rear suspension?

[broken_line]

on my arctic cat jag is there anyway i cant get more travel out of it? and also it feels bottoming out like im riding 2 up. last year it didnt do that and i weightd 20lbs more. i tested the rear shock and it is very hard to compress so its not that

[kdawg]

If it's riding noticeably different this year than last, then something is definately up. Either the shocks need to be rebuilt, or you have a broken spring. I've been told by shock rebuilders, that if you ride hard, shocks should be rebuilt every 1000 miles. I just brought mine to B-line in Lindstrom. I will be getting it back tonight or tomorrow, but I know it will be a night/day difference after the rebuild, as I've been told this by many fellow sledders after their rebuilds. Good luck.

[Deep_Sinker]

You need a stiffer spring.

[haverhunting]

I agree with Deep Sinker. You need a stiffer spring or you need to stiffen your spring tention. As for kdawg, a Jag with gas shocks?

[broken_line]

the shocks are completly fine. i was thinking the same tihing on getting some stiffer springs. as it is really different than last year.. and im 20 lbs lighter!

[haverhunting]

have you tried to stiffen the spring setting.

[Eelpout08]

springs wear out just like everything else. check everything over really good and if it looks good i would get a set of new springs, you can even get stiffer ones than stock if you want

[broken_line]

would i be able to make a plate that bolts on the tunnel to raise the rear of the suspension so i would gain more ground clearnance?

[Macgyver55]

would i be able to make a plate that bolts on the tunnel to raise the rear of the suspension so i would gain more ground clearnance?

You can do that but it will accomplish nothing as far as improving ride quality, travel or how easily it bottoms out. All it will do in the end is make the seat height higher in the rear when it is at the end of its travel.

When you say the shocks are "perfectly fine" what are you basing that on? Are they new? Are they the same brand, or did you test them in any way? Shocks will make a huge difference in how easily a sled bottoms out even with the same springs.

As an example, I replaced my shocks this year because I had no more adjustment left on my rear spring. I was on the stiffest setting and starting to bottom out too frequently. Now, with new shocks I am on the second softest setting and rarely bottom any more.

[broken_line]

i toook 2 screw drivers, put through the bottom and stepped on that one then put the other one in the top, pushed up and down really fast which was almost impossible to do with out hurting myself. but is that the best way to test them?

[MN Mike]

I've had shocks go bad on 2 sleds that I had, one was a '92 Cougar and the other was a '98 ZL500, both did basically the same thing, on the first ride of the day, things were fine, then about 1/2 hour to one hour into the ride, the shocks were gone, the rear suspension would rebound as fast as you stepped it down, just like the shock wasn't even there. Once I replaced the shocks with a new gas shock, it was as good as new and even better.

It would be strange that your suspension would change that fast, springs just don't let go like that unless they are busted which you should be able to visually see, I would go after the shock if it was me.

Mike

[Macgyver55]

There are technical ways to test shocks, like measuring resistance, but in a case like this I'm going to assume that you have standard hydraulic shocks (not rebuildable gas). On a regular shock the valving is usually constant and will provide equal resistance through out its entire range. You should not be able to push it up or down with any quickness at all. It should take at least a few seconds to fully extend or compress it and it should move smoothly through the entire range. You should not be able to hear any bubbling or gurgling from the oil inside when moving it.

Its just my opinion, but if you have no broken springs and you are lighter, I'm gonna stick with shocks as your problem. Springs can lose tension, but more often break.

[broken_line]

ill just leave it this winter as i may pick up a snow pro this summer. but the welding the plates on really did help with jumping and not getting stuck all the time! i will post a pic later of it.

[broken_line]