GT Thunder link?

[BEAVER.989]

I've heard this is a very worthwhile investment, but also that it lowers riding height by about 1 1/2" in the rear.

My questions is do you need to do anything to lower the front to counteract the lower rear, or just ride it squatty, lol?

[Gibson]

I just ride mine around with the rear end squatted just a little bit. When i put +2's on the front, it should lower it down about level. The link is worth what you pay for. i lucked up and got mine for 80 bucks.

you can leave the front alone, but you will quickly realize that they(front shocks) are inferior that way and will be wanting more...and yes, it IS worth the $$$...

[BEAVER.989]

Originally posted by speedyquad
you can leave the front alone, but you will quickly realize that they(front shocks) are inferior that way and will be wanting more...and yes, it IS worth the $$$...

I understand I'll be wanting to upgrade the front, I'm just unsure whether or not I'll need to address the ride height when shopping for the front.

i am not sure what you are worried about...the linkage gets the rear ride height where it should be and any aftermarket fronts will also do the same, or even 450r re-valves will put you in the correct range...

as it is the the 400ex sits too high...the linkage brings it into the correct height(7.5 to 8" for xc measured at the rear of the pegs WITH rider weight in attack position)...when i had elka rec fronts, they came right into where they should be(about .25" higher than the rear measurement measured at 22" forward from the rear measuring point...this just happens to be at the rear most point of the a-arm mount).

[BEAVER.989]

I'm just trying to get stuff that works well together. I don't want to end up with a quad that looks like it's riding a wheelie while standing still, lol.

[bigd's ex]

Beav, hope this helps. Thinking about this being one of my winter projects.

http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=366354&highlight=linkage

[Flynbryan19]

Originally posted by BEAVER.989
I'm just trying to get stuff that works well together. I don't want to end up with a quad that looks like it's riding a wheelie while standing still, lol.

Get aftermarket shocks for the front and you will be able to adjust them to match the lower ride height of the rear.

For what its worth I would not ride the quad with just the link. You need to have the quad balanced by being lower in the front and the rear. Its going to corner like a chopper(crap) if you lowre the rear and do nothing to the front.

[MyKe2g3]

Man i just installed this link a few days ago and loving it. It all just depends on what type of riding you are doing. I dont do alot of jumps so i just bought a crj front lowering kit and now it looks level. The only drawback with a front lowering kit is that it cant take jumps but i dont do alot of mx mostly just xc and flattracking with a few trails. This is temp til i can afford some decent a arms and front shocks. With the front and rear lowered its almost as low as my banshee and 250r.

[RIDEREDson]

Or you can get an aftermarket rear shock and it'll give you that sag without a link. I bought my PEP rear off ebay for 300 bucks and it lowered the seat height about 2 inches.

[Jessem24]

Originally posted by RIDEREDson
Or you can get an aftermarket rear shock and it'll give you that sag without a link. I bought my PEP rear off ebay for 300 bucks and it lowered the seat height about 2 inches.

yes after my stock rear 400 shock blew apart upon one of those "pissing my pants im 15ft up pancake landings" i installed a 450r rear shock w/stock 400 link. it lowered it a few inches. 1 and somthin inches i cant remeber - jesse

[Jessem24]

but if you have a stock shock 80 dollar link is cheaper than a 150 dollar shock :D

[RIDEREDson]

The link is ideal to be ran with a revalved shock to match.

[MtnEX]

Originally posted by RIDEREDson
The link is ideal to be ran with a revalved shock to match.

Yes, I think you are supposed to send them your shocks to be revalved and resprung for the link...

Have some of you just installed the link?
Sounds like it.

It's probably still an improvement.

i have seen, on here, a few people that have done just the link without having the shock re-valved...they say it is an improvement, but, to me, it is not getting the most out of the link...so it is something that i would not do...

[MtnEX]

I wouldn't either... I was just curious if others had... because it was sounding likee it.

[Gibson]

i installed my link without revalving my shock. i'm only about 125lbs so it works good. i'm having it revalved soon though.

[MyKe2g3]

If you are doing jumps its great to have it revalved if your are just trail riding itll be ok for a while. I didnt get my shock revalved and its installed and it rides ok. I think gt thunder will revalve for you on the cheap if you tell em you got the link.

[RIDEREDson]

You can catch aftermarket rear shocks on ebay pretty cheap. You run the stock link too so you dont have to spend cash on the gt thunder one. I was goin the link/revalve route till I came across a great deal on my PEP. I ended up saving a few hundred bucks too. I see Custom Axis rear shocks on ebay all the time for 300-400 dollars.

[MtnEX]

Did the pep take away the buck?


When I'm looking at it and messing with it, here is what I see on the stock setup... in comparison I guess you could say...


To me, the swing arm angle seems to steep from the axle to the frame pivot... and the shock also seems a bit straight up and down.

I think the kickback is a product of a couple of things...

1- The range of ability of the stock shock. It does not seem to have a whole lot of range of adjustment. And also, it seems too get overcame on rebound by the spring rate.

2- I think there is a lot of travel at the wheel and a good bit less actual travel up at the shock with that swing arm angle. I think the spring really winds up tighter and tighter when compressed, and when it unloads farther into the travel its at a really high 'created' progressive rate.

That's why I think it kicks and bucks. And I think along the same lines is why the GT Thunder link can solve it.

The link must allow the shock to run lower in the swing arm and probably at an improved angle. This would lower the ride height while correcting the progression and reduce the tendency for the suspension to want to kick back to high in the travel before the tires actually leave the ground.



Back in the old days (to some of you guys) we used to at times try to purposely "load up" the old suspension just before launch on big jumps in order to 'create' a bit of a boost.

