Longtravel Frontend Wheelie

[Knips178]

I setup my longtravel frontend (look at my signature for details) and now when i hammer the throttle and ride a wheelie I notice that the longtravel a-arms fully extend and hence get skinnier and when I drop the front end they widen back out but not all the way to where I think they should go. I tap the front brakes and the weight shifts forward and flatens the front end out. The problem is, I figure when I start running MX this spring that if I come around a corner and hammer the throttle my frontend gets skinny going in a straight line then drops and widens when I hit the breaks and turn. This doesn't sound bad, but what if I have to turn sharp while pinning the throttle and sitting high with a skinny front? Is there a way to keep the front from getting so skinny on hard acceleration? or is this perfectly normal?

[lil400exman]

perfectly normal. this is actually your ZPS doing that not the a-arms so adjust your quad to have a little more ZPS and it can correct this...........;)

[Knips178]

But my front elka's don't have a zps spring. it has four springs but the top one is just a light spring, not SSD or ZPS. are you saying by removing one spring I can reduce this effect?

Originally posted by Knips178
But my front elka's don't have a zps spring. it has four springs but the top one is just a light spring, not SSD or ZPS. are you saying by removing one spring I can reduce this effect?

Your elkas ARE SSD. :cool:


I don't see you having a problem on a track with your setup. DO NOT remove any springs on your shocks. If the track you race at has turns so close together that your on the gas and have to turn so much then it's a chitty track. I think your worrying about nothing to be honest.

[Knips178]

:confused: I respect your views, but the SSD spring was removed and another spring was installed, so no they aren't SSD anymore.
I'm not so worried about there being so many turns that my suspension doesn't settle, but it's the hard acceleration out of a turn and having to swerve hard away from another quad or getting sideways while entering some whoops. Do pro riders deal with this or do they have some trick to keep wide everywhere?

Originally posted by Knips178
:confused: I respect your views, but the SSD spring was removed and another spring was installed, so no they aren't SSD anymore.
I'm not so worried about there being so many turns that my suspension doesn't settle, but it's the hard acceleration out of a turn and having to swerve hard away from another quad or getting sideways while entering some whoops. Do pro riders deal with this or do they have some trick to keep wide everywhere?

So the top spring on your elka's does NOT compress under the wieght of the quad:confused:

What type of rear shock do you have??

There is NO fix to your problem man. Lean forward to keep the wheels on the ground is about all I can think of to fix it..

[Knips178]

:D Thanks, that was what I was wondering. So everyone has this problem, which really isn't that much of a problem in real race conditions.

[Pappy]

Originally posted by Knips178
I setup my longtravel frontend (look at my signature for details) and now when i hammer the throttle and ride a wheelie I notice that the longtravel a-arms fully extend and hence get skinnier and when I drop the front end they widen back out but not all the way to where I think they should go. I tap the front brakes and the weight shifts forward and flatens the front end out. The problem is, I figure when I start running MX this spring that if I come around a corner and hammer the throttle my frontend gets skinny going in a straight line then drops and widens when I hit the breaks and turn. This doesn't sound bad, but what if I have to turn sharp while pinning the throttle and sitting high with a skinny front? Is there a way to keep the front from getting so skinny on hard acceleration? or is this perfectly normal?

my advice....stay away from the bongwater:eek2:

:blah:

[cdalejef]

LOL Pappy!
Put the SSD spring back on and give it he!!. That is perfectly normal!

[boogiechile]

If you did not have the long travel, then when your frt lifts and the a arms drop down, Your wheels would be off the ground. Now lets see- reg travel=wheels in air, long travel=wheels drop more and get skinnier but stay on ground. Which do you think is better?

[Knips178]

I agree, it is better, but a little weird getting used to. It seems like when I watch Huevos movies their front ends stay wide when they jump and hit whoops, didn't know if I wasn't doing something right or what? but, if everyone has the same behavior in their frontends then i'm no longer concerned. Thanks,