front shock
the stock white colored FOX shock spring seem to be 188-200 lb spring varies from kit to kit, I'M not sure what timberleds original target was. I test the springs for rate compressed 1", that is acurate for what the Fox springs show as marked.
right now I am running a 10" 255 lb big diameter spring off of a Honda 4 wheeler on the front TS shock..........I had to make a new set of perch's, the idea was to run a long stiff spring with no preload, I have just enough preload with the limiter strap installed so the spring perch's/clips won't fall out. Climbs better, helps the front end handling. I have run an 8" 240 in front, really can't tell that much difference, but I know from dealing with bike suspension the last 50 years, best springs are those that work with little or no preload.
This week of riding I ran this big diameter 250 in front and an 8" 225 on the rear.
Good but the rear still bottomed and I had to use up all the adjustment while out riding to get it decent. I had just sold the last 240 and 250 springs in 8" I had , so waiting now to try an 8"
240 for the rear when they come in this week.
I also have revalved my front and rear shocks for more compression dampening and rebound dampening as I have gone to heavier shock springs. Basically add two 1.30 x .006 shims to the compression stack and a 1.00 x .006 and a .800 x .006 to the rebound stack. When I do these shocks I also port the valves for more smoooother flow..............as least I think its smoother, I know the $10,000 shocks on the big boys MX bike valves are done that way.
I am 69 years old, ride along at a pretty good clip, in my gear I weigh about 215 lbs, short track with gas tucked under the fender in 2.7 gal can, ktm 500 xcw, air in forks. As I have stiffened and improved the skid framesuspension on my TS, I have been able to run less air in my fork, running about 12lbs now.
Yesterday its was rainy and we had been riding sun all week, so shop day, I built an upper idler shaft wheel set up to take the violent flop out of the track when you are scoot 'n along in 6th gear. The ARO already has that, an issue not lost on the Polaris effeciency engineers. My track flops enough to rub on my front upper shock nut, and crossarm, depending up year of kit some do, some have more clearence there, not all front shock top mounts are welded up the same and its affects spring rate.
