Suspension set ups for Woods

[Dustin_Drews]

Hello gents, I am in the process of setting my suspension set for the up comming woods season.

Right now I have the stock arms that come with the R and tires from a 400ex on it. Fully compressed it measures 44 inches at the widest compressed postion.

Now I want to run 4 by 1 inch offset rims so that would bring it down to 42 inches because the 4 x 1 rims narrow it down an inch...

Now my rear track with is 46 inchs form the outside of my rim to the outside of my rim with the 400 ex rims on it.

I want a front long travel suspension set up that matches my rear track with. So that tells me I should get plus 2 arms... Is that correct?

Now with all that being said it has 450r front shocks on it now... Would they work if I got them revalved and resprung for my set up? If so who would I talk to about getting the componants to do this? Or should I get a aftermarket front shocks for it?

Now on to the rear. How do you guys think the rear shock. How does the stock shock perform with a revalve and sprung for my wieght? Is it worth doing or is a aftermarket shock that much better!

Thanks for all the info
God Bless,
Dustin Drews

[89rwfo]

Your thinking and I like that. If you run the 4-1 with the +2 a-arms you will be pretty close to 46". As for the 450r fronts you will spend quite a bit of money getting them valved properly. I had a friend sink 500 bucks in a set and still did not like them in the woods. Buy a set made for the application, same thing with the back. I have ridden some stock rears that have been ravalved that felt good.

[woodsracer144]

Originally posted by 89rwfo
Your thinking and I like that. If you run the 4-1 with the +2 a-arms you will be pretty close to 46". As for the 450r fronts you will spend quite a bit of money getting them valved properly. I had a friend sink 500 bucks in a set and still did not like them in the woods. Buy a set made for the application, same thing with the back. I have ridden some stock rears that have been ravalved that felt good.


I've rode stock rear ends that felt better then aftermarket ones...

as far as woods, what are you going to be racing? just a District stuff? most that stuff is alot Tighter then the GNCC,

in honesty if you can run stock a-arms and some peps or elkas or something like that with 4-1s and be as narrow as you can get it you can be a rocket ship! you just have to get use to riding a really really narrow quad... i rode on a stock 86 for a bit with works shocks on it and it was a fast quad in the woods cause it was soo narrow and the woods was REALLY tight, a guy on a LTR couldnt even make it through it... its got alot to do with what the woods will be like, i think that the GNCC's you could run a MX quad in it if you changed the tires and gearing on it a little...

[Dustin_Drews]

IATVHSS Is the series I race... It gets tight! But every race I have went to so far has some fast wide open areas that go for a long ways with some small jumps in them.... Also it has lots of off camber stuff so a wider quad does seem to help
I remeasured my rear and it is actually only 45 inches wide so I will go with some +1s long travel up front instead.
What is the best revalving for the stock rear?
Gold valves any good?:
God Bless,
Dustin

[ryanowarrior]

this is a good thread for me also....im tryin to figure out susp set up for woods also. undecided on standard or long travel. i was wantin my quad to be around the 45-47 inch wide area. any idea's on what to go with guys? also whats the differences in the 4+1 offset compared 3+2 offset? 3+2 is close to stock correct? and also what about rear wheel offsets care to share info on those? thanks

[Dustin_Drews]

From what I have read and understand long travel suspension has nothing or very little to do with your wheel travel it has more to do with your shock stroke!
The longer your shock stroke is the more it has so more oil gets pushed around and it makes it easier to dial in your ride...
The 4+1 offset is this. your front rim is normally 5 inches wide on sport quads... the 4+1 is the offset! Here is is how it matters on your quad... Your hub is sitting 4 inches inside of you rim and is 1 inch from the outside of the rim. 3+2 is the same it just means that your hub is 3 inches inside of your tire instead of 4! 3+2 is the typical offset found in sport quads from the factory!
Now for best handling they say... your center patch of your tire should be in a strait line from your upper and ball joints that bolt to your spindle!
If you look most quads with 3+2 are to wide and miss the center patch of the tire by about an inch and a half! So the way to correct this is a different offset rim.
Let me know if you have more questions and guys if I said any thing remotely incorrect! Please correct me I am on a learning curve!
God Bless,
Dustin

[muddymess]

I run EDS and iv had both rear tires on a stock axle rub between trees before on more then one occasion. no clue how the gncc pros get threw it since im sure they are a lot wider then me. Iv never even considered getting a wider setup. I just learned to lean really far over.

[woodsracer144]

muddymess has it right, the narrower you are the faster you can be if you know how to lean and handle the quad, im hardly ever touching the seat, im all over, left right, front back...

[ryanowarrior]

But what should I do about shocks rebuild stockers or go aftermarket! I just want a good all around set up ya know

[woodsracer144]

Originally posted by ryanowarrior
But what should I do about shocks rebuild stockers or go aftermarket! I just want a good all around set up ya know

i would look for some cheap set of afternarkets...
like peps or elka or axis...


you just have to look at them really deep... they might look clean out side but be total junk on the inside....

