All UTV's SHOCK SURVEY!

[OFFROADSWAPMEET]

SHOCK SURVEY

1.What is your FAVORITE shock to run on your UTV race or not.
2.PROS Vs. CONS on Adjustable shocks or NON-Adjustable shocks.
3.Input on air shocks

I have been running RADFLO shocks since I've had LONG TRAVEL on my RHINO. This is the second set of RADFLO shocks and I have been very confident that they will push me through the whoop sections and land the big jumps out in the desert.
I run with non-adjustable shocks,This dosent mean we cant take them apart and valve them to my needs. I have rhode in the DUNES,DESERT,SHORT COURSE,GP RACES, SOBOBA/UTVunderground LONG JUMP CONTEST,WORCS and no adjustments needed.

SHOCK MANUFACTURES
ELKA
KING
FOX
WALKER EVANS
RADFLO
AFCO
iSHOCK
BILSTIEN
RANCHO
STOCK

 

[JoeyD23]

Dan if you start a new thread you can create a poll......Then everyone can vote and we can easily monitor the results.....

Otherwise I am a Walker Evans Racing and Fox Racing Shox guy all day!!! Both are the top of the food chain when it comes to UTV shocks IMO. Elka makes some really good products as well. I am also influenced by who supports UTVUnderground and WER and FOX are HUGE supporters of our site!

 

[OFFROADSWAPMEET]

Joey,
Im looking for some information on why adjustable shocks are better than non-adjustables and who is running them?

If you can give me any input that would be great.
I know what shocks you like, But why and have you tried the non-adjustables. I know how you drive a stock car with stock shocks. Watch out STOCK CLASS.

 

[JoeyD23]

Adjustable shocks are better for obvious reasons. You have the flexibility needed when traversing different types of terrain. For a person like me who rides in all sorts of different terrain I need the adjustability to tune the car for my ride. I also need to use a manufacturer that has the ability to fine tune my shocks for my preferences much like WER and FOX. Both companies have experienced tuner's outside of their in-house guys. You could send your WER shocks to XMF and have them dialed in or your FOX shocks to Cognito or Magnum and have them dial them in. Again, adjustable all the way! Its a big reason why most UTV's are coming with adjustable shocks as even the manufacturers know that preference is going to change from rider to rider and region to region. Riding style and where you ride requires flexibility in your suspension. If I was to buy a UTV that came without adjustable shocks, that would be my first upgrade!

 

[Darryl89]

I run King 28 inch long/10 inch travel Coilovers with remotes. I'm not running adjustable as I've found that valving and proper spring setup puts them within a few percent of being accurate. I don't like having too many things to go wrong or that someone can change on me...
Besides, King offers such a great support program, at most major events, they'll adjust the shocks for you.

Some guys like having that adjustability of clickers for dampening and rebound though.. not me.

all the way!!

 

[Bajaxp]

I am a HUGE fan of Walker Evans shocks for both racing and play. Here is my reasoning; made in the USA (in Riverside California), excellent customer service, excellent quality, good technology (eg they do air shocks, needle shocks, etc.), they race, support the sport, their compression clickers don't require tools and you can really feel a change with a few clicks, etc. Negatives...their website sucks!

As for adjustable shock vs non...here is my take. For racing I personally don't think you need adjustable shocks, if they were originally set up correctly. I went out with the Walker guys and tested in Barstow at race speeds. We revalved and now have a desert valve code that works excellent in BITD races. But I don't play ride my race rig. If I did, I likely would want compression adjustability so I could get a cushy ride when we were just cruising around. Rebound adjustability is pretty dangerous for the guy who doesn't know what he is doing. For example, a guy might get some rear 'kick' and assume that the shocks are 'pogo-sticking' when in fact the shocks might be packing up until they bottom and the kick is actually tire bounce. But it is a nice feature if it is used correctly (a video camera played back in slow motion, sometimes helps rebound issues).

My $.02

 

[07fj]

Adjustable shocks are better for obvious reasons. You have the flexibility needed when traversing different types of terrain. For a person like me who rides in all sorts of different terrain I need the adjustability to tune the car for my ride. I also need to use a manufacturer that has the ability to fine tune my shocks for my preferences much like WER and FOX. Both companies have experienced tuner's outside of their in-house guys. You could send your WER shocks to XMF and have them dialed in or your FOX shocks to Cognito or Magnum and have them dial them in. Again, adjustable all the way! Its a big reason why most UTV's are coming with adjustable shocks as even the manufacturers know that preference is going to change from rider to rider and region to region. Riding style and where you ride requires flexibility in your suspension. If I was to buy a UTV that came without adjustable shocks, that would be my first upgrade!

I second this, I prefer Fox over others, but I would not get them directly from Fox or some vendors, only a few have UTV shocks dialed

 

[RZRluvr]

I am a HUGE fan of Walker Evans shocks for both racing and play. Here is my reasoning; made in the USA (in Riverside California), excellent customer service, excellent quality, good technology (eg they do air shocks, needle shocks, etc.), they race, support the sport, their compression clickers don't require tools and you can really feel a change with a few clicks, etc. Negatives...their website sucks!

