Beast REAR Performance Shock. Black Spring

[PCD]

I didnt want this to get lost in our other shock threads. Not going to include pictures because we all know what it looks like.

First, save yourself some time and unload the shock before you install it. All the way to the top.
The spring is INSANE (not in a good way). I think waynev said he had a way of measuring lbs on springs, I bet this sucker comes in at 900. It is stupid, stupid stiff.
This spring fought me all the way to the top and still has a boatload of tension on it.
Contrast this with the front shocks where about an inch from the top the lock ring will spin freely by hand. Not so with the rear.

I also knocked down the psi to 130 which is as low as I want to go.

You will need 4 large washers to center the eyes on the mounts. The stock beast shock has a bush that extends 1/4" to either side in each eye but I couldnt get them out so if you just stick the performance shock in there you will bend the ears of the mount attempting to tighten it and you will still fail because there is too much free space.
If you could drive out the bushing in the stocker and install it in the performance one, you would be golden.

I may put the stock piece back on, or swap springs, I dunno, but Im not leaving it like this. Rebound? There IS no rebound. No sag, no compression...its like sitting on a bag of rocks.

Honestly, unless you like the looks of it, or weigh 400lbs, dont bother. Seriously.

[waynev]

The springs we use on our microsprints usually don't go over 200lbs/in of spring rate, usually a bathroom scale, tape measure and our arbour press is what i use to check the rate, for anything larger i use my friends race scales and a bottle jack in a fixture, basically all you doing is checking how many pounds on the scale it takes to move the spring, i usually check the 1" and 2" points since the springs we use are quite linear, maybe i'll take my rear performance shock apart and measure the rate on the spring.
If i find it's too stiff i may just machine up some aluminum spacers so i can run an AFCO coil spring on it, that way when i buy a spring i know what spring rate i'm getting.

[PCD]

The springs we use on our microsprints usually don't go over 200lbs/in of spring rate, usually a bathroom scale, tape measure and our arbour press is what i use to check the rate, for anything larger i use my friends race scales and a bottle jack in a fixture, basically all you doing is checking how many pounds on the scale it takes to move the spring, i usually check the 1" and 2" points since the springs we use are quite linear, maybe i'll take my rear performance shock apart and measure the rate on the spring.
If i find it's too stiff i may just machine up some aluminum spacers so i can run an AFCO coil spring on it, that way when i buy a spring i know what spring rate i'm getting.

Any tips on how to get them apart with laymans tools? Not worried about spilling oil or anything, just want to swap the red spring in.

[waynev]

Look at the bottom mount, you'll see a nut in there at the bottom of the shaft, you must loosen that to get the bottom mount off then the spring will come off.If you can't get a wrench in there then use the method in the pic below, clamp, 19mm wrench and a big screwdriver or steel rod that will fit in the hole in the bottom.

I just loosened my rear shock, it's about 5/8" from the top when the spring is unbound, based from there i moved the blue bump stop up to the top of the shock body, then put all my weigh on it and it moved the bump stop 9/16" so based on that my rough spring rate would be 311lbs/in ( i weigh 175lbs ). Now since the rear shock is mounted right at the rear of the axle there is no lever arm acting on it like a shock that is mounted futher up on the swingarm and the shock angle is not big enough to affect the spring rate, with that in mind and my rough spring rate it would take 600lbs to make the shock move 2" and that does seem quite stiff to me.



http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/uu188/waynebrandy/100_1425.jpg

[waynev]

NOTE: Use loctite when reassembling and remember the red spring is longer it will have to be cut down.

[PCD]

NOTE: Use loctite when reassembling and remember the red spring is longer it will have to be cut down.

I never thought of compressing the spring to gain access to the nut. I was dicking around with 45 degree needle nose, etc. What a maroon.

OK, cant ask for much more than that.

Thanks for taking the time, I appreciate it waynev.

P.S. Let me know when you're going to be in the Toronto area. Large DD and you are the proud new owner of a Monster pipe (PINK even) That still leaves one open for TurboT.

600lbs? Well, I wouldnt be surpirsed. I have a yellow stock rear spring but I dont have them side by side like you do at the moment.

Sigh...all that wotk for nothing because I cant leave it like this....it,s like riding a hard tail.

[PCD]

Went and did some riding. Came back to home base and removed the black spring performance shock. Useless the way it is now.

I had the thing adjusted similar to waynev's pic above, i.e. adjuster nut backed off all the way to the top. This actually created a 1/4" gap for the spring to rattle around (up/down) if you put the bike on a lift and let the suspension sag down. With the bike on the ground the weight of it puts a little pressuree on the spring, but it still effectively has ZERO preload which is my rambling point.

The shock did nothing in the field. Just for S&G I took ALL the pressure out of it but course it made no difference because it never compresses enough to schieve a rebound/damping effect.

[Weldangrind]

Would the yellow coil ID be suitable for installation on the reservoir shock?

[PCD]

Would the yellow coil ID be suitable for installation on the reservoir shock?

Probably W&G, they look close, but I just dont have the get up & go to tackle it right now. I need a break. Sick of messing with them. Lots of effort, little reward.

Wish I hadnt bought the fscking things.

[suprf1y]

I put the yellow spring on my sons, and it worked much better.
The fit isn't 100%, but at least it works. The original spring was so stiff it was useless.

[Weldangrind]

suprf1y, was the free length of the yellow spring similar to the black (or red) one? Did you need to cut coils to make it fit? Was the ID similar?

[suprf1y]

Length was OK, but the ID was slightly smaller. Enough that it sits slightly cocked on the bottom. It's better than what came with it, though.

[PCD]

suprf1y, was the free length of the yellow spring similar to the black (or red) one? Did you need to cut coils to make it fit? Was the ID similar?

Yes, very similar. No, no coils were cut. To make it seat perfectly you will either have to turn down the stepped diameter on the keeper plates, or run a dremel aroung the inside of the first and last coil on the spring.

Looks to me like an 1/8" or 3/16" difference on dia. which is not much.

[Weldangrind]

I'm half tempted to buy one of these rear shocks and swap the yellow spring on, but not until the existing shock fails. The ride is ok for now.

[PCD]

I'm half tempted to buy one of these rear shocks and swap the yellow spring on, but not until the existing shock fails. The ride is ok for now.

I'm finished with mine now. 150psi N, yellow spring, preload about 1/2" from the top (just enough so i cant spin the spring by hand). Coils ALMOST sitting flush but I'm not fooling with them any more. The yellow plastic coating will rub off and thats about all thats stopping them from seating perfectly, so screw it.

May adjust preload after next ride, we'll see.