P1000 814 Viking Shocks

[Firemedic530]

I received my shocks today. Unfortunately, I'm still waiting for the limiting straps and hardware to do the install. I will update this thread as I go with pictures and measurements comparing stock to these. I figured I would measure ground clearance, tire to fender full droop with shocks and static with machine weight. If you guys have other measurements you want to see let me know. Hopefully I will have the parts by the weekend.

These have 300lb front springs and 325lb rear. The limiting straps will be 19" front and rear at Craigs recommendation.

 

[Admin]

 

[Firemedic530]

The fun begins.

 

[Firemedic530]

The bottoms need spacers added because the base is wider on all 4 corners.

 

[Firemedic530]

The amount of grinding on the rear gussets isn't bad.

 

[Firemedic530]

Mounted up and ready to try. I also removed the rear sway bar while in here.

 

[Firemedic530]

Not bad with both rears still on ground.

 

[Firemedic530]

Now my impression so far.

This is my first sxs and I've never ridden in or driven any other so I don't know realistic expectations, but I need to tune more.

I've been researching and reading a lot about these and even spent 45 minutes on the phone with Craig before ordering.

I was hoping to set with minimal preload for plush initial travel and a little lift. I started there and was soft, but sat 1/2" lower than stock and with compression and rebound at recommended base it bucked and bottomed the rear hard. I played some with both C/R and didn't find a happy spot so I started increasing preload in 1/4" increments on the shock body. When I reached the 1.5" lift guys are claiming, my initial movement was stiffer than stock shocks and less compliant. I started backing off preload to try and find a happy medium. I ran out of time last night, but will continue my quest tonight. I've had the rear tires off 6 times already because you can't get to the adjusting rings with them on.

I've been changing front and rear the same amount on preload and increasing rear compression some during this testing.
I'm at 1C and 7R on front and 5C,7R on rear currently.

 

[Firemedic530]

I found it interesting that the rear stock shocks are 20.5" eye to eye and these are 19" with limiting straps. These shocks have the ability to be 22" eye to eye so we are starting 3" into the stroke as base. I know this is due to the limits of the P1K5 axles and suspension.

I have lefta message for Craig to call me and hopefully he will have more insight into tuning to get me where I want to be.

My suspension experience is limited to dirt bikes with a lot more travel and a lot less weight and only balancing front to back.

 

[Firemedic530]

Update.

With the front shocks relaxed a little more and C3, R7 it feels much better. It is definitely world's better than stock and I will probably continue tuning it for as long as I own it. I can't wait to take on the trails now. I measured preload from the top of the spring to the bottom of the adjuster nut. I'm currently at 12" front and 11 5/8" rear. This gives me about a 1" lift over stock.

 

[walexa07]

Nice - interested in your review/opinion as you get more time on them. I have been considering these or the factory fox shocks.

Waylan

 

[Firemedic530]

Today, I talked with Craig again and we believe I'm in the ball park for trail riding. Instead of measuring the length of spring preload, we are looking at free sag on the suspension. So my length with straps at full droop on the lift is actually 19.5" center bolt to center bolt. My current measurement when on wheels after driving to settle suspension is; F 17 7/8" center to center, R 18". He says 1.5" is an excellent starting point for trail riding. His testing on the P1K5 is very limited because most of his time has been spent on a P1K3. He has found his instructions and settings for the 3 is not the same as the 5. It is its own beast and I'm much closer to where the baseline should be.
I'm getting my Pitbull Rockers mounted first thing in the morning and then we are heading to one of our state parks for more testing tomorrow. I will update once I have some actual trail time.

 

[joeymt33]

300/325 springs is a lot. Why so high? Stock is 225/250 I believe. I went to 250 front and 275 rear which seems to be great.

 

[Firemedic530]

Those are the rates he sent. His thoughts on shocks for these machines are to use stiffer springs with softer valving to hold up the weight and reduce body roll. That also allows minimum preload for plusher initial travel.
That's pretty much how I understand what he said. These are a twin tube shock without gas pressure like the fox or WE or the dirtbike stuff I'm used too. Set up and tuning is definitely a little different. Much better than stock though.

 

[joeymt33]

Those are the rates he sent. His thoughts on shocks for these machines are to use stiffer springs with softer valving to hold up the weight and reduce body roll. That also allows minimum preload for plusher initial travel.
That's pretty much how I understand what he said. These are a twin tube shock without gas pressure like the fox or WE or the dirtbike stuff I'm used too. Set up and tuning is definitely a little different. Much better than stock though.

I’m curious to see how that works. It probably is time to revisit this as it’s been a while. @snuffnwhisky tried some higher spring rates with the Elka Stage 5’s which are very adjustable and just couldn’t ever get them to dial in. We did a lot of side by side testing and compared them to the the softer springs and he eventually removed the stiff springs.