As for adjustable shock vs non...here is my take. For racing I personally don't think you need adjustable shocks, if they were originally set up correctly. I went out with the Walker guys and tested in Barstow at race speeds. We revalved and now have a desert valve code that works excellent in BITD races. But I don't play ride my race rig. If I did, I likely would want compression adjustability so I could get a cushy ride when we were just cruising around. Rebound adjustability is pretty dangerous for the guy who doesn't know what he is doing. For example, a guy might get some rear 'kick' and assume that the shocks are 'pogo-sticking' when in fact the shocks might be packing up until they bottom and the kick is actually tire bounce. But it is a nice feature if it is used correctly (a video camera played back in slow motion, sometimes helps rebound issues).

My $.02

X10
I run Walkers on my 50" and love them! Great customer service, local and made in the USA

 

[Dudeonit]

WERS on all my RZRS. Great people too!!!

 

[BiggJim]

I ONLY run Fox shocks. I prefer Adjustability. I want to have the ability to make some changes on the fly depending on the terrain Im on. I also carry the mindset of “WHAT IF†What if I bought the non adjustable version and felt it need to be adjusted??? Now I have wasted money by not spending a few more bucks from the get go!

 

[Mike L]

I think Baja XP said it perfectly! I can't believe that I agree with him on something... LOL

I run Walker Evans non adjustable shocks on my race car and adjustable shocks on my play car.

 

[BiggJim]

I am a HUGE fan of Walker Evans shocks for both racing and play. Here is my reasoning; made in the USA (in Riverside California), excellent customer service, excellent quality, good technology (eg they do air shocks, needle shocks, etc.), they race, support the sport, their compression clickers don't require tools and you can really feel a change with a few clicks, etc. Negatives...their website sucks!

As for adjustable shock vs non...here is my take. For racing I personally don't think you need adjustable shocks, if they were originally set up correctly. I went out with the Walker guys and tested in Barstow at race speeds. We revalved and now have a desert valve code that works excellent in BITD races. But I don't play ride my race rig. If I did, I likely would want compression adjustability so I could get a cushy ride when we were just cruising around. Rebound adjustability is pretty dangerous for the guy who doesn't know what he is doing. For example, a guy might get some rear 'kick' and assume that the shocks are 'pogo-sticking' when in fact the shocks might be packing up until they bottom and the kick is actually tire bounce. But it is a nice feature if it is used correctly (a video camera played back in slow motion, sometimes helps rebound issues).

My $.02

I think Baja XP said it perfectly! I can't believe that I agree with him on something... LOL

I run Walker Evans non adjustable shocks on my race car and adjustable shocks on my play car.

Another though of mine is....Joe Public dont really have the option to go out and get dialed in with the manufacture so adjustability should look really good to the consumer.

 

[Darryl89]

I ONLY run Fox shocks. I prefer Adjustability. I want to have the ability to make some changes on the fly depending on the terrain Im on. I also carry the mindset of “WHAT IF†What if I bought the non adjustable version and felt it need to be adjusted??? Now I have wasted money by not spending a few more bucks from the get go!

King Shocks can always be upgraded to include adjustability just as many Fox Shocks can.

 

[chad59]

I have the WER shocks with my XMF kit with the remote reservoirs and they are adjustable. But I have had a really great experience working with XMF. They put the kit on the car adjusted everything one time and I have only added 2 clicks to the rear. So in my experience if a suspension manufacturer uses a shock there is probably a reason why. They tend to design their kits with specific shocks and the shocks characteristics in mind also kits tend to perform better with said shocks.

 

[c&c rhino]

i run non adjustable coil overs. i valve the shocks myself so im not dependant. most shocks are similar in the way they work. so ill take free shocks and be pretty satisfied. if im paying i only buy fox. solid stainless shaft and in general very high quality materials. i can go to kartek and build a fox shock from parts off the shelf if needed.

 

[Seaver]

Walker Evans, I love my 2.O shocks on my RZR S, Huge upgrade for me. Randy and the guys at WER are great people. Very quick turn around for service. I hope to buy an XP soon and will have WER shocks on it before I take it to the track.

 

[mdbann5800]

im running 2.5 air shocks on my four seat car and i like them. kevin at custom creations set them up for me

 

[OFFROADSWAPMEET]

Tons of input and very precise,thanks guys.
Keep it coming guys tons of help!
Walker Evans is looking pretty good here!

 

[tatum]

I have 2.5 internal bypass Fox shocks on my Teryx and thet are great shocks but I have to revalve depending on short course or desert raceing.I will say when I took them apart after 3 Baja races and pre runs they still looked like new inside.

I have hi/lo compression and rebound adjustable Elkas on my Rhino and thet are great for desert,play, and the dunes but on short course are to soft even when turned all the way in.

I think you definitly want adjustability if you are multi tasking with your UTV but if you have one set thing you do then it isnt really necessary.They main thing is getting them setup correctly.

 

[FBT]

I agree with Jim, the Fox RC2's that came with my Cognito kit paid for themselves the first time I stopped, took about 4 minutes to adjust all 4 shocks, and saw the amazed look on my wife's face when we hit several sets of whoops later.
Adjustability in the field allows you to make fine adjustments to compensate for the different terrain you may encounter...one week in the dunes, the next on a fire trail...I am a believer.