Anyone tell me shock length?

[seabeebuggy]

I am looking for the stock front shock length eye to eye . A close to is good does not need to be exact. I have a 03 kfx80. It is not with me and I wont see it for 3 weeks. thank you

[LT80]

Front shocks are 8 1/4" center of eye to center of eye.
BTW, close isn't good enough. Go longer than 8 1/2 and it won't be good. It throws the top of the tire (positive camber) way out...

[seabeebuggy]

Thanks. I was wanting to compare them to other shocks.

[LT80]

Look at Polaris shocks. I hear they fit well and help.
Other than that, get a set of Works shocks.

[seabeebuggy]

I was thinking of the polaris 90 shocks. they are 10 3/4'' and have a long stroke. I would love to get works but the travel is not much more than stock and cost so much more.
I picked up a set of works shocks for my ds650. some guy paid 400 down for a set and over a year latter never picked them up. I paid the difference and got them. What a deal!

[LT80]

"I would love to get works but the travel is not much more than stock and cost so much more."

Your correct. The works do not provide any more wheel travel. But a smoother ride with the travel they have (which is enough IMO). If you want more wheel travel, you need spacers/longer a-arms. A longer travel shock don't ness mean your going to get more wheel travel.
I've spent a few hours measuring front and rear travels.

The length on the Polaris shock scares me altho I know ppl have used them.

[seabeebuggy]

On the side I make a-arms for off road. I started making new arms for the Chinese quads to make them handle better. I can make them travel to the max but until I get the shocks I am only guessing at how strong the springs are I just want to get 6'' or so. Do you have a rear arm kit? I see a kit but not sure what it does to increase travel.. Does it extend the rear shock or change the shock mount to increase travel.. Any photos of the kit??

[hasbeenttduner]

You can see photo's of the rear kit at teixeira tech. A lot of people that know a lot about the lt80's believe that that set up would put too much added stress on the engine case's. The lt80 is a great little quad but you can only take it so far due to it's design. Post some photo's of your aarms that you made.

[seabeebuggy]

Originally posted by hasbeenttduner
You can see photo's of the rear kit at teixeira tech. A lot of people that know a lot about the lt80's believe that that set up would put too much added stress on the engine case's. The lt80 is a great little quad but you can only take it so far due to it's design. Post some photo's of your aarms that you made. But has there been any one you know had the engine case brake do to this kit?
I will post some up.

[seabeebuggy]

That kit looks to only move the axle to the rear and not increase the travel , like making a long travel rear arm. Perhaps the kit mounts to the rear part of the Arm extending the arm..?? It must. Still only 1 1/2 inch.

[LT80]

Many many cases have had the rear ends break off...and that's in stock form.

[seabeebuggy]

LT80, Does the kit make the swing arm longer? Or does it just push it back and down, letting a better shock give it more travel?

Thanks.

[bradrenea]

Originally posted by seabeebuggy
LT80, Does the kit make the swing arm longer? Or does it just push it back and down, letting a better shock give it more travel?

Thanks.

Simple geometry says even if all it does it push the axle back farther then it will have more travel. Not much, but some.

[seabeebuggy]

not if the distance between the pivot point to the axle is the same distance, it can only gain travel if the distance is made longer between the two or a shock allowing more travel.

I was thinking the kit relocated the pivot point to a new location. Remember I don't have the quad in my location yet. So i have no way of looking at one.

[LT80]

The things extend the axel.
In stock form, the motor/swingarm allows 5" of wheel travel.

And don't forget, you get the extender plates, you have to get the pipe to go with it.

[hasbeenttduner]

Yes it moves the rear axle farther away from the front swingarm pivot point. Just like a longer swingarm. This ads leverage and more stress to the cases on the lt80.

[bradrenea]

Originally posted by seabeebuggy
not if the distance between the pivot point to the axle is the same distance, it can only gain travel if the distance is made longer between the two or a shock allowing more travel.

