preload collars???

[trailrider894]

i can't seem to get the rear preload collars undone on my 400ex?? any tips??? also about where whould i have it set at for mx ??

[Scro]

Use a large screwdriver and a hammer to move the collars. If you are still having trouble, spray some penetrating oil on them, and let them sit for a while. This should allow you to move them with the screwdriver and hammer. Also, you want to get the weight of the quad off the shock. (Have the tires off the ground)

As for the settings, for MX you would want your ride height fairly low. I'm an XC guy, but I would say around 7" in the front, and 6 3/4" in the rear. With stock 450r that aren't revalved/resprung, you're probably not going to be able to get this low (you will run out of adjustment). My suggestion is just to run the collars all the way to the top, in order to get the lowest ride height possible.

[trailrider894]

but then won't i bottom out a ton??? and have way to much body roll???

[Scro]

Unless you have the shock reworked, you're probably going to be bottoming out anyway. The ride height doesn't change the shocks ability to dampen. In other words, it's not going to make the shock anymore soft or hard.

This is the same reason you won't have anymore body roll. Body roll is due partly because a shock is too soft in a certain travel range. (Which plays a bigger role in multi-spring shock setups, won't get into that). A lowered ride height doesn't effect body roll in a major way because it is not effecting the shocks dampening ability. In fact, it would help with body roll because you would have a lower center of gravity.

[trailrider894]

okay so putting my preload collars all the way at the top isn't going to effect how hard i can land????

[Scro]

No.

[trailrider894]

where are you measuring the ride height from?? put my fronts all the way at the top and it didn't bring the ride height down much. i set my rear for the correct race sag.

Originally posted by trailrider894
okay so putting my preload collars all the way at the top isn't going to effect how hard i can land????

YES.

You use spring preload to set the ride hight. Spring preload also softens or stiffens your spring rate. If you find the ride hight that you want but your quad has excessive bottoming, you should use a stiffer spring.

[Scro]

Originally posted by factory2
Spring preload also softens or stiffens your spring rate.

Care to explain how it does that?

[Colby@C&DRacing]

It doesn't really change the spring rate just the starting and ending point. An 8" 400 pound spring that it fully extended is pushing back with no force. Say you have 4" of shaft travel it will be pushing back with 1600lbs of force at 4'', If you preload the spring 1/2" its starting point is now 200lbs and the ending point with 4" of travel will be 1800 lbs.

[Scro]

That's what I was thinking. I didn't think the overall rate of the spring would change at all.