P500 p5 suspension

[Chooglin]

Ok guys, I pulled the trigger on WE 175 lbs springs but they are 10 inches instead of 12" original with 250 lbs spring rate.
and their 2" shock clips to accommodate them

They could not promise what spring color it would be . I'm ok with that )))

View attachment 27910

I hope those work out for you!

 

[Admin]

 

[Montecresto]

Thanks! I was determined to find shocks to fit this machine, and found a pdf for monroe shock spec's, and picked the ones that were closest. I chose gabriel shocks instead of monroe's based on customer reviews. I forgot to mention that in the pictures, the air pressure is still at 140psi, and this is actual real world articulation. I drove it over the curbing at work at about 10mph and didn't even feel it- honestly- if you were a blindfolded passenger, you wouldn't know you went over an 8" curb! Something else I noticed today- the bushings in the shock mount holes are too soft, so polyurethane might be better.

The lack of articulation (suspension travel) is what causes the P5 to be so tippy. If these air shocks speak to that, I may get in on this. Please post the test results as you work with these.

 

[JWB]

The lack of articulation (suspension travel) is what causes the P5 to be so tippy. If these air shocks speak to that, I may get in on this. Please post the test results as you work with these.

I've never felt that my machine was "tippy", but, I changed out the stock wheels and tires after only having about 20 miles on the machine. My wheels and tires are at least 2.5-3 x's heavier than the stockers, and my full width aluminum 1/4" skid plates probably added another 50-60 lbs, and it all helps to lower the center of gravity. I removed the sway-bar before I spent 4 days at H.M. trails, and drove it like a maniac for 300 plus miles, with many of those miles tickling the rev limiter, and if you've ever been out there, you know there are literally hundreds of 90 deg. turns, and I never had any moments that I was concerned about rolling the machine. In fact, I took it up one of the 'double-black' "no utv's allowed trails without issue- other than the complete lack of suspension articulation that would bring one front wheel off the ground, causing total loss of traction, and/or beating me half to death because of ride stiffness. I'm thinking that you could definitely lower the ride height with the air suspension for better high speed cornering on smooth trails/roads etc, and raise it- to the top of the travel if you wanted to- for crawling over obstacles and such. I received my shocks today,(total of 8) and ordered all the other components yesterday. I'm setting it up so all four corners can be controlled separately, in pairs, or all at once, and an external air chuck to connect an air line for inflating tires if needed. Still think I'll be under, or very near $900 total.

 

[JWB]

I measured the actual suspension travel today (front) with the air shocks. The Honda spec says 5.9 inches. I now have 11 inches of travel. I hope I get the same gain in the rear with no CV joint binding. l'll keep y'all up to date as I progress with this project.
EDIT: Actual suspension travel is 10" in front, and 9" in rear with no CV joint issues using the Hi-jackers. 8/3/17 JWB

 

[Montecresto]

I've never felt that my machine was "tippy", but, I changed out the stock wheels and tires after only having about 20 miles on the machine. My wheels and tires are at least 2.5-3 x's heavier than the stockers, and my full width aluminum 1/4" skid plates probably added another 50-60 lbs, and it all helps to lower the center of gravity. I removed the sway-bar before I spent 4 days at H.M. trails, and drove it like a maniac for 300 plus miles, with many of those miles tickling the rev limiter, and if you've ever been out there, you know there are literally hundreds of 90 deg. turns, and I never had any moments that I was concerned about rolling the machine. In fact, I took it up one of the 'double-black' "no utv's allowed trails without issue- other than the complete lack of suspension articulation that would bring one front wheel off the ground, causing total loss of traction, and/or beating me half to death because of ride stiffness. I'm thinking that you could definitely lower the ride height with the air suspension for better high speed cornering on smooth trails/roads etc, and raise it- to the top of the travel if you wanted to- for crawling over obstacles and such. I received my shocks today,(total of 8) and ordered all the other components yesterday. I'm setting it up so all four corners can be controlled separately, in pairs, or all at once, and an external air chuck to connect an air line for inflating tires if needed. Still think I'll be under, or very near $900 total.

Well that amazes me that you didn't notice the tippy inclination of the machine before your mods. I'm equally amazed that you nearly doubled suspension travel. I'll be watching and waiting for the feedback once you've put it to work for a while.

 

[JWB]

Well that amazes me that you didn't notice the tippy inclination of the machine before your mods. I'm equally amazed that you nearly doubled suspension travel. I'll be watching and waiting for the feedback once you've put it to work for a while.

Keep in mind minimal time I used the machine before any mods, was mostly over relatively smooth ground, and going very slow almost all the time. I also forgot that my wheel/tire combo is not only way heavier, but also added about 3" of width, which also adds stability.

 

[Montecresto]

Keep in mind minimal time I used the machine before any mods, was mostly over relatively smooth ground, and going very slow almost all the time. I also forgot that my wheel/tire combo is not only way heavier, but also added about 3" of width, which also adds stability.

Oh hell, that explains it. No ASB, all the added weight down low, 7% increase in width and double the suspension travel. The stock P5 is very tippy.

