AD Boivin ZX2 Durability & Performance Log

[stomper]

Very interesting. Good find.

 

[ghost rider]

do you think your shocks have lost integrity in the housings?

Barry

 

[mdkuni]

The reliability of the ZX2 seems to be going in the toilet due to the shocks. Busted another one today. After talking to AD about my last failure, they were concerned that my shocks were not being rebuilt correctly. So to try and make the situation better and avoid the pointing of fingers, I sent them my good shock so they could rebuild it and update the valving on the new one to match. This was roughly 2,500 miles ago (1 month). Busted about 70 miles from home. I was able to save the track again. What a pain. One of the best seasons and I will be down again for probably two weeks.

 

[ZapeX2]

Well that sux. Seems so weird that with all those miles with minimal issues that now you can't keep the shocks in it... frustrating I'm sure... Hope you get it sorted out.....

 

[guardrail]

The reliability of the ZX2 seems to be going in the toilet due to the shocks. Busted another one today. After talking to AD about my last failure, they were concerned that my shocks were not being rebuilt correctly. So to try and make the situation better and avoid the pointing of fingers, I sent them my good shock so they could rebuild it and update the valving on the new one to match. This was roughly 2,500 miles ago (1 month). Busted about 70 miles from home. I was able to save the track again. What a pain. One of the best seasons and I will be down again for probably two weeks.

I sent mine to hygear after I broke one. They totally redesigned the internals, they got rid of that secondary valve stack in there. Shocks work A LOT better.
I sent them out to them to get freshened up last month, there was about 5000 miles on them, with no problems. While they were getting done, i put a set of stocks ones on for the weekend. When I took the stock ones back out, one of them fell into pieces. It lasted one weekend. Put the hygear ones back in, I have about 1500 miles on them so far this year and no problems.
Pm me if you want my info, Ross knows me, he has my setup recorded, if you want to try it.

 

[mdkuni]

I sent mine to hygear after I broke one. They totally redesigned the internals, they got rid of that secondary valve stack in there. Shocks work A LOT better.
I sent them out to them to get freshened up last month, there was about 5000 miles on them, with no problems. While they were getting done, i put a set of stocks ones on for the weekend. When I took the stock ones back out, one of them fell into pieces. It lasted one weekend. Put the hygear ones back in, I have about 1500 miles on them so far this year and no problems.
Pm me if you want my info, Ross knows me, he has my setup recorded, if you want to try it.

I spoke with Hygear about this a couple years ago but I had been happy with the performance of the shocks so I did not want to mess with a good thing. Now I am thinking otherwise. I know Hygear is pricey, so how much was the conversion?

Denis/AD took care of me on this last broken shock. He certainly didn't have to so I am very grateful for that! Even had me riding again 6 days later. I have another 1,000 miles on the shocks since the last replacement but I may send them to Hygear at the end of the season. Now if I could just keep my exhaust system together I could put on some more miles.

 

[ghost rider]

IO got to tell you mdkuni….you put more miles on your sled than i do on my car.
good way to enjoy a great sport.

Barry

 

[mdkuni]

IO got to tell you mdkuni….you put more miles on your sled than i do on my car.
good way to enjoy a great sport.

Barry

To me, there is nothing that compares to snowmobiling! Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of other things I love to do, but pounding through a set of moguls, holding it to the bar across a lake covered with a fresh snowfall, or riding a sweeping trail, that is what it is all about!

Just saw your remark about the shock housing... to me, it sure seems like the piston is getting jammed up and collapsing. Not sure how, it just doesn't make sense. It took 24,000 miles for my first shock failure. Why now are they failing so quickly?

 

[guardrail]

I sent mine to hygear after I broke one. They totally redesigned the internals, they got rid of that secondary valve stack in there. Shocks work A LOT better.
I sent them out to them to get freshened up last month, there was about 5000 miles on them, with no problems. While they were getting done, i put a set of stocks ones on for the weekend. When I took the stock ones back out, one of them fell into pieces. It lasted one weekend. Put the hygear ones back in, I have about 1500 miles on them so far this year and no problems.
Pm me if you want my info, Ross knows me, he has my setup recorded, if you want to try it.

I spoke with Hygear about this a couple years ago but I had been happy with the performance of the shocks so I did not want to mess with a good thing. Now I am thinking otherwise. I know Hygear is pricey, so how much was the conversion?

Denis/AD took care of me on this last broken shock. He certainly didn't have to so I am very grateful for that! Even had me riding again 6 days later. I have another 1,000 miles on the shocks since the last replacement but I may send them to Hygear at the end of the season. Now if I could just keep my exhaust system together I could put on some more miles.

I just got mine back today. I had one broken just like yours was. The other was still good. He charged $270 for the repair and the new setup.
I didn't think that was too bad, considering he had to get some parts from Boivin. I'll send you a pm with my info, so you can talk to them about my setup.

 

[mdkuni]

I just got mine back today. I had one broken just like yours was. The other was still good. He charged $270 for the repair and the new setup.
I didn't think that was too bad, considering he had to get some parts from Boivin. I'll send you a pm with my info, so you can talk to them about my setup.

That is not bad at all. I also thought about getting custom Axis shocks but that will be big $$. guardrail, what kind of riding do you do? Curious to know how the new shock setup works in the big bumps?

 

[guardrail]

I'm a fat ditch banger! 270lbs with all my gear on. When the trail gets really bad, I go fast enough to skip on top of the bumps. I raced motocross for 12 years back when I was 190lbs, but I still like to ride that way.

 

[mdkuni]

I'm a fat ditch banger! 270lbs with all my gear on. When the trail gets really bad, I go fast enough to skip on top of the bumps. I raced motocross for 12 years back when I was 190lbs, but I still like to ride that way.

That is what I like to hear! Still happy with the big bump performance after the change in setup with the shocks?

 

[guardrail]

Yeah, The stock setup was too soft for me. I tried the heavier springs, but then the rebound was overpowered. It took a little tweaking on the valving to get an over all comfortable ride. But it's perfect for me.

 

[mdkuni]

Yeah, The stock setup was too soft for me. I tried the heavier springs, but then the rebound was overpowered. It took a little tweaking on the valving to get an over all comfortable ride. But it's perfect for me.

I put a call into Hygear and will probably give it a try. Thanks for the info.

 

[kinger]

MDKUNI - I had guardrails mods done to my shocks for the ZX2 I called Ross and said do it up exactly. I HATED it I mean it was worthless so something is a miss I guess. Hygear offers free revalves but you have to pay for oil and seals but on the 2nd time they got it almost perfect. More tolerable in stutter bumps then stock and still that great big bump absorption the ZX2 makes us all smile.

I have always been curious if bjowett could make a custom set of Ohlins since he is the man with Ohlins.