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Aftermarket Shocks

Black Mamba

Black Mamba

Member
Messages
47
Age
42
Location
Illinois
Rear track shock took a crap yesterday. I had it revalved before this season and I'm trying to decide what to do at this point. Send it in to get fixed or go aftermarket. Has anyone tried axis, exit, fox or other aftermarket options?

Tapatalk blackmamba
 
Black Mamba said:
Rear track shock took a crap yesterday. I had it revalved before this season and I'm trying to decide what to do at this point. Send it in to get fixed or go aftermarket. Has anyone tried axis, exit, fox or other aftermarket options?

Tapatalk blackmamba
Click to expand...
Center shock or rear shock?
 
I'm really liking the Fox QS3 shocks on my 2016 Switchback Adventure.
Just a thought.
 
More impressed with the stock shocks vs any Fox I've had in the past.
 
Fox are quality and almost impossible to bottom when I rode a Yamaha Nytro but I like the feel of coil over. One of the main reasons I'm thinking about aftermarket is to get rebound adjustment. Of course they would need to out perform the WE with hi/lo.

Tapatalk blackmamba
 
Impossible to bottom and quality are really two totally different things. Much of whats thought to be short comings of shocks is either incorrect valving (for their intended use), quality of shock service and or overall set up is a very long way off.
There is however no doubt some shocks are night n day better vs others, it's just most peeps beyond the name of the killer shocks they bought n how much they cost would really never know the difference between them and their stock ones built properly and used with the correct springs and properly adjusted.
As I said in the thread about poor handling / riding Rush, only took a single spring change to take me from a sled I thought was decent (but certainly not a Terrain Dominator) to an outright overachiever. Having now had a couple of much heavier and much lighter guys ride mine, also feel these sleds are far less wt sensitive vs what most preach. Once in it's sweet spot, performed well for all.
 
I agree on proper set up. With only 340 miles on my Adventure, due to our crappy winter, I'm still not done dialing in my shock settings. But so far, I'm impressed with the 3 position QS3's. I may have to revalve the rear track shock slightly stiffer, my sweet spot on that one is on high. I would rather have it in position 2 to give me leeway both ways. On the front track shock, the adjuster was caked with ice so I couldn't adjust that one trail side. I love the front shocks with the Hygear Twisted dual rate springs.
I don't even have to get off the sled to adjust them. I just lean over the windshield and click them up or down. With the dual rate springs there is a bunch of adjustability to them. Ride height, spring crossover point, and dampening. But I'm happy with where I'm at on the IFS. The only question is where I'm going the end up with the FTS, but with the snow gone, it will be next year before I explore the adjustments on that one.
 
I pulled the sled into the shop and it turns out the shock is good. The bar that mounts between the rails and supports the front track shock broke and is completely missing. It's weird because when I stand on the sled it completely bottoms out. I wouldn't think it would do that with the rear shock being good but the FTS must support more weight than I thought.

Now I'm wondering if the XCR brace will work for the FTS.

Tapatalk blackmamba
 
Black Mamba said:
I pulled the sled into the shop and it turns out the shock is good. The bar that mounts between the rails and supports the front track shock broke and is completely missing. It's weird because when I stand on the sled it completely bottoms out. I wouldn't think it would do that with the rear shock being good but the FTS must support more weight than I thought.

Now I'm wondering if the XCR brace will work for the FTS.

Tapatalk blackmamba
Click to expand...

The bolts that attach the bar to rail are known to break. Only a couple threads engagement.
 
rabbi said:
I'm really liking the Fox QS3 shocks on my 2016 Switchback Adventure.
Just a thought.
Click to expand...
I am really considering the Adventure 800 and have also heard great things about those shocks. That looks like the best overall package for the price. What do you like most about it?
 
The center shock is a vital component in this setup as always. But more so in this case. And the Axys center takes some abuse due to:

- a bit higher leverage ratio compared to other designs
-uncoupled
-weight distribution of sled, rider etc.

None of these things are bad. They are part of the intended design.
 
But, for some the center shock and Its mounting can be a a weak link in the setup.
 
Some evidence for my thoughts comes from Polaris Race Tips, XCR design, and observing what the aftermarket does.

First, Polaris Tips. Look at the valving they recommend for cross country terrain racing! The stack starts off with 3 .015 thick base shims. That's historically pretty darn stiff. The recommendation race tips gives for the front and rear shocks are not wildly more stiff than stock. Quite a bit slower rebound though, even with the stock rear spring. Both the center shock gets the most change by far.

