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Suspension Help What to buy Please!!!!!!!!!

jrd699

Newbie
Joined
Dec 1, 2010
Messages
16
Location
Upstate NY
Just bought an 03 rx-1 turbo
I can not deal with the pro action suspension another year!!
Reading just dosen't give u the feel of all the new stuff out there. so here's my 3 options im looking into, and money is somewhat of an option, but not my total reason for buying..
1.. skid out of an rx nitro
2.. mono skid
3..zx2 suspension
I want the suspension to be comfortable and hook like a mother.. maint. and looks dont really matter much to me.. I ride primarly on alot of studder bump trails and some hard pack, BUT want to be able to adjust for the occasional day on the lake... So what can u guys who have these recommend I do????
Thanks John
 

ZX2 if money no object.

Mono if your budget or mechanical ability is limited. The Mono install is easy and the most taxing part is the installation of the mounting plates which are pre-drilled to match existing rivot holes in the tunnel. Without track change that requires gear box tear out it can be done in under 3 hrs.

I have bought mono shocks at swap meets for as little as $200 but I would send to Welt-racer on this site to have the welds upgraded and powder coated before install. Suspension $200 to $300, Mount Brackets new $100, Powder coating and welding $205, shipping $45 Approx $645 total investment if installed by you.

I have installed over 10 monos in 03 & 04's and they are the bomb as far as making the sled a long mile rider. simple tuning of the shock and limiter strap settings will take you from bridging 3' whoopdies to wheelies on launch.

I have ridden both the ZX2 and the Airwave in Apex not RX and found them to be a bit trickier on weight transfer. The ZX2 is more snow cross feel to me the airwave is more soft and not what I would think you would want in a muscle sled.

Just my 4 cents.
 
You can use it but adjustment would not be possible I would stick to tunnel adjustable worse case you get the big boy spring and revalve if necessary. There are several aftermarket shocks available but your getting into $1000 area.
 
I have rode the nytro skid, a rx with edge skid, a m10, a zx2, and a mono EC

Best skid hadns down was/is the ZX2.

That said a ohlins Mono with PDS or mega float may be a better long mileage rider. Get into the saturday night trail whoops and the Zx2 is your best friend.
 
If you could not afford the zx2 I would get a used skid out of a cat/doo/poo before I would mess with a mono or Nytro skid. Both the Mono and Nytro skids are going to take a lot of time and effort to get it riding well. Any of the suspension swaps (other than a zx2) would require a re-valve of the socks which ups the cost and makes a used zx2 seem more cost effective.
 
Lots of great advice so far. My two cents.. I've had great luck with a 136" mono skid so far that I extended to 144". That extra length really has increased the traction and I did not notice any negative handling difference. The mono skid has gotten a bad rap due to Yamaha using less that stellar valving and springs from the factory.

If you invest in getting the shock (Ohlins) on a mono skid properly valved and sprung along with the beef up mod that's been previously mentioned you're going to have a bullet-proof set up that you can adjust for different conditions. I'd seriously consider a 144" for your application.

Feel free to PM me if you'd like.
 
"Get into the saturday night trail whoops and the Zx2 is your best friend"
Thats what I wanted to hear!!!!
 
You will add 20mph+ to your speed compared to what your used in the whooped out trails and while everyone in your group is wore out you dont know what they are so tired for...its that good.
 
the zx2 is well worth the money. In 6k miles all I have done is revalve the shocks,1 set slides. I will suck up anything you put it through,The key is revalve the shocks.
 
I haver approx 25,000 k on my zx2. It is installed on a 2004 Warrior. Had the fluid changed by A D Boivin a the start of last season. I have replaced the bushing on the upper shaft twice . This suspension change the ride of my machine completly. Best investment that I have made.
 
The Ohlins Mono can have a manual adjust high/low compression valve installed in place of the EC. But the price is begining to add up... depending on INITIAL investment in the skid, it might start approaching a ZX2.. maybe not.

I'm a fan of the Expert X and have clocked plenty of miles on one. The ZX2 looks (to me) like a twin arm version of it... Part of why that ZX2 works so well in the big stuff is that it has a version of PDS. Secondary suspension is where it is at, for a trail sled.

The Ohlins Mono w/ PDS takes the end of the day whooped out trails with aplomb.

As much as I would love to build up a super performing Ohlins Mono Shock for you, the rest of the work required to get the mono back in shape, plus installation... a ZX2 will be 100% new, unbox it, drill some holes, bolt it in and go. Hrmmmm, maybe I need to build some Ohlins for the ZX2. :drink: My point is money spent vs work required... you need figure out what is worth more (or would that be less) to you.
 


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