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May. 24 2022 Maintenance By East Bay Motorsports
Your ATV shock absorbers are under immense pressure, constantly taking the heat while you go crashing around in the wilderness. All that hard work will cause the shocks to inevitably wear down over time, and they will eventually need to be rebuilt or replaced. But how can you tell when the time has come? This guide from East Bay Motorsports will help you evaluate your ATV shock absorbers, and determine whether a replacement is needed.
Feel free to contact us if you need any further assistance! East Bay Motorsports is your destination for ATV repair in Hayward, CA. We welcome customers from all over the Bay Area.
When you inspect the overall condition of your ATV, remember to include your shock absorbers. Watch out for these important visual clues that could indicate a problem with your shocks:
Your shock absorbers don’t just provide you with a smooth ride – they also support every component of your ATV. Replacing bad shocks right away will prevent them from wreaking havoc on the overall condition of your vehicle.
Visual inspections are important, but you will not necessarily be able to tell when your shocks have gone bad just by looking at them.
Because shocks deteriorate gradually, it can be hard to notice when they begin to affect performance. You will need to pay close attention when riding your quad to detect any changes. If you have another ATV with fresh shocks at your disposal, you can do a comparison test.
You can tell your ATV has bad shocks when you experience excessive turbulence on rough terrain. If you feel jolted with every minor impact, you will need to replace the shocks. Slow braking is another indication. Try riding your ATV on level ground, and hit the brakes. If you feel the vehicle tip forward right before coming to a stop, your front shocks are probably to blame. Faulty rear shocks will cause the chassis to fall backward when you accelerate in reverse. If your ATV has bad shocks on one side, the chassis will roll toward one side when you go around turns. Shaky handlebars can also result from bad shocks, but in this case, you should also check the wheel alignment and tire pressure to rule out other problems.
If and when your shocks need replacement, you can find all the parts and services you need right here at East Bay Motorsports. Our dealership is located in Hayward, CA.
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[Updated 05.
01.2022]
Looking after your suspension properly is a good thing. It’ll work better, last longer and save you money, but most of us don’t come anywhere near to following the manufacturer’s recommended service intervals.
As there tends to be a gradual degradation in performance, it’s often easy to overlook a sick shock. We asked Jake Ireland from Sprung Suspension Workshop to give us five easy to spot symptoms of a shock that needs a proper look at, pronto.
Dirty Shorts: 5 ways to know your shock needs a service, by Jon Woodhouse
You’d have thought even the most mechanically unsympathetic of riders would notice this, but it’s not always the case.
If you’ve been feeling a little bit out of control in the rough stuff or found yourself getting pinballed around more than usual, then it might be down to your shock, not your riding. Check and see if the rebound and compression damping adjustments still work as they should. If they don’t seem to make a difference anymore, it’s time to get it looked at.
We’re always surprised at how many people we see with shocks that are obviously leaking. The first sign is oil coming from the main air seals or adjusters but this will usually develop into a lack of damping shortly afterwards. As the oil attracts dirt, it’s often noticeable because nasty black gunk will start to accrue around the end of the shock shaft. If you’re seeing this, it’s a matter of time before you do some serious damage to your shock, so stop riding and get it fixed.
Wonky adjusters might not sound like a big deal, but it’s a sign that something untoward is happening inside your shock.
In particular, Jake says that when the blue CTD adjuster on some Fox shocks starts spinning around, it’s definitely time to get it looked at.
Again, this one should be pretty obvious, but even a slow leak of air is a sign that something isn’t right. Air shocks can go for a very long time without losing pressure, so if you’re having to top up your shock before every ride, it’s a matter of time before it - and you - will be left deflated at the side of a trail.
As a rule, your shock should be pretty much silent in operation. If it starts making more noise than usual, it’s definitely unwell. A squelchy noise on compression and rebound is usually a sign that the seal that separates the damping oil from the pressurised nitrogen charge has failed. Having your oil mixed with gas is not a recipe for damping control and needs sorting as soon as possible. A knocking or clonking noise is even more serious as something inside the shock is hitting something is definitely shouldn’t be.
Stop riding it or you’ll do serious - and expensive - damage.
Photo from open sources
for winter. The vast majority forget to check the shock absorbers, but such a check is simply necessary. About why it is necessary to inspect the springs and damping elements before the cold weather, the AvtoVzglyad portal tells.