 

[solrus]

I've never felt that my machine was "tippy", but, I changed out the stock wheels and tires after only having about 20 miles on the machine. My wheels and tires are at least 2.5-3 x's heavier than the stockers, and my full width aluminum 1/4" skid plates probably added another 50-60 lbs, and it all helps to lower the center of gravity. I removed the sway-bar before I spent 4 days at H.M. trails, and drove it like a maniac for 300 plus miles, with many of those miles tickling the rev limiter, and if you've ever been out there, you know there are literally hundreds of 90 deg. turns, and I never had any moments that I was concerned about rolling the machine. In fact, I took it up one of the 'double-black' "no utv's allowed trails without issue- other than the complete lack of suspension articulation that would bring one front wheel off the ground, causing total loss of traction, and/or beating me half to death because of ride stiffness. I'm thinking that you could definitely lower the ride height with the air suspension for better high speed cornering on smooth trails/roads etc, and raise it- to the top of the travel if you wanted to- for crawling over obstacles and such. I received my shocks today,(total of 8) and ordered all the other components yesterday. I'm setting it up so all four corners can be controlled separately, in pairs, or all at once, and an external air chuck to connect an air line for inflating tires if needed. Still think I'll be under, or very near $900 total.

Another suspension chapter in P500 story.

Post pics please too.

 

[JWB]

Another suspension chapter in P500 story.

Post pics please too.

I'm going to do some riding tomorrow and take some pics of the machine going through a section of trail that I have good 'before' pics of, where you can clearly see the lack of articulation-one wheel off the ground and almost no compression on the other. So hopefully we'll be able to see the difference. I still haven't received all the pieces to do the dual four corner shock set up yet, so I'll still be running the singles in the front only, and still at 140psi.
EDIT: 8/3/17 These shocks need to be doubled on each wheel or they may fail quickly JWB

 

[Montecresto]

I'm going to do some riding tomorrow and take some pics of the machine going through a section of trail that I have good 'before' pics of, where you can clearly see the lack of articulation-one wheel off the ground and almost no compression on the other. So hopefully we'll be able to see the difference. I still haven't received all the pieces to do the dual four corner shock set up yet, so I'll still be running the singles in the front only, and still at 140psi.

Great, I'm waiting eagerly to see how this does.

 

[solrus]

I'm going to do some riding tomorrow and take some pics of the machine going through a section of trail that I have good 'before' pics of, where you can clearly see the lack of articulation-one wheel off the ground and almost no compression on the other. So hopefully we'll be able to see the difference. I still haven't received all the pieces to do the dual four corner shock set up yet, so I'll still be running the singles in the front only, and still at 140psi.

Could you shoot a movie??

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[JWB]

Could you shoot a movie??

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I'll have the princess do some video with her phone, but the files are so big I can't ever do anything with them. Ya, I'm due for a computer upgrade soon- real soon... but I refuse to buy into microsoft's spyware- oops, I meant win 10. And that's a whole different thread.....

 

[solrus]

I'll have the princess do some video with her phone, but the files are so big I can't ever do anything with them. Ya, I'm due for a computer upgrade soon- real soon... but I refuse to buy into microsoft's spyware- oops, I meant win 10. And that's a whole different thread.....

Just upload them to youtube from your phone using wifi at home, it works for me and then edit it if u need

 

[JWB]

Just upload them to youtube from your phone using wifi at home, it works for me and then edit it if u need

My flip phone doesn't do that

 

[JWB]

EDIT: 8/3/17 JWB- These shocks need to be doubled on each wheel or they may fail quickly. Performance when 'doubled' is hands down better than the singles.
Well I did some riding over an area where I took pics of the machine totally stock, and you can see plain as day the wheels lifting completely off the ground because the suspension is so stiff. Then the pictures (screen shots from video for now till I get new computer) of the new set-up where you can see the suspension working through it's full range of travel as I drive through deep ruts on the trail. So, after riding through that section of trail about 10x's I can tell you the ride is unbelievable. I looked at the videos we took as we rode the trail with the stock suspension, and I could see us getting bounced and jarred around, and for most of the time I was in 1st or 2nd gear- pretty much crawling. With the air shocks, we went up and down the trail comfortably-didn't scare the Princess- in 3rd and 4th gear. Of course not through the area that I took the pictures, but further up trail. I went through the deep ruts in the pictures in 1st gear. You can see it's fully compressing and extending the shocks, and if I went too fast, it would bang it. Keep in mind, the way it is right now, the shocks 'see' each other, so as one shock compresses, it pushes air into the other side driving it out- let's call it 'articulation mode' or 'crawler mode'. When the shocks are isolated, let's call it 'ride mode', they will be more resistant to compressing and will lose some articulation, but will be far more resistant to bottoming out. It now keeps all four wheels on the ground through that whole section of trail in the pics. Looking forward to showing you all the videos, it's just amazing to watch the difference as the machine goes through the same stretch of trail.

 

[JWB]

Here's a few more

 

[solrus]

Measured front oem shocks, so my new 10" WE spring should work, since oem is just 8" long.

Front shock eye to eye is just 14".

Tapatalk Cloud - Downlaoad File IMG_20161210_185457277.jpg


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[solrus]

Holly grails have arrived ))Tapatalk Cloud - Downlaoad File IMG_20161212_181444697.jpg


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[bikeman]

Here's a few more View attachment 28310 View attachment 28311 View attachment 28312

are you going to put a switch to let the shocks see each other and be isolated depending on the terrain. i am going to try this mod if for no other reason than it is so inexpensive compared to a variable rate change up, that you can afford to bring spare shocks to install if one fails i am going to do the double up mod you have been talking about. the front looks fairly simple the back might have some clearance issues unless you move the upper mount to the outside of the frame. by the way what it the diameter of the upper side of the shock the gabriel specs dont say.

 

[Chooglin]

Picked up the top shock mount brackets tonight , from the lazer shop. As soon as we get warmer temps in Ohio , I will get these welded on and mount the shocks.