Finally got Beast hi po shocks!

[MICRider]

I finally won an auction for Beast front shocks... Kept losing by one bid (weird huh?) so I went a little higher and got a set for $59. Hope they make a difference in how it inexplicably turns when it hits a bump

[FastDoc]

It was worth the wait that sounds like a great deal!

[MICRider]

Yup, I'm hoping that they make a difference in the handling. I wonder if they got them fixed up too, I recall a bunch of members having problems with them leaking the gas out before. Heck though, even leaking the gas out they probably work better than the stock pogo sticks

[Weldangrind]

The pogo stick reference is exactly right.

Upon removing the front shocks and placing the front end on a jackstand, you can articulate the suspension and see that there is no bumpsteer within the useable range. You're gonna love those shocks.

[TurboT]

Congrats! They work great!

[MICRider]

Weather was a little milder this morning so I slapped the shocks on... Took all of about 15 minutes counting rounding up the tools and moving my bike and car around to make room in the garage. Took substantially longer to get the old Beasty running but I finally got it to light up. Much much nicer ride, the new shocks are not nearly as stiff and seem to actually have a controlled rebound vs just bouncing back up like the stockers did.

Front end is still wonky though, so I will have to play with that a bit more when I get a chance. I loosened up the castellated nut on the bottom of the steering shaft as well as the pillow block pinch bolts at the top, but the bars are still really hard to turn (like, really hard!) especially compared to my son's Mini Beast. Still likes to take off to the left... A lot!

Here's a couple of pics in the snow with the new shocks on, not great pics but you can kind of see the shocks.


Cheers,
Stew

[SpudRider]

It sounds as if the new shocks made a big improvement for a mere $59 investment, Stew.

Spud

[FastDoc]

Glad to see a fellow ATV'er playing in the snow. It's fun!

Can you have something bent in the front end? A headstem bearing/grease/adjustment issue? An alignment problem? Tire pressures not equal?

[Weldangrind]

There are no bearings in the head stem, only two clamshell halves with o-ring grooves. At the factory, they simply cut the o-rings to install them, so they don't sit like they should. I removed the bars and stretched new o-rings over the bar mount and rolled them down the steering stem to the clamshells. I used o-rings from the red kit at Princess; awesome value in that kit for around $10.00.

I also removed the steering stem from the pillow block and drilled and tapped it for a zerk. I then stacked stainless washers until the hole in the threads would line up with the castles on the nut. It's much better now, and the steering slop it had is gone. Yours might be tight because one of the o-rings are trapped in the clamshell.

If you remove the tie-rod ends from the steering stem, is the steering still stiff? Also, what amount of toe is in it now?

[MICRider]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

There are no bearings in the head stem, only two clamshell halves with o-ring grooves. At the factory, they simply cut the o-rings to install them, so they don't sit like they should. I removed the bars and stretched new o-rings over the bar mount and rolled them down the steering stem to the clamshells. I used o-rings from the red kit at Princess; awesome value in that kit for around $10.00.

I also removed the steering stem from the pillow block and drilled and tapped it for a zerk. I then stacked stainless washers until the hole in the threads would line up with the castles on the nut. It's much better now, and the steering slop it had is gone. Yours might be tight because one of the o-rings are trapped in the clamshell.

If you remove the tie-rod ends from the steering stem, is the steering still stiff? Also, what amount of toe is in it now?

I'll have to have a look at that and remove the tie rod ends... Your thinking one of the tie rods might be seized? I have (or had, I've messed with it since...) the toe in and caster/camber set pretty much at neutral. It doesn't seem to matter how I adjust it always wants to go left. I did notice when I had it jacked up though that the left side wheel didn't spin too well. Perhaps a bad bearing or sticking brakes could be contributing to it... Last time I was messing with the tie rods and ball joints I didn't have it jacked up. It would be nice to get the front end sorted, it's like night and day going from my Beast to my sons Mini Beast (other than his bike is tiny) . Sure ran nice once I got it going though, spun donuts like crazy!

Cheers,
Stew

[MICRider]

On the subject of the shocks again, amazes me how they can make something like that for so cheap. More than likely they leak just like the old hi po shocks but they still look like really nice pieces. The machining looks really good.

[Weldangrind]

Not necessarily thinking that the tie rod ends are seized, just wondering if the steering is still stiff once disconnected from the wheels.

Sealed bearings are cheap, and yes, it seems reasonable that a bad bearing or sticking brake could cause the trouble. If you place the front and on a jack stand and remove a shock, you'll note that there is no bumpsteer in the useable range.

BTW, how could you adjust caster? I only have a provision for camber and toe on ours.

[MICRider]

Originally Posted by Weldangrind

Not necessarily thinking that the tie rod ends are seized, just wondering if the steering is still stiff once disconnected from the wheels.

Sealed bearings are cheap, and yes, it seems reasonable that a bad bearing or sticking brake could cause the trouble. If you place the front and on a jack stand and remove a shock, you'll note that there is no bumpsteer in the useable range.

BTW, how could you adjust caster? I only have a provision for camber and toe on ours.

Oops, your right! It is only camber you can adjust with the threaded ball joint rods, I was mistakenly using the term caster/camber. I had the toe in set pretty much at 0 and the camber set at a right angle to the floor and it still takes off sideways to the left. Bears further investigation. Gotta say though, bikes are easier to set up... A lot less adjustments .

[Weldangrind]

Shoot for 1/8" to 1/4" of toe-in and see if that helps, after eliminating the bearing and brake as possibilites.

[waynec]

In case it was assumed my shocks had sold................I still have them.........waynec