P500 Elka stage 1

[Yomama101]

Any issues with doing the adjustments without removing the shocks?

I'll be sure to make notes/measurements of my starting points.

Sure am glad they ask all those questions. Maybe I should have said I race it, instead of trail riding. Which is hilarious to anyone that's ridden with me!

Same here. The fronts seemed real soft. Coming off some small shelf's it would bottom out hard. Never had to remove to adjust. I usually lift the Honda up enough to take the weight off the tires for maximum droop in the suspension then adjust the preload collars. I use a 1/4 drill bit with heat shrink on it and just use the shank. Fits the collars perfectly. This with an Allen wrench is all I need. This little kit with the lug socket stays in the glove compartment.

 

[Admin]

 

[crewcabrob]

I adjust mine with just taking some weight off the shock I plan to adjust. No issues

 

[DocBo]

Got mine installed today and took a ride over some high speed bumps. WOW! What a difference. Where I used to pogo, the machine felt planted and in control. The stock settings from Elka were a 1/2 inch higher than the stock shocks. I will leave them set until I can get out on some trails.

by the way, Elka included an adjusting tool and hex wrench that I placed with the owners manual under the seat.

Cannot wait for the Pioneer takeover!

 

[slimshaney]

Weighing my options for shocks. Would there be any issues or benefits of running stage 3 fronts, and stage 1 rears? I do plow very very rarely, so thought the adjustabliity of stage 3's in front would be good? Any thoughts?

 

[crewcabrob]

Hi,

I'm not sure that there would be any real benefit to running the more expensive shocks up front. You can adjust the preload on Stage 1, which is what you would need to do to compensate for the weight of the plow, Rebound and compression would make little to no difference... it would also be highly unlikely that you would get the benefit from the external oil reservoir. If you were going with a new set, I would either go all stage 1 or all stage 3.

Just my opinion...

 

[DocBo]

^^^ He's right ^^^

 

[LandofCheese]

My stage ones haven't gotten touched after I installed them..... I also have a 66" plow on the front in winter. It does just fine.

 

[trigger]

My stage ones haven't gotten touched after I installed them..... I also have a 66" plow on the front in winter. It does just fine.

That was going to be my comment too. I put WE's on all four and had to tweak them a couple of times but since then they've been at the same setting for yrs now.

 

[JCart]

May have been noted in here already, when new I undid the lock ring Allen head bolt and put quality anti-seize paste on the threads (suggested by nuther member in here who I can’t remember, apologies). My thoughts over time as the Allan’s are stainless(?) and the lock rings are aluminum plus water and other keerap may work in there anti-seize can’t hurt. As I recall I have only adjusted the lock ring ride height once and have fiddled with the valving a couple times, (stage 3 Elkas). Adjusting valving does make a difference mine are set to no Pohgo… smooth controlled pillowy ride…. Yaaaas!

 

[slimshaney]

Hi,

I'm not sure that there would be any real benefit to running the more expensive shocks up front. You can adjust the preload on Stage 1, which is what you would need to do to compensate for the weight of the plow, Rebound and compression would make little to no difference... it would also be highly unlikely that you would get the benefit from the external oil reservoir. If you were going with a new set, I would either go all stage 1 or all stage 3.

Just my opinion...

Great feedback! Looks like a will be ordering a set of stage 1. thanks

 

[Markdale]

Elka stage 1 installed all four corners. Big improvement, I would rate the factory shocks at 3 out of 10 and the Elka's at 7.5 out of 10

Elka factory sugested a minimum of 7 psi on the tires. I was running the tires at 5 psi just to make the ride a little softer. With the Elka's I now have the tires at 7 psi, much better steering and about 1" higher ground clearance

I think it is worth every penny if you are going to have the SXS for a long time.

 

[Splorin]

Your so polite to the stockers🤣 I think I had ‘em at .3

 

[skynoodle]

Finally pulled the trigger on stage 1's Super excited. Well my back is super excited once all of this snow melts and can test them out! I have to say they look amazingly well made. Almost sexy even. Thanks for everyone who chimed in here

 

[Smitty335]

Finally pulled the trigger on stage 1's Super excited. Well my back is super excited once all of this snow melts and can test them out! I have to say they look amazingly well made. Almost sexy even. Thanks for everyone who chimed in here
View attachment 383815

You will like them!

 

[Budlight]

Who’s running the stage 1 Elka’s? Are they plush?

I have Elka stage 3, much much better than original. Very like it!

 

[Smitty335]

I have Elka stage 3, much much better than original. Very like it!

I'm not saying a darn thing, Stage 5's. The set up manual really had me confused at first, low and high speed adjustment has nothing to do with the speed of the buggy. It's referring to the speed of the shock travel, so lets say you take your sway arm off, you can set slow speed shock travel stiffer to help with the sway, won't eliminate it. But when your in the woods the lack of a sway arm helps with articulation on a P1 anyways?

 

[Chriscoe]

I’d go either stage 1 or 3 as stage 2 is a big price jump from stage 1 and not much cheaper than stage 3

Ohhhh!!! This has changed a bit lol. $2600 now for stage 3


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[futzin]

After more seat time on the E1s, I thought I'd add some thoughts.

-Stock 2021 P520 rode better than stock 2018 P500 (IMO).
-the 520 on 26" (actually 25.5", but labeled 27) 6 ply Bighorn 2.0s rode better than the P500 on 27" 8 ply HTRs.

-After adding the E1s, the 500 rides drastically better, but bottoms out somewhat easily and I'm scraping, hitting more easily than I did before.
-While I tried to be accurate, I tended toward overstating the weight of the items I added to the stock machine in the retailer's questionnaire.

I've adjusted 4 turns to the front shocks; still hitting bump stops way too often and easily at very moderate speeds. Not happy about that.

I called Elka; they recommended adding up to 1/2" of preload (and maybe more) or, if that doesn't work then changing the spring rates of the fronts. The rears seem fine.

I'll add a significant amount of preload and test again, probably this Saturday.

 

[The Green Goat]

I've adjusted 4 turns to the front shocks; still hitting bump stops way too often and easily at very moderate speeds. Not happy about that.

I called Elka; they recommended adding up to 1/2" of preload (and maybe more) or, if that doesn't work then changing the spring rates of the fronts. The rears seem fine.

I'll add a significant amount of preload and test again, probably this Saturday.

I think I added like 15 turns to my WE shocks.

 

[futzin]

I think I added like 15 turns to my WE shocks.

Fronts and rears?