Two Up shock question

[BoxMN]

2002 Yamaha Venture 600. About 2300 miles, great condition. The only thing is the past couple years the suspension has been bottoming out, and VERY slow to rise after getting off, etc. Use it for trails (wife rides it) or fishing towing Otter/Clam/etc. with a couple guys on sled often. so then it has lots of weight on it.

You guys helped me start to think about getting new shocks, but I was a bit scared to pull it all off myself But I noticed that the spring tension on two rear shocks were set lowest tension. So I got span wrench and jacked it up to most compressed now. I also found a grease zerk I had not seen before. So I have it greased perfect now with white lithium, and have the springs cranked up. Haven't had chance to ride it yet, but wondering if this might be too stiff for wife trail riding, thouhg I don't think she can tell the difference anyway

Question is, is the spring tension that noticable? And could the lack of enough/new grease be the reason for slow and weak rear suspension? I would think I should get more than 2300 miles out of shocks on a sled that isn't ridden hard... but it has and does carry a lot of weight - does that shorten shock life much?

Thanks for thoughts!

[Surface Tension]

The increase in spring tension will stiffen the ride some as it should,

You want to bottom out on the worst of the bumps, that is the correct tension.

The sled should rise slow when you get off. That means your shock is working and is dampening the bumps.

If the sled slapped back up when you get off the shock is shot.

Because of how the shock is mounted you'll notice there isn't a whole lot of pivot but lack of grease isn't a good thing either.

[BoxMN]

Thanks Frank.

It was taking a looooooooong time to rise back up, but it wasn't slamming up. Does that mean likely I am still good? I hope so Thanks.

[Macgyver55]

If it is taking more than a couple seconds to return it could be the shock is bad or the suspension itself is binding due to lack of lubrication. The only way to tell for sure is to take out the shock and see if the suspension arms and shock both move freely independently of each other.

[Surface Tension]

I'd get it in a heated garage and let it warm up then grease everything.

That way any water will be pushed out. I do this in the Spring when I summerize the sled.

As Mac said a few seconds is about right any longer then there could be some corrosion slowing it down. I've seen them rusted up and froze. That goes for steering as well.

[leech~~]

The cross shafts are a big one to get some grease into as they seem to get neglected by a lot of folks and then rust up making the whole system bind up. I have had sleds since I was about 14 and am one of the folks that learned this lesson years ago the hard way.

Froze shafts!

[BoxMN]

Thanks guys. I did grease them up good back when it was still warm out. I got each fitting, and a couple took a LOT of grease.... So I should be all lubed up now. Will see how it goes if we ever get some snow

i am guessing it was just sticky due to my lack of grease - fingers crossed!