[muddymess]

Originally posted by ryanowarrior
But what should I do about shocks rebuild stockers or go aftermarket! I just want a good all around set up ya know

I wouldnt use stock front shocks. even the $100 works i got off ebay where better then the stockers.

[ryanowarrior]

Originally posted by woodsracer144
i would look for some cheap set of afternarkets...
like peps or elka or axis...


you just have to look at them really deep... they might look clean out side but be total junk on the inside....


See that's me I don't like using cheap stuff I want the good stuff lol

[woodsracer144]

Originally posted by ryanowarrior
See that's me I don't like using cheap stuff I want the good stuff lol

when i say cheap i dont mean poor quality. i mean at a steal of a price...

elka pep and axis are going to be your upper level shocks, works and olhins are a good starter to mid range shock depending on what ones they are...

[ryanowarrior]

Well what about some a arms?? Ima doin this build and I need some just don't know what type I should go with....

[muddymess]

I run stock arms. since im not going wider i cant justify spending that much money on them.

I have been on the elka site a lot lately and seen they sell some different kits HERE (http://www.elkasuspension.com/elkaimages/promos/ELKA-BuildYourOwnKit.xls)

[woodsracer144]

Originally posted by ryanowarrior
Well what about some a arms?? Ima doin this build and I need some just don't know what type I should go with....

if its just a woods bike look at the shocks before anything else...

I would dump 5 grand in the shocks and a-arms before i would touch the motor... you can have the biggest motor you want but if you cant ride to the finish from the handlen of your quad it does you no good...

stock a-arms will be just fine, just get some good shocks built for them... or that are built for them...

[ryanowarrior]

Oh yea I learned that real quick when I got my 450r I had 3 times the amount in susp compared to the motor! Motor was stock only changed it up cause of busted case but I couldn't agree more there


But heck I'd figure I'd throw on a good set of aftermarket arms and shocks since it's an aftermarket frame and everything else will be aftermarket.. Just don't really know what conbo's to go with at the moment

[croat1]

good thread guys. if anyone needs a set of stock length laeger a arms....i might be selling.

[Dustin_Drews]

How do you guys feel about the fox evols? Good bad ect...
That is what I want to run... Also can some one tell me how to correctly measure my arms to tell me what shock to buy? When I finally do get them?
God Bless,
Dustin

[Dustin_Drews]

I am a houser dealer... But they discontinued the 250r Arms.
I have been reading that people use the 400ex arms on the 250r. But it makes the quad 2 inches wider on each side? Is there any truth to this? I wanted to get get arms from houser given my discount and everything would you guys reccomend the 400 ex arms?
God Bless,
Dustin Drews

[ryanowarrior]

Originally posted by Dustin_Drews
How do you guys feel about the fox evols? Good bad ect...
That is what I want to run... Also can some one tell me how to correctly measure my arms to tell me what shock to buy? When I finally do get them?
God Bless,
Dustin

I love my fox evols on my 450r and knowin me that's probly what I'll end up with for my R. They are so easy to set up once u get the hang of it they are awsome IMO...each set of a arms differ from each other on which shock lenght to run just have to check with what brand a arm u go with...

[troybilt]

I have Fox floats on both my 250r and 450r, Long travel Evol DSC. Love'em, best shocks I've ever had.

I have a brand new Houser XC front end setup on my 250r with the floats. Still building this bike, though, so no experience with the floats on the 250r yet. Bike is mostly complete, still need to get a chain and sprockets so I can take this bad-larry out and break it in.

[Dustin_Drews]

U better get with it! I talked to Jen at houser racing and she said no dice on the r parts they are completly out... Did you get the standard travel set up or did you go long travel?
I have seen some pics of your quad! I am jealous... I should of started my build in oct!
God Bless,
Dustin

[troybilt]

Yep, Jen is who I talked too, awesome to work with!! I bought these back before Christmas, whole set package deal, aarms, stem and swinger. At that time they had a couple sets of 250r stuff. I also have a full Houser front end on my 450 too. :D

The 250r aarms are long travel +1 forward +1 wider aarms. They take a 19.25" shock, but I'm using a little longer fox's. I have the front frame ride height set at 8.25" just about perfect. The fox floats are very ajustable and super easy to setup. I still need to tinker with my rebound and compression adjustments, but am waiting until I get it broke in first.

I think Laeger has made or makes, +1 LT aarms too, don't quote me, but I think I've read that.

If your loaded with coin, Stone Concepts on ebay has a set of brand new LT ARS-FX +1 length aarms for sale, $1000... very nice setup. Just expensive...

Goodluck Dustin!

[woodsracer144]

i totally fogot about the fox floats!