Here is some of our discussion about that comparison. Post 47 and post 71 I believe is where there’s good information if you want to skip to there. P1000m5 - P1000 shock test and comparison

I ended up going up 25 lbs per corner due to accessory weight piling up. I’m now at 250/275. Seems to do pretty good. Heavy items are: stereo, sub, dual batteries, dual winches, 70lbs of skid plate, reinforced cage, etc

 

[Firemedic530]

I’m curious to see how that works. It probably is time to revisit this as it’s been a while. @snuffnwhisky tried some higher spring rates with the Elka Stage 5’s which are very adjustable and just couldn’t ever get them to dial in. We did a lot of side by side testing and compared them to the the softer springs and he eventually removed the stiff springs.

Here is some of our discussion about that comparison. Post 47 and post 71 I believe is where there’s good information if you want to skip to there. P1000m5 - P1000 shock test and comparison

I ended up going up 25 lbs per corner due to accessory weight piling up. I’m now at 250/275. Seems to do pretty good. Heavy items are: stereo, sub, dual batteries, dual winches, 70lbs of skid plate, reinforced cage, etc

I feel very confident that these shocks would behave like the Elka's did on that test. Craig explained that the way these shocks are built the dampening becomes less on a high speed( shaft speed, not vehicle speed) hit. This is opposite of a gas charged shock. These are a trail riding shock designed to be plush and more compliant on trail junk, but not designed for jumps or even whoops. His goal with these shocks are to increase comfort on the utility machines. If I can tune it to handle whoops then it will be way to harsh on the rest of the trail. That's about the limit of what I comprehend of his explanations. Lol

 

[joeymt33]

I feel very confident that these shocks would behave like the Elka's did on that test. Craig explained that the way these shocks are built the dampening becomes less on a high speed( shaft speed, not vehicle speed) hit. This is opposite of a gas charged shock. These are a trail riding shock designed to be plush and more compliant on trail junk, but not designed for jumps or even whoops. His goal with these shocks are to increase comfort on the utility machines. If I can tune it to handle whoops then it will be way to harsh on the rest of the trail. That's about the limit of what I comprehend of his explanations. Lol

Sounds cool. Maybe you could even find someone local to change the nitrogen pressure for you if you wanted to further fine-tune it. That’s something I’ve never got into.

Take some vids!

 

[Firemedic530]

We went for a trail ride today and put in about 20 miles in 3 hours. The park we went to went a little overboard on every hill with their erosion control. Every 30' they have bump that's at least 3' on the down hill side and over 1' on the uphill side. Fun on a dirtbike, not so much in a sxs.
The rest of the trails are pretty standard for Ohio and not too different than the better trails at royal blue. The front shocks are pretty close to perfect for trail riding in the 20mph range and the rears are much better than stock, but still bottomed more than I want. More tuning ahead.

Our last trip to royal blue my wife kept telling me to slow down over the trail junk until well into the night when the barley pops kicked in. Lol
Today she was very happy and comfortable at that pace with no liquid courage. We also had our neices 3yo son, that my wife babysits, strapped into his car seat between us. He fell asleep. So the shocks are definitely a huge improvement.

 

[Firemedic530]

Sounds cool. Maybe you could even find someone local to change the nitrogen pressure for you if you wanted to further fine-tune it. That’s something I’ve never got into.

Take some vids!

These are not a gas charged shock. That's part of the difference in trying to tune them.
I will have to look at shooting some video once I get them closer to where I want them.

 

[joeymt33]

These are not a gas charged shock. That's part of the difference in trying to tune them.
I will have to look at shooting some video once I get them closer to where I want them.

Gotcha, I thought you just putting no charge in them at all.

 

[Bradley-Thornton]

Today, I talked with Craig again and we believe I'm in the ball park for trail riding. Instead of measuring the length of spring preload, we are looking at free sag on the suspension. So my length with straps at full droop on the lift is actually 19.5" center bolt to center bolt. My current measurement when on wheels after driving to settle suspension is; F 17 7/8" center to center, R 18". He says 1.5" is an excellent starting point for trail riding. His testing on the P1K5 is very limited because most of his time has been spent on a P1K3. He has found his instructions and settings for the 3 is not the same as the 5. It is its own beast and I'm much closer to where the baseline should be.
I'm getting my Pitbull Rockers mounted first thing in the morning and then we are heading to one of our state parks for more testing tomorrow. I will update once I have some actual trail time.

View attachment 82508

Any updates or did you settle on this? Still trying to tune mine?

Or anyone else that can chime in?