Second, the aftermarket. The spring setup I'm using on the Axys is over 20% stiffer than what I had for my ski doo with sc5 or Rmotion. I would like to go stiffer. My Axys center shock is valved over 100% stiffer than my r motion and I still ended up maxed out on the clickers.

XCR-Polaris, like any other company does not want to spend time or money where they don't have to. The XCR could have been decals, valving, track and maybe springs. But, that center shock! The effort they put into that really tells you something.

XCR center shock is a 2" diameter body shock with walkers best adjuster on the reservoir and the mount is rugged with the load distributed to multiple points. Much like the snocross sleds do.

If you ride hard and/or carry a few extra pounds, the center shock takes a beating.
 
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I broke my cross shaft bolt and messed up my center shock.

I made a fox zero pro with a 5/8" shaft and dual speed adjuster for my Axys.

As a temp measure, I put together a setup like ski doo uses for the mounting. Instead of two bolts on either end of the shaft, ski doo has the bolt go all the way through. All bolts are springs. With this setup the big long bolt can take more bending abuse before breaking cuz it's a much longer spring.

This crosshaft setup is going to bend and flex. Either allow for it with enough strength within the range of flex, or go to a completely different setup.

The shaft I used is a bigger diameter as well, more mimicking what ski doo does.

In 4000 miles of hard riding on my ski doo, I never broke the shaft or bolt. Though the shaft did have a detectable bow develop in the last season.
 
New poo guy said:
I am really considering the Adventure 800 and have also heard great things about those shocks. That looks like the best overall package for the price. What do you like most about it?
Click to expand...
I've been a one up rider forever. I really enjoy dicing it up with the guys, and at other times taking the wife out on her own sled. It's getting harder to convince her to get out and ride when she rides her own sled. So along comes the Adventure in the AXYS chassis. This sled really is the best of both worlds. I can leave the 2 up seat, backrest and hard side bags at home on Saturday. Ride with the guys and enjoy great handling, cornering and sucking up the typical Saturday evening bombed out trails.
Come Sunday morning, It takes less that 10 minutes to convert over to 2 up touring sled. Fire it up, grab the better half and go. The best part is the QS3 shocks, especially the rear. The coil over air design makes it a breeze to add air to compensate for the weight of 2 people. I think it bridges bumps and rides just as well with 2 people properly adjusted as riding solo. Due to mother nature, I wasn't able to put on the miles this year that I wanted to. I still need to explore some of the shocks capabilities. But so far, I'm impressed, and can't wait for next season to put on some serious miles, mainly solo, but also 2 up.

New poo guy, to answer your question, I like the AXYS chassis and the flat handling that is inherit of this chassis. The Switch Back makes this sled versatile for storage, traction and bridging bumps.
The 3 position Fox shocks are the icing on the cake, with the repeatable settings.
It's pretty easy to remember where you're at with valving. Soft, medium, Firm.
 
rabbi said:
I've been a one up rider forever. I really enjoy dicing it up with the guys, and at other times taking the wife out on her own sled. It's getting harder to convince her to get out and ride when she rides her own sled. So along comes the Adventure in the AXYS chassis. This sled really is the best of both worlds. I can leave the 2 up seat, backrest and hard side bags at home on Saturday. Ride with the guys and enjoy great handling, cornering and sucking up the typical Saturday evening bombed out trails.
Come Sunday morning, It takes less that 10 minutes to convert over to 2 up touring sled. Fire it up, grab the better half and go. The best part is the QS3 shocks, especially the rear. The coil over air design makes it a breeze to add air to compensate for the weight of 2 people. I think it bridges bumps and rides just as well with 2 people properly adjusted as riding solo. Due to mother nature, I wasn't able to put on the miles this year that I wanted to. I still need to explore some of the shocks capabilities. But so far, I'm impressed, and can't wait for next season to put on some serious miles, mainly solo, but also 2 up.

New poo guy, to answer your question, I like the AXYS chassis and the flat handling that is inherit of this chassis. The Switch Back makes this sled versatile for storage, traction and bridging bumps.
The 3 position Fox shocks are the icing on the cake, with the repeatable settings.
It's pretty easy to remember where you're at with valving. Soft, medium, Firm.
Click to expand...
Great to hear your feedback. Like new to Poo I am as well being long time Doo guy but just bought a 17 Adventure 800. My concern is if the Fox's could handle agressive riding. My Doo's had XRS suspension so could take a pounding when the trails turned to whooped out junk. I'm really looking forward to riding this sled! Picking it up today.
 
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