rear track shock problems

[bannockrider]

so this season i installed a 162" attack 20 track on my 900. in the process we set the supsension back 1.5". we have been on three rides trouble free until now. i was just outside looking at my sled and found something majorly wrong with my rear track shock. (see pictures)

does anybody have ideas what wouldve caused this? also, i have a spare front shock with no spring on it that is brand new, could i run this as a replacement for the rear track shock? thanks

 

[Z-Man]

What exactly did you move and why? That looks bolted in the same spot as mine. Did you pull the spring off before taking that picture because your spring should be in there too. I have all the parts to fix this, unfortunately they are in a storage shed 1200 miles away from me.

If you moved your front arm back and you left the back in the stock position that would explain this but not sure why anyone would do that. That would cause the suspension to bind up. If you hit a big enough bump the rear shock would bottom and that bar would bend as it took the full force of the impact.

 

[bannockrider]

yes the springs are off in that picture. when we set the suspension back we drilled new holes for the front mounting spot (see picture 1)and moved the rear torque arm mounting bolts on the rails forward (see picture 2). therefore moving the suspension back. the guy i bought the track from told me i would have to set the suspension back to take up the extra slack in the track from the 159 to 162. and he showed me this way of setting the suspension back. now i got problems....

 

[Z-Man]

Ok, that would almost work. You didn't move the shock mount on the rail, so your shock is partially compressed all the time and your suspension travel was limited. As long as you did not hit a big bump that bottomed out your suspension you were fine. When you did your shock bottomed out before your suspension did. You might be able to make what you did work by taking off the bent part and cutting a section out of it and welding it back together. You would have to cycle the suspension to see the length compressed and extended to make sure it won't bind up.
My guess is that if you pull off that bar you can get a close measurement on how long it needs to be by measuring between the mounts with the track off the ground. It would have to be just slightly longer that that length so your shock is not banging every time your suspension drops all the way.

The amount you will need to remove but should be roughly equal to twice the distance you moved the suspension back.

 

[Z-Man]

One more thing, Your suspension bump stops are now in the wrong place too and when your suspension fully compresses the top crossbar will bang on the rails. Compress the suspension all the way and see where it contacts your rails and relocate the rubber stop.

 

[Z-Man]

While you have that bent bar removed also check to see if your shock binds on the suspension anywhere in it's travel. Ideally you would need a shock 1.5 inches shorter too if that is how much you moved the rail back, but you may be able to make it work if the shock isn't binding up and I'm pretty sure it won't bind on you or it would be bound on top right now with that bar bent.

 

[bannockrider]

so you are pretty much saying to cycle the suspension and see how long i need to make that piece. and that i will probably have to make it shorter. is that what you are saying?

 

[Z-Man]

so you are pretty much saying to cycle the suspension and see how long i need to make that piece. and that i will probably have to make it shorter. is that what you are saying?

You can either make that piece shorter or try to figure out a way to move the rear suspension mount on the tunnel back. Just unbolt the bent piece and lift the rear of your sled off the ground and measure between the mounts for the bent piece with your shock fully extended.

The bent piece needs to be just slightly longer than that measurement so the shock does not slam against itself.

Compress the suspension and compress the shock all the way and measure the distance between the mounts again. This should be longer than your first measurement.

Take an average of the two measurements and that is the length that bent bar needs to be.

 

[bannockrider]

ok thanks

 

[guidoxpress]

is it just me, or does the "missing" rear torsion springs an issue? no where in the pics does it show the torsion springs, new mounting for the springs ect ect?

 

[Z-Man]

is it just me, or does the "missing" rear torsion springs an issue? no where in the pics does it show the torsion springs, new mounting for the springs ect ect?

I asked him that first, he took them off before taking the pictures. New geometry would affect the springs too. It would effectively make them stiffer and he could adjust the suspension adjuster block to compensate for this if he needed to.

 

[guidoxpress]

why remove them, install skid again just to take pics?

 

[Z-Man]

why remove them, install skid again just to take pics?

They are still on there, just spun out of the way. You can see them in his pictures.

 

[guidoxpress]

They are still on there, just spun out of the way. You can see them in his pictures.

ok...im dumb

 

[Z-Man]

ok...im dumb

 

[rmk2112]

ok...im dumb

Must.......not........make..............comment.........trying.....hard...........to contain.......myself.

 

[sw]

Holy smokes, is there some sentimental value to the attack 20?! Sell it! Move suspension back where it was and get the right size track...I don't want to come off like I'm raining on your parade but why re-invent the wheel over a track swap, plus it makes tuning your suspension easier on a known geometry. Or get some custom made rails to fit, they'll do the geo for you!

 

[Z-Man]

Attack 20 is a 3.0 pitch track. He had to switch drivers to run it, so it would cost big dollars to swap it back. It should be pretty simple to cut, then weld that piece back together. Much easier than swapping the track back and suspension should work pretty much the same, maybe just a little firmer in the back because of the new position of the rear spring. It's might even actually work better because he is decreasing his front track angel by moving the suspension back.

 

[bannockrider]

hey z-man, how much distance is there between your anti ratchets and the tip of your rails? thanks again for all the help

 

[Z-Man]

hey z-man, how much distance is there between your anti ratchets and the tip of your rails? thanks again for all the help

Quite a bit but I have smaller diameter anti ratchet drivers. I also cut the rail tips off and installed an anti-stab kit. Not sure if moving your rails back will give enough clearance. I would check it closely if I were you.