That kick was manageable though, because you were getting a little pogo springing action off BOTH ends.

It's so hard to deal with on the EX because the bad english is only coming from one end. The front end just soaks it up with very little loft while the back springs up unreal.

Originally posted by MtnEX
Did the pep take away the buck?


When I'm looking at it and messing with it, here is what I see on the stock setup... in comparison I guess you could say...


To me, the swing arm angle seems to steep from the axle to the frame pivot... and the shock also seems a bit straight up and down.

I think the kickback is a product of a couple of things...

1- The range of ability of the stock shock. It does not seem to have a whole lot of range of adjustment. And also, it seems too get overcame on rebound by the spring rate.

2- I think there is a lot of travel at the wheel and a good bit less actual travel up at the shock with that swing arm angle. I think the spring really winds up tighter and tighter when compressed, and when it unloads farther into the travel its at a really high 'created' progressive rate.

That's why I think it kicks and bucks. And I think along the same lines is why the GT Thunder link can solve it.

The link must allow the shock to run lower in the swing arm and probably at an improved angle. This would lower the ride height while correcting the progression and reduce the tendency for the suspension to want to kick back to high in the travel before the tires actually leave the ground.



Back in the old days (to some of you guys) we used to at times try to purposely "load up" the old suspension just before launch on big jumps in order to 'create' a bit of a boost.

That kick was manageable though, because you were getting a little pogo springing action off BOTH ends.

It's so hard to deal with on the EX because the bad english is only coming from one end. The front end just soaks it up with very little loft while the back springs up unreal.

that is a perfect explanation...and that is also why i feel that you need more than just an aftermarket shock...i see it as masking the problem instead of addressing the true issue

[RIDEREDson]

You are both wrong. I've cased the h3ll outta some big doubles and the PEP soaked it all up. I was amazed. Ask anybody running an aftermarket shocks. The bucking is gone!

[MtnEX]

An aftermarket shock probably has the strength to control the buck. Maybe better spring rates for the swing arm progression too.

I haven't so much noticed a landing buck, but a launching buck...

[RIDEREDson]

Both bucks are gone. Rear now has that "sag". I noticed I was also faster in turns, since the quad is more planted now.

here is the deal with buying a used rear...it is going to need re-valved, for the new owner's specs, and reserviced anyway...so that puts you at a higher cost...

[RIDEREDson]

Originally posted by speedyquad
here is the deal with buying a used rear...it is going to need re-valved, for the new owner's specs, and reserviced anyway...so that puts you at a higher cost...

heres the deal, not if it is already suited to your weight and is in good condition, or has been serviced. Its called shop around.

one could look for weeks or months and not find one suited for them...and then there is no guarantee that the used shock would not need serviced anyway...

i am not saying you are wrong, if the opportunity would present itself, it is a viable way to go...but i know that if i were able to ride a lot, i would want it fixed soon...i would not want to wait until i found the holy grail of shocks...one that is set up to my tire size, weight, riding style, ability, and has fresh nitrogen...

[RIDEREDson]

Then buy a new one. Still it would be better.

You don't have to be the critic in every thread.

i can say the same for you...you have never ridden with the rear linkage. maybe it works better than just the aftermarket...maybe it don't...i haven't ridden with just an aftermarket shock... but the cost of the linkage and revalve would be less than that of a new aftermarket.

[TripleR400]

although i dont race,i do ride very aggresive and my 400ex is set up for xc. revalved/resprung 450r fronts and just a gtt link in the rear. i can honestly say that the link itself was a major Major improvement. no buck, wheels stay on the ground, and this is without the revalved/resprung rear. if you want the most out of the rear do the link along with the shock. the best money you will ever spend in the world of suspension. GTT knows their stuff, and you WILL not regret the 350 dollars you spend on the rear shock. speedyquad is right, you will have a better set up with GTT than just an aftermarket shock.

[RIDEREDson]

Well this got me thinking, so I ended up riding one. Guy at the track ended up having the link and a revalved shock. He loved mine more. It honestly felt a little rougher but not too bad. I guess it depends on how smooth you are. If you don't find a good deal on a aftermarket shock, then go the link/revalve route.

[dustin_j]

Originally posted by RIDEREDson
Well this got me thinking, so I ended up riding one. Guy at the track ended up having the link and a revalved shock. He loved mine more. It honestly felt a little rougher but not too bad. I guess it depends on how smooth you are. If you don't find a good deal on a aftermarket shock, then go the link/revalve route.

Did he have the CNC pistons or stock pistons in his revalved shock?

[RIDEREDson]

did not ask.

i'll say this, my current rear shock was set up for the previous owner...he weighs, my guess, would be in the 15 to 20 lb range and it is the newer design linkage...the old set up that i had on my previous ex, which was set up for me, worked better for me...it was smoother, squatted more with sudden throttle, and less wheelie happy...although i would like to try an aftermarket at some point...

[RIDEREDson]

so what would happen if you ran an aftermarket with the gt thunder link?

if the aftermarket is set up for the link, it would be good...but if it were set up for the stock link, it would be like running a stock shock with the link...better than stock, but not quite as good as it could get...

i think what you are failing to realize is that when you have the stock rear re-valved, it is like an aftermarket shock. it gets all new components...the key to the aftermarket is the quality of components, but more over the fact that it is set to the riders specs. when you have the rear re-valved, most of the components are upgraded, the valving is changed so that the nitrogen flows to your specs and the springs are usually changed out also...i know mine was...

[gpd005]

I have the stock shock redone by GTT with the hi flow piston and the GTT link on my 400 and it rides just as good as a long travel set up. You can't do it any cheaper than that unless you buy used. You won't be disappointed i promise!