Tips for shock tuning

[CPan]

I just put ZBros exit X1 shocks on my timbersled. I’m new to any sort of shock tuning. Any recommendations on where to start with compression or pre-load settings? What to look for and changes to make on the trail? Thanks!


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[needpowder]

Which Timbersled kit do you have and what year? How much do you weigh? Where do you ride? What bike? What have you done to your forks? Are you running aTSS?

 

[CPan]

Which Timbersled kit do you have and what year? How much do you weigh? Where do you ride? What bike? What have you done to your forks? Are you running aTSS?

It’s a ‘16 st120, but I used a 3” 129 conversion on it so I’m using a gen1 aro 129 3” track on it.
2020 CRF450. No TSS. 170lbs. Nothing done to my forks outside of stock. Mostly ride the East Kootenay area.


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[needpowder]

Your shocks are easy but you will need to stiffen up your forks some. Easiest is air pro. Fork springs are another easy option. Best is springs and revalve (in my opinion. I’m the same weight and had .60 in that timbersled kit. I can’t remember the shocks exactly, but the preload( spring) is fairly easy to play with if you have the right tools.

 

[eric82930]

Since you already have your zebros I'm assuming with adjustable compression you might as well at least try to set it up so there's a slim chance you won't need to do anything to the fork if you get the back end right. The stock mountain horse suspension geometry though is probably the worst for forcing weight onto The fork. As the kits improved from the mountain horse to the arrow to the riot and now the mountain top kits are claiming they don't need any special fork changes because the track shocks are working 10 times better than they used to. Basically you want your front track shock to carry more of the weight initially and the rear shock to be softer. If your springs are the same I guess it won't matter but preload the front more. If you have a spring that is noticeably stiffer try putting it on the front and turn the compression up much higher on the front as well. Also make sure your strut rod is short enough so the front paddles touch the floor slightly before the back when you lift with the rear bumper. If you have rebound adjustments normally will need to make the one with the stiffer spring slower and the softer spring faster but most people aren't smart enough to tell much change unless you're riding whoops on a road.

 

[eric82930]

They also respond very well to adding more oil to the forks.