Shocker test....

[alterastro]

Now I know the VX is renouned for its hard ride, but I'm beginning to think something is wrong with mine. Apart from the ride being bone-jarring, it seems to have trouble keeping the tyres on the ground.

I replaced the rear springs with 912 a while ago and cranked the tortion bars. I don't remember noticing a huge difference ride-wise, but now I'm wondering if things are 'not quite right'. Basically when driving down a rough road the wheels seem to 'bounce'. I was cornering in the wet on a badly surfaced tarmac road and she sort of hopped sideways a bit. I was going very slowly.

Does this sound like knackered shocks or does it sound normal? Is there a test for the stock shocks?

If they are normal, what would you guys recommend I change them to to give me a softer ride? I use it off-road a fair bit and on tarmac to get to where I'm going, but dont race or rally it!

Or maybe I'm just getting old?

Cheers

Nick

[crotchrocket]

I've noticed the ABS come on braking over bumpy tarmac so my front end must be jumping a bit too!

[tom4bren]

A quick search found this thread:

http://www.vehicross.info/forums/sho...ghlight=shocks

If you're noticing a change in handling of your rig then I would have to say that it probably is your shocks (as long as nothing else has changed recently).

If you're only noticing this because it's your first experience with some bad washboard roads then ... maybe not. The short wheelbase of the the VX + the stiff suspension = not so good on washboard.

An adjustable shock may be your best solution so that you don't trade off performance from other areas for this specific issue.

[joshi]

Wireless Rancho adjustable shocks

[nocturnalVX]

I have the 9-way adjustable Rancho shocks & love them. I did not go with the pneumatic remote control because of reports of problems. They are really easy to adjust and make a huge difference in the ride. The guy that bought Cece's VX complained about how hers had a harsh "truck-like ride". I volunteered to take him for a spin in mine to show him the difference between the Bilstein shocks and mine. He was most impressed to say the least, knowing that a simple replacing of the shocks can alter the ride so dramatically. He ended up purchasing her ride! The thing is, her Bilsteins are WAAAY newer than my Ranchos...

[alterastro]

Thanks all.

Well the Rancho's sound the way to go, but I don't think the yare available cheaply in the UK. Anyone know a company that sells them in the US that will ship to the UK and not charge a fortune???

Nick

[tjh]

Check the air pressure in your tires .

[tom4bren]

Nick,

If you have to locate some in the states & have someone ship them to you, I'd be glad to help out. Independent4X is close to me (about 50 miles) so if they carry them, that would be easiest & maybe save some shipping cost.

Tom

[Ascinder]

LOL: Shocker Test

[yellowgizmo99]

this was here just the other day $65 a piece, http://www.vehicross.info/forums/showthread.php?t=18629

[etlsport]

if you have no luck, i can always order them through work and ship them to you personally. would be 87 each for the 9000XL series or 55 a piece for the 5000 series

i believe ther is a buy 3 get 1 free rebate coming up on them starting september 3

[SlowPro48]

Your description of your VX's ride sounds like the way mine gets when it's low on nitrogen. Low N2 allows cavitation and since dampers don't damp very well when they're filled with froth, the bump stops get a workout - and you get a sloppy, slammin' ride!

If your shocks aren't leaking fluid, you might want to try adding some N2. There's not really a test other than check for fluid leakage and gas pressure. If they're easy to compress or don't extend at all when you take them off then you know they need N2! Just pop the caps off the top to reveal the Schrader valve and pump them up to about 250psi and see if that helps. If not, then either the internals are worn/ fluid has gotten thin and you need to rebuild or you just don't like the OEM ride and you need to get a set of aftermarket shocks.

It's never going to feel like a Caddy though no matter what shocks you put on it. The torsion bars in front make for a harsh ride over sharp-edged bumps etc. and the short wheelbase makes it pitch more than most other vehicles.

[alterastro]

Thanks guys - thats a big help! I'll have a good look at my shocks and see if I can see any evidence of leakage before I go ordering some Rancho's. Thanks especially to those of you who have offered to ship to me - much appreciated.

I have no idea where I could take them to have them tested or N2 pumped in though! Google, here I come!

I have pro-comp ES9000's on my Pajero, and that is a loverly soft ride - probably a bit too soft, but sometimes it helps to bounce gently up some obstacles http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdDPy5VO0tA

Nick

[RickOKC]

Anybody else try out Rancho's MyRide system recently (where you have a wireless controller and pump)? I love that idea, but found negative reviews from a while back. Did Rancho fix their flaws? Were the owner's issues resolved? Were the problems due to installation errors?

And... can the Rancho's be reconfigured to manual operation if necessary?

[SlowPro48]

I have no idea where I could take them to have them tested or N2 pumped in though! Google, here I come!

No need to have them tested - time on a shock dyno would cost more than a whole set of Ranchos. Besides, you already tested them with the seat of your pants - and they failed! Just do a visual inspection when you take them off. They should extend to their full length rather forcibly. If easy to compress or don't extend at all -they need N2 - cheap and easy fix. Leaking fluid - they need a rebuild and you have to decide if they're worth it given the affordable aftermarket alternatives. Shaft scored or pitted - toss 'em - they're definitely not worth the cost of re-shafting.

As far as where to take them, any motorcycle shop should be able to supply the nitrogen. I go to the local KTM dealer - 10 bucks and good to go for another year. If you want to spend a little more money and do it right this would normally be a good time to change fluid too but since it sounds like you're on the fence about the OEM ride you might want to just give them a shot of N2 and see if they ride anywhere near what you'd like - then if they do, go for the fluid change because we're talking about probably 80 bucks worth of shock fluid plus at least an hour of shop time - 10 minutes to get the air out of the rears and 50 minutes to bleed the fronts because the &^%$# reservoir is upside down.

If they need rebuilding, a *good* motorcycle shop (and by good I mean one that caters to racers especially XC or MX) should not only be able to change the fluid but might also even rebuild them for you. There's nothing exotic about these shocks - they just need a standard Kayaba 46 X 16 sealhead rebuild kit, a piston ring and various o-rings - and of course that high dollar fluid! A lot of shops don't like to mess with suspension work though - but a good shop should at least be able to refer you to a suspension guru in your area who could rebuild them and even soften up the compression damping a tiny bit in the front.