bottoming out???

[KYmxracer52]

I'm not sure what to do about my rear shock on my Cannibal. I have the Elka SSD set up for a 190-220lb rider and I only weigh right at 190 with gear. When I ride through a rhythm section or land off a bigger jump, the frame rails at the foot pegs hit the ground. I raised the ride height up a little more, and played with the compression some too, (about 12 clicks) and still it wants to do it. Anyone know what to do or have the same problem. I haven't played with the rebound yet. Could that be it?

[haydug]

When you are going through a rythem section, try landing nose first on the backside of the next jump, it makes your landing alot smoother. Your suspension is designed to bottom on large landings, otherwise it would beat you to death on smaller stuff. As for your rebound, the faster you go, the faster you need your rebound, think of it as your suspension needs to "recock" after each bump, so you may have a problem being to slow and not coming back up in the rythem sections. Be careful with your clickers, 12 clicks is alot, and you could be hurting yourself without knowing it. Take notes on how it works and only change a couple of clicks at a time.
Hope this helps

[KYmxracer52]

Thanks, but I think I know why it's doing it in the rythym section. It's only one of them out of the whole section. The downside is really steep, and the ramp of the next one is too close to it, so all you can do is keep the front end up and let the frame hit. Otherwise, it would try to buck you over the bars. I ride pretty fast, so I will try to speed the rebound up some and try it. The track I ride at has some huge whoops. They are deep!! The frame tries to hit sometimes in those but it's just the way I hit some of them.

[cannondale27]

What I do anytime I put new A-arms,swingarm,or shocks on is remove the springs from all the shocks and put them on the quad.Then in front I jump on the bumper with a 2x4 under the quad.If the frame hits the 2x4 something needs to be done.A 250r I worked on frame would slam right into floor so I made some 1/4 thick spacers out of nylon and put them under the bump stops.He lost some travel but was way faster and couldnt believe the dif.

[KYmxracer52]

I'm not sure if I understood that. You take the springs off, and jump on the bumper without springs on the shocks??

[cannondale27]

Yes front and back.The frame should never touch the ground when doing this.When you jump a quad the spring totally compresses along with the bumpstop the frame should never hit.This was one reason Holeshot redesigned their front MX tires all the suspensions were designed around the Radial tire the Old mx tire had too small a dia. which allowed the frame to hit.That brings up another point when you do this test make sure you have the tires on you race with and that they are up to pressure.

[justfine]

The average track is made for Motorcycles. They are lighter, and they they accelerate faster. Some jumps(ecspecially tight fast rythem sections and big jumps with a short amount of track to get a run at them) are harder for a quad to clear. I ride at a track like that a lot. It makes you a better rider, but it makes you case jumps a lot. Most of them can be worked out and figured out, but some jumps are just better suited for a bike. When quads have 60+ hp and weigh 225lbs. May be some of this will go away. Until then, it is just gonna happen.

[cannondale27]

All this is true but I think he has a problem if the frame hits the ground at the footpegs.The only time the frame should hit is if you case something or something breaks.

[KYmxracer52]

I haven't had a chance to play with my setup yet. Been very busy. Hopefully I can this weekend, since I'll have an extra day off:) I emailed Elka also to get their .02 worth on the matter. They said on a track, the quad needs 7 1/2"--9" of frame clearance WITH the rider on the quad. I just may not have that much clearace. The rhythm section on the track I ride has one landing that is almost straight-up and down. If you try to nose first that thing with a quad, your wheels will hit the ramp of the next one and over the bars you will go! SO, on that one, I have to over jump and land my front up on the ramp and my back land in between the previous landing and the present ramp. THEREFORE causing my footpegs to hit the ground for a second. I'm going to speed the rebound up a little ( I know it needs this) and Im going to check my frame clearance. The guy at Elka told me if this didn't work call him and we could discuss more setups.

Brian