I was thinking the kit relocated the pivot point to a new location. Remember I don't have the quad in my location yet. So i have no way of looking at one.

I will say it again. If ALL it does is push the axle back farther, with ALL being the key word, then yes it will. If that is ALL it does, how can the swingarm not be longer?

[seabeebuggy]

Like I said I do not have one to look at. I went to a dealer to find one. No one said the engine where the bracket mounts to was part of the swing and the swing started in the front of the quad. Most quads the swing are mounted to the frame thus making the mounting point a non issue as far as the amount of swing. The bracket adds to the swing and does not relocate the swing. I am not totally sure how much extra stress this adds to the engine when the shock that takes most of the hit is mounted to the frame and axle. In any case there is a risk. It is for my girl who is not a hard rider. Thanks for the input. Really helped looking at one from the dealer.

[X-tech]

If there are any questions about the Teixeira Tech Suzuki LT 80 Housing Plates or Swing Arm Plates, I can answer them for you.

A answers I can already answer:

1st off, the motor is the swing-arm. The front motor mount is used as the swing-arm pivot bolt and the whole motor pivots on this bolt. The plates bolt at the back of the motor and move the bearing carrier and axle back as 1 unit between 1" to 1 1/2".

You can either bolt a new long shock to the Swing Plates, which will give you 5 inches of wheel travel (you are not getting 5 inches of wheel travel with a shock in the stock location). If you do this, the stock shock will not work. It will hit the subframe where it comes out of the exhaust flange. You will either have to buy a new pipe or modify the stock one, which is not easy for the average garage mechanic. The other option is to use the stock shock in the stock location with the plates, but all you gain is the added wheelbase.

Lastly, we have not had anyone call in with any broken case or motor problems. We had one person that had already broken cases that were welded up before hand and already had some problems. They were actually great people to work with and helped us make our plates even better because there son raced and did some testing for us. BUT I will say again, they started off with motor cases that had already been boken before they used our plates. A wider axle will cause the cases to break before these plates. The axle will put side to side twisting on the case, which will cause breaking more quickly than long travel suspension will. The added plushness of long travel will soak up the bumps more easily causing less stress on the engine. And finally, the long travel shock is mounted to the plates, not the motor. Your shock is mounted to the frame and the plates or the bearing carrier, not the motor cases.

[seabeebuggy]

Originally posted by hasbeenttduner
You can see photo's of the rear kit at teixeira tech. A lot of people that know a lot about the lt80's believe that that set up would put too much added stress on the engine case's. The lt80 is a great little quad but you can only take it so far due to it's design. Post some photo's of your aarms that you made.

this is 3'' longer and 1 '' forward.
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a60/mtchris/DSCN1299.jpg

Here is one side. I have not decided on the shock mount yet. I still don't have my quad. But i have a set of 12.5'' of shocks . I may be able to keep the mount in the same place or move the top mount.

[LT80]

W/stock mounts, your 12" shocks will make the tires look like this --> \ /......the camber will be wayyyyy off.
Maybe run a piece to connect the shock to, across the a-arm to reposition the lower mount.

[seabeebuggy]

Ya i figured it would do that. I was thinking of mounting the bottom as low as needed between the arms. I will fab up something. Thanks for the input.

[929rog]

The Polaris shocks will work.... BUT you have to move the shocks in on the top mount and drill a new hole. Works perfect and the camber looks right.

[LT80]

I'll remember that..Thanks.:)

[seabeebuggy]

Well I completed the a-arms. Not as nice as the 300$ jobs but will work as good for the 50$ I have into them. I get 9'' of travel . the polaris shocks work very nice and feel like they were meant for this quad.



http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a60/mtchris/DSCN1319.jpg

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a60/mtchris/DSCN1317.jpg

[929rog]

Nice job!!

[hawaiianbasshed]

hm... I could be interested in a set if they aren't too pricey :D