rear shock

**tecatecrazy** · 10-09-2002, 09:46 PM

When I pulled my trike out of my truck yesterday after a good hard ride (lots of jumping and whatnot) I had noticed that my rear sprocket had mashed a nice dent into the bottom side of my exhaust (not cool). For a guy weighing in at a slender 230 lbs. how much charge should I have in my rear shock? :oops: What An

**Jeroboam7** · 10-09-2002, 11:45 PM

You can't charge it unless you have a bottle of nitrogen sitting around, besides it soounds like your shock needs to be rebuilt or replaced!

**MR ATC** · 10-10-2002, 03:05 PM

and it also sounds like you need a new spring if you bottomed that hard most stock spring rates are for 150-180lb riders and this spring is what 18yrs old?

**tecatecrazy** · 10-10-2002, 05:27 PM

I am a plumber and have access to all the nitrogen I need assuming that the seals are still good and I can compress the spring with a spanner wrench to stiffen it up a bit, but I was wondering how much nitrogen charge I should have given my weight?

**Howdy** · 10-10-2002, 06:33 PM

The spring is what is adjusted for the weight of the rider.

To my knowledge The nitrogen pressure doesn't vary much. I read in a manual some where that it's around 298lbs pressure. The nitrogen is for dampening use only. If your low on pressure you have a leak some where and it will leak down again without it being repaired.

**MR ATC** · 10-10-2002, 09:02 PM

Just to clarify a few things. springs have what is called spring rates. like i said most spring rates are for the 150-180lb range. yes you can adjust them but only so far. the spring is what holds your atv up and determines what it takes to bottom it out the shock itself only slows the process weather it be on the compression stroke or the rebound stroke. here is a way to tell if your spring rate is correct for your weight (and with this test it dose not matter if your shock is anygood or not) first you need to set what is called "race sag" to do this put the trike on a stand measure the distance from the axel to the rear fender (be sure to mark this spot you will need to use it again) write this measurement down. now set the trike down and get in all your normal riding gear sit on trike and take same measurement. write this down. no subtract the second measurement from the first. write this number down. now this number should represent 1/3 of your shocks total travel (say if you have 9" travel you should have 3" of sag) if it dose not adjust your spring untill you get a sag measurement that is 1/3 of your total travel. once you get this "race sag" set it is time to see if your spring rate is correct. to do this, with the trike on the ground push down on the suspension several times. now take the same measurement (this is "free sag")and subtract it from your first measurement . if you have the proper spring rate it should be 1/3 of your "race sag" measurement or in this case 1" if you have more then 1/3 your spring is to soft to little your spring is to stiff. once you get this right you can now recharge your shock to 285psi-325psi and it will actually work like its suposed to providing you do not have a leaking shock shaft seal if your shock dose not hold pressure the seal is shot and the snock needs to be rebuilt.

**tecatecrazy** · 10-10-2002, 10:29 PM

it looks like i got some measureing to do thanks mratc

**tecatecrazy** · 10-10-2002, 10:44 PM

:? Just a guestimate, but i'd say that when i sit on it I use up half of the suspension travel. nothin like wrenchin.

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