P500 500 shocks

500

500

Well-Known Member
May 14, 2015
589
932
93
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
What is the primary limiting factor for the short travel of the 500's suspension?
What I'm getting at is this-- if I had custom coilovers made, is there room for more uptravel?
Is the short travel solely based upon the stock coilover's limitations, or is this related to not having anymore room for travel outside of having longer arms/axles made?
The stock ride is very poor IMO.
 
CBC89

CBC89

Member
Aug 8, 2015
66
73
18
What is the primary limiting factor for the short travel of the 500's suspension?
What I'm getting at is this-- if I had custom coilovers made, is there room for more uptravel?
Is the short travel solely based upon the stock coilover's limitations, or is this related to not having anymore room for travel outside of having longer arms/axles made?
The stock ride is very poor IMO.
I think if you wanted more travel you would have to change the entire setup, longer a-arms and longer shafts, The Axles are designed for those angles specifically, I do not think changing shocks would give you that much more travel, just better ride quality possibly. If you do not extend the arms and axles, you will be working on the unit more than you want to IMO
 
500

500

Well-Known Member
May 14, 2015
589
932
93
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
I think if you wanted more travel you would have to change the entire setup, longer a-arms and longer shafts, The Axles are designed for those angles specifically, I do not think changing shocks would give you that much more travel, just better ride quality possibly. If you do not extend the arms and axles, you will be working on the unit more than you want to IMO

I was hoping for more up travel. Even to gain an inch in addition to better coilover dampening would be a vast improvement.
Outside of SuperATV or Highlifter, is there a company who may fabricate a longer arm setup for the 500?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Phillip
CBC89

CBC89

Member
Aug 8, 2015
66
73
18
I was hoping for more up travel. Even to gain an inch in addition to better coilover dampening would be a vast improvement.
Outside of SuperATV or Highlifter, is there a company who may fabricate a longer arm setup for the 500?
With less "stiff" coils you will possibly get a little more up travel, However this will affect your ride if you ride hard. Example if you hit any jumps or anything like that, the hard impact will probably break some things. Shocks just are not designed for comfort, they are designed for high impact and keeping the front end from blowing out if that makes sense. I do not know of Any aftermarket "lifts" to this point, but I have heard some talk of aftermarket shocks being designed. Might just need to hold out for those. Might not increase travel that much but will should improve the ride quality greatly.
 
500

500

Well-Known Member
May 14, 2015
589
932
93
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
With less "stiff" coils you will possibly get a little more up travel, However this will affect your ride if you ride hard. Example if you hit any jumps or anything like that, the hard impact will probably break some things. Shocks just are not designed for comfort, they are designed for high impact and keeping the front end from blowing out if that makes sense. I do not know of Any aftermarket "lifts" to this point, but I have heard some talk of aftermarket shocks being designed. Might just need to hold out for those. Might not increase travel that much but will should improve the ride quality greatly.

I appreciate your feedback, but you have missed the point. First, the stiffness of the coils have zero to do with the travel. Travel is limited to what it is on this machine due to the shock stroke and whether you have bump stops and limiting straps- not the spring. The spring rate correlates to how easily the stroke is allowed to max out through compression and dampening. My question was geared to anyone who has taken the time and looked at the geometry to see if there is any additional room for up travel, and if so, how much. If there is room and it does not bind the CV slip in further compression, then I could address my issue with coilovers that have the same maxed length to retain the same droop but allow more stroke to bottom. Again, I appreciate your feedback, but we are on different pages. BTW, shocks are designed for comfort, and many people pay a lot of money for better shocks to improve ride quality- just as the Ranchos on my truck provide.
 