Viktor Vasiliev
Shock absorbers, like any other car components, have their own service life, so they must be checked, especially before the winter season. Indeed, in winter, the load on the entire chassis increases, and unforeseen situations can also occur, such as demolition or skidding of a car on a slippery road. If the shock absorbers are faulty, it will be extremely difficult to stabilize the car and this will lead to an accident.
In addition, you need to pay attention to the springs, because if they have not been changed for a long time, rust appears on the coils, which eventually corrodes the metal and one of the coils bursts. This is not immediately noticeable, especially if you drive in the city at low speed. But with sudden braking or active steering, the body begins to sway, and the car loses stability.
Outside the city, when driving along the highway, sharp gusts of wind are not uncommon. Different machines react to them in different ways. It all depends on the windage of the car. For example, the previous generation of Suzuki Jimny was literally blown away by the wind, and the SUV had to be leveled, because it has a suspension with large strokes. So it turns out that if the racks are also old, then they are simply not able to dampen the vibrations, which is why the car roars a lot, and the steering wheel breaks out of the hands. An inexperienced driver in such a situation gets scared, twists the "steering wheel" and flies into a ditch.
Photos from open sources
If there are smudges on the shock absorbers, that is, the working fluid is squeezed out through worn seals, then they must be replaced, otherwise this will lead to a number of other breakdowns. The old "shock absorbers" can no longer effectively dampen vibrations, so the load on the front and rear wheel bearings increases. They make themselves felt with a monotonous hum that changes depending on the speed.
Thrust bearings, which are located in the upper part of the rack, often break. The fact is that the shock absorber does not dampen vibrations, so the impact energy is directly transferred to the bearing and breaks it. This is preceded by crunchy sounds that are heard in the cabin.
Finally, before winter it is useful to jack up the car or lift it so that the wheels are suspended and inspect the condition of the shock absorber rods. If the piston rod is scratched, it is rubbing against the edge of the strut housing. This means that the spare part has already fallen apart, and you need to urgently change it.
These errors will cost the car owner
36860
These errors will cost the car owner
36860
The topic is relevant, and as it turned out, not disclosed in one place. I'll try to tell you everything I know about this.
This article will describe the key points of the first installation, fixing the tank, checking the distance to the fenders, filling with nitrogen, as well as the correct laying of the hose of the expansion tank.
The topic is relevant for shock absorber brands such as:
FOX
KING
EXPLORER
PROFENDER
ICON
TERRAIN TAMER
There are several types of construction. With a tank on the hose, With a tank on the body or with a tank (gas chamber) in the shock absorber body. We will not consider the subject matter, since this is the topic of another article.
Picture for general presentation
classic single-tube shock absorber with a tank on the hose and pumping.
I want to immediately touch on an important point. Adjustment of rigidity by pressure.
Remember, pressure doesn't control stiffness, pressure only controls cavitation threshold and nothing else, the soft feeling of a shock at low pressure is just a consequence of the abundance of bubbles in the oil and around the piston. The entire collective farm with swaps from the passenger compartment, compressors - bullshit, which does not bear any benefit.
The stiffness of the shock absorber is regulated only by valves on the piston in all ranges (low-middle and high-speed), or by a throttle (by changing the section), an adjustment knob, or a needle - but only in low-speed damping.
Proper pressure is the key to long shock absorber life.
And now we have come close to the main thing, what to do so that the shock absorber serves for a long time, works correctly and the guarantee for it is preserved.
Do I need to pump it before installation, boil it or store it in the refrigerator (just kidding)))
Briefly:
1) Do I need to bleed the shock absorber before installation?
2) Do you bleed gas when installing?
3) How to lay the hose?
4) How to fix the tank and where?
5) How to pump nitrogen, or check the pressure if a shock absorber is installed?
6) Is it possible to pump nitrogen when the car is on wheels?
7) How can I make sure that the length of the shock absorber is suitable?
8) How not to lose the warranty?
9) Who will help extend the life of the shock absorber?
10) Can we use the air we breathe instead of nitrogen?
11) Is it possible to "hit without pissing", as in movies and commercials about Baja Truck?
Let's go!
