached to to it and I was able to get it tight enough to break the bottom mount loose without dmaging the shaft. It will take some muscle to get it to break free. If I recall a wrench will fit on the bottom mount. It was hare to get off the whold way due to the loctite. Once I got it off I cleaned the threads on the shaft and the new mount screwed on really easy.

You could possibly cut it off if you have the right toll to do that, the mount is aluminum.

I have one question are you shocks rebound adjustable? If not you will not need to take the nitrogen out of the shocks. If they are you will need to speak with Ekla or have them do it. Are there any nationals coming near you because you could take it there and they will do it on site for you.

I think when I replaced mine the mount was like $30.

I hope I was able to shed some light on you problem.

[yfzrider310]

Yes I appreciate the help a lot and im not to sure about how many nationals there is in Minnesota:ermm: I have a race this weekend in Hixton, WI so I would like more of a quick fix. I guess I was wondering if I could just run the shocks as is for the race and fix it later. Also what do think would happen if I bent back the mount itself. Also the shocks are none rebound adjustable. They are just the compression adjustable.

[01 400EXer]

You would be better off leaving it bent if you were to run the race because bending it back will weaken even more, maybe break it since it is aluminum. Me personally would not run it the way it is. Can you get by with going back to stock suspension until it is fixed?

[yfzrider310]

Running stock suspension is what makes the local chiropractors happy.:rolleyes: I don't know when I ran the stock suspension on my +2 a arms they felt like the bottomed out on every jump and bump (they were cranked all the way stiff). Since I am getting stock a arms I think it would make the stock shocks preform normal again. The bend isn't terrible its just a little tweaked on the elkas.

[400exrider707]

Definitely dont run it. Fatigued aluminum will not be strong at all. That would be extremely unsafe to use.