CBC89

CBC89

Member
Aug 8, 2015
66
73
18
I appreciate your feedback, but you have missed the point. First, the stiffness of the coils have zero to do with the travel. Travel is limited to what it is on this machine due to the shock stroke and whether you have bump stops and limiting straps- not the spring. The spring rate correlates to how easily the stroke is allowed to max out through compression and dampening. My question was geared to anyone who has taken the time and looked at the geometry to see if there is any additional room for up travel, and if so, how much. If there is room and it does not bind the CV slip in further compression, then I could address my issue with coilovers that have the same maxed length to retain the same droop but allow more stroke to bottom. Again, I appreciate your feedback, but we are on different pages. BTW, shocks are designed for comfort, and many people pay a lot of money for better shocks to improve ride quality- just as the Ranchos on my truck provide.
I understand your question now, and no I have not heard of anyone taking the time to do this as of yet. Most of what I hear is that people are just waiting for aftermarket shocks, which will hopefully be soon. I did not say that weren't design for comfort, just simply put they are designed to also protect from brutal impacts that some riders strive for( jumps and whoops and such, not the occasional trail ride the feels like a Cadillac comfort that rides like a cloud. Different stokes for different folks (pun intended haha). Good luck in whatever you decide. I think the wait for the aftermarkets will be well worth it! But if you do decide to do it that way let us know how it turns out.
 
500

500

Well-Known Member
May 14, 2015
589
932
93
Ownership

  1. 1000-5
I understand your question now, and no I have not heard of anyone taking the time to do this as of yet. Most of what I hear is that people are just waiting for aftermarket shocks, which will hopefully be soon. I did not say that weren't design for comfort, just simply put they are designed to also protect from brutal impacts that some riders strive for( jumps and whoops and such, not the occasional trail ride the feels like a Cadillac comfort that rides like a cloud. Different stokes for different folks (pun intended haha). Good luck in whatever you decide. I think the wait for the aftermarkets will be well worth it! But if you do decide to do it that way let us know how it turns out.

I am going to take the 500 to the shop next week and remove the coilover. I am going to find the maximum allowable up stroke and down stroke with coilover removed in relation to the OEM axle's allowances as well as any frame, front brake lines, etc. impedances. I am interested to see how much more up stroke there is past full stock compression with the OEM coilover's limitations removed. Maybe nothing, or maybe an extra couple inches before the CV slip runs out. I would think with the SuperATV axles I could also gain another inch or so of droop without CV compromise beyond the OEM axles. Gain an inch of droop plus a couple more in compression coupled with better coilovers, I may get the ride I want without fabbing any arms. It appears I can weld new lower point tabs lateral of the OEM mount points on the upper arm to accomplish longer stroke coilovers for a better ride to facilitate the added travel. It would then be a matter of finding some coilovers dialed in for the angle as well as the stroke. The more horizontal the coilover is mounted the easier it will compress as compared to a more vertical mounting point as it currently has given both spring rates are identical. I was hoping someine else had tried this, but oh well, we will see....
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chooglin
C

Chooglin

Guest
please keep us updated on your findings !............I will be keeping an eye on this thread.
 
jak9922

jak9922

hot headed wopolock
Vendor
Lifetime Member
Jun 2, 2015
3,296
5,681
113
pittstown ny
I think there is about 10 other posts about this lol few things needs to happen ppl with time and money to find a replacement shock off of something else or someone to bite the bullet and pay a company to build a custom shock for the p5 then the company saves those numbers and can make more for ppl down the road
 
jak9922

jak9922

hot headed wopolock
Vendor
Lifetime Member
Jun 2, 2015
3,296
5,681
113
pittstown ny
@JACKAL gimme a gif of someone smashing their head off a wall please lmao
 
advertisement

About us

  • Our community has been around for many years and pride ourselves on offering unbiased, critical discussion among people of all different backgrounds. We are working every day to make sure our community is one of the best.

User Menu

Buy us a beer!

  • Lots of time and money has gone into making sure the community is running the best software, best designs, and all the other bells and whistles. Care to buy us a beer? We'd really appreciate it!

    Beer Fund!

    Club Membership!