1) Do I need to bleed the shock absorber before installation? A single-tube shock absorber by its design is completely undemanding to the position of storage and installation, and does not require pumping, compression-stretching, or vertical storage before installation, unlike double-tube ones.
2) Do you bleed gas when installing? If you put shock absorbers on a jack, with a compressed suspension, and you have the opportunity to pump up the shock absorber after installation to 10-12 kg, you can let off the gas. It is normal for oil to escape from the valve for a short time. If the installation is on a lift and suspended suspension, it is easier to install without lowering. But sometimes 5 cm is not enough for installation, and the struggle begins. I always deflate and then pump up, already on the car. Even if you are not sure that you will lower the shock absorber, buy yourself such a pump, it will come in handy for pumping and checking pressure.
jeep-4x4.ru/catalog/podve…rov_tonkoy_nastroyki.html
The main value is in the tip, where the spool is pressed with a separate screw, this design does not allow pressure loss.
Usually, if there is no nitrogen, I pump with a simple compressor, up to 7-8 kilos, and with a small pump I finish it up to the required level.
If you have a strut with a spring assembly, when mounting the spring on it, you can not release the gas. you will still be using a fully extended shock, with the spring assembly.
3) How to lay the hose? The hose is routed in such a way as to eliminate tension in the swivel fitting that EXPLORER, PROFENDER and TERRAIN TAMER have. The gasket must exclude any tension on the hose, contact with the wheel or spring, at any articulation. You also need to take into account the adhering snow and ice, which will make the hose heavier and can tear off the clamps in the cold, from vibration.
Ask the seller a question and he will clarify all the features of the installation on your car.
4) How to fix the tank and where? The tank is mounted on the frame or shock absorber housing. For convenience, with access to swap without much difficulty. All shock absorbers come with a mounting plate, the tank is attached to it with worm clamps, not plastic ones. The plate itself must be fastened with bolts, with nuts or through threaded rivets.
And in no case do not use aluminum blind rivets. They rot, loosen up and the tank flies off. Often, incorrect fasteners are a direct path to buying a new tank, or even an entire shock absorber and / or expensive repairs.
Here are examples of correct installation:
5) How to pump up nitrogen, or check the pressure if the shock absorber is installed - everything is extremely simple. Having completely hung out the suspension, we pump it up to the nominal pressure, usually it is 10-12 kg / cm.
6) Is it possible to pump nitrogen when the car is on wheels? Of course you can. Since the shock absorber is a little compressed, you need to add 1/3 of the nominal pressure, and pump up. For example, the nominal value is 10 kg / cm when extended. Compressed download up to 13.
7) How to make sure that the length of the shock absorber is suitable. After installation, it is important to pay attention so that the stroke of the rod for compression is 1-2 cm more than the distance to the bump stop.
If the shock absorber is very long, and will limit the suspension earlier than the bump stop, it will quickly fail. Another important point, if the installed shock absorber is very extended, and the compression stroke is greater than the rebound, most likely the shock absorber is short and not properly matched to the lift. Unless of course you have a rally car. Installing short shock absorbers is fraught with a break in the mounts or stem.
8) How not to lose the warranty - following the instructions and recommendations of the seller and the manufacturer, you will never lose the warranty. If you have shock absorbers for serial cars, and the car is already on 40+ wheels, with a bunch of iron all around, and you haven’t seen asphalt even in your worst dreams, I dare to disappoint, in this case there is no guarantee. If something happened, never lie that I stood and it broke. A service center specialist can easily determine the causes of a breakdown, and in addition to failure, you can get a bad mood.
We, as a store, always loyally and individually consider the issue of guarantee, the main thing is that the person is good))
9) What will help to extend the life of the shock absorber - protect the rod with a boot or shield from stones. once every 3 months, check the pressure in the chamber, wash the shock absorbers at each sink, knocking off the adhering dirt from the stem and ear of the mounts, and don’t forget the body. Check the stem for traces of tar and chips. During winter operation, allow the shock absorber to warm up. After purchase, glue the body with armored film. A penny procedure will add + 3 years of impeccable appearance.
10) Is it possible to use the air we breathe instead of nitrogen - of course you can! Thousands of people use it. Most importantly no moisture. Pump air with a compressor where there is a dryer. Usually, truck tire shops or painters have good dehumidifiers. The air we breathe is at least 70+ nitrogen. But it is better to pump nitrogen.
