P500 P520 front WE shocks

[Dave75]

Installed front WE shocks today. It was an easy installation.
A lot better, not great it’s still a P520.
In an area where I could just drive 6 mph, I now can do 10 mph.
Have not done any adjustments.
Looking forward to testing it on the trails.

 

[Admin]

 

[msgtbill]

when were they ordered? Trying to see when I might receive mine...

 

[Dave75]

when were they ordered? Trying to see when I might receive mine...

Ordered in December and got them in March.

 

[Dave75]

Changed some settings and been driving the p520 more.
The WE shocks do a great job when there is washboarding on the trail.
That was my biggest problem with the stock shocks, any washboarding I would need to slow way down.
It also does not bounce around like the stock shocks did at higher speeds.
Most of my driving is on dirt or gravel trails.
I think the WE shocks are worth the money.

 

[The Green Goat]

Hope so. Mine came in the other day but I have yet to mount them.

 

[Dave75]

Hope so. Mine came in the other day but I have yet to mount them.

14mm for the front.
Check your settings, mine was one off from the other shock.

 

[msgtbill]

Ordered in December and got them in March.

i sent them a question, because on the web site it says black ones are in stock, got a reply today that they should ship in the next few days. After the last trip down to the Salmon river I really need the fronts. The rears are already on but the front end is terrible... We shall see. Ordered mine in Feb so april would be good time.

 

[The Green Goat]

i sent them a question, because on the web site it says black ones are in stock, got a reply today that they should ship in the next few days. After the last trip down to the Salmon river I really need the fronts. The rears are already on but the front end is terrible... We shall see. Ordered mine in Feb so april would be good time.

For what it's worth, their site says silver springs are what they have in stock yet mine showed up with red springs. YMMV.

 

[trigger]

For what it's worth, their site says silver springs are what they have in stock yet mine showed up with red springs. YMMV.

I never knew there was a choice other than silver or red? The silver ones were beefier if I remember right. I ended up painting my springs black. They've held up alright but occasionally require a touch up.

 

[Dave75]

When I posted they not great, there is only so much any shock can do with the p500/p520.
I understand there are limits to the p520 and still the p520 is better than my old Yamaha Grizzly.

 

[Dave75]

I never knew there was a choice other than silver or red? The silver ones were beefier if I remember right. I ended up painting my springs black. They've held up alright but occasionally require a touch up.

I am saving the stock shocks for snow plowing. They did a good job when the plow was up, not too much sagging.

 

[trigger]

I am saving the stock shocks for snow plowing. They did a good job when the plow was up, not too much sagging.

Yeah they work fine for plowing bc they're stiff as hell. I've read a couple of times where guys were putting the WE's on the rear first and then springing for the fronts later. The front is where it needs the most help with ride and rebound. After I got the fronts the rear didn't ride that bad with the stockers but I had to have them at that point.

 

[futzin]

[ How I wish folks with Walker Evans and Elka shocks would specify which model they have. Would be extremely helpful for those on the fence. For some reason, very very few specify which they have ]

I've tried to keep track but no eidetic memory here, best I can recollect . . .

I'm a sad panda . . .



(Look for me begging test rides from y'all at Takeover!)

 

[The Green Goat]

Yeah they work fine for plowing bc they're stiff as hell. I've read a couple of times where guys were putting the WE's on the rear first and then springing for the fronts later. The front is where it needs the most help with ride and rebound. After I got the fronts the rear didn't ride that bad with the stockers but I had to have them at that point.

I have a feeling this is the case as well but went ahead and bought both just in case. I still cringe thinking about the front end slamming into those erosion ditches they cut across those long, mach35 mph trails. Those hurt.

 

[hallic]

(Look for me begging test rides from y'all at Takeover!)

There's gonna be a line, lol... Hopefully nobody things about trying to charge for "Shock test rides"

 

[The Green Goat]

There's gonna be a line, lol... Hopefully nobody things about trying to charge for "Shock test rides"

I hadn't considered it until now. Thank you.

Let the bidding commence!

 

[trigger]

[ How I wish folks with Walker Evans and Elka shocks would specify which model they have. Would be extremely helpful for those on the fence. For some reason, very very few specify which they have ]

I've tried to keep track but no eidetic memory here, best I can recollect . . .

I'm a sad panda . . .



(Look for me begging test rides from y'all at Takeover!)

As far as I know, there's only one WE set for the 500 other than heavier silver springs if desired. Pretty sure there's not many P5's heavier and I went with the standard springs. Set the preload for preinstall ride height and then start clicking. Some guys crank the preload way up but that just messes with wheel camber and makes it ride stiff. Forget where I'm at exactly but want to say 3 clicks from softest setting on front and like 5 in the rear. Once dialed in, I just left it.
You're welcome to test ride my machine but there's other mods that factor into its ride quality.

 

[crewcabrob]

[ How I wish folks with Walker Evans and Elka shocks would specify which model they have. Would be extremely helpful for those on the fence. For some reason, very very few specify which they have ]

Don't be a sad Panda... life is too short.

I bought stage 1 Elkas. They should be here this week and I am trying to come up with a way to test them with some type of metric other than: "Wow! These $1k shocks ride great and I'm so glad I spent the money on them."

If I can get my hands on a gopro for a "before and after" run down a rocky trail. That might demonstrate more suspension movement, otherwise how would you truly measure it?

 

[The Green Goat]

As far as I know, there's only one WE set for the 500 other than heavier silver springs if desired. Pretty sure there's not many P5's heavier and I went with the standard springs. Set the preload for preinstall ride height and then start clicking. Some guys crank the preload way up but that just messes with wheel camber and makes it ride stiff. Forget where I'm at exactly but want to say 3 clicks from softest setting on front and like 5 in the rear. Once dialed in, I just left it.
You're welcome to test ride my machine but there's other mods that factor into its ride quality.

Do you run more preload or compression damping on the driver's side due to uneven weight distribution? I usually ride solo (😢), so I'm wondering if I should attempt to set it up so it rides level with my fatass weighing down one side of it?

 

[crewcabrob]

I have seen in the race car world that people adjust preload side to side to compensate for driver weight. You figure that the average tracked car weighs in around 2k pounds. Add a driver on one side that is roughly 10% of that, and you can see why they get granular with weight distribution.

On a machine that weights roughly 1k pounds, (Old Ironsides excluded) I can see adjusting preload for a solo driver. Even with the weight of the gas tank on the passenger side, mine sits funny with only me driving. Much higher percentage left to right on a 1k buggy.

Rob

Rob