Elka or fox qs3

[STAIN]

Well, I finally put almost 200 miles on my new stage 4 Elka shocks.
I purchased them from Accelerated Technologoies, and they set them up also.
So far not impressive. They are far too stiff. I spent the ride dialing them softer and softer until they were at the end of the adjustment. The rebound was so fast that the front end was bouncing up after a bump. I also have that dialed way back now.
I will call them tomorrow.
I am looking for a "plush" ride. These just seem to be hitting the bumps, not absorbing them. I feel EVERY trail irregularity.
Hopefully I can get this sorted out. I have a lot of $$$$ in these and was hoping for more.
I think I will throw the stock stuff in for next week to compare.

 

[Stubbs]

Well, I finally put almost 200 miles on my new stage 4 Elka shocks.
I purchased them from Accelerated Technologoies, and they set them up also.
So far not impressive. They are far too stiff. I spent the ride dialing them softer and softer until they were at the end of the adjustment. The rebound was so fast that the front end was bouncing up after a bump. I also have that dialed way back now.
I will call them tomorrow.
I am looking for a "plush" ride. These just seem to be hitting the bumps, not absorbing them. I feel EVERY trail irregularity.
Hopefully I can get this sorted out. I have a lot of $$$$ in these and was hoping for more.
I think I will throw the stock stuff in for next week to compare.

I like John’s theories and find his videos very informative, but the Vec my father rides has Elka’s all the way around and he’s never been 100% happy with the ride quality of the package. It does handle much better than a stocker, and is likely more capable in the trash, but he’s never found the “plushness” he’s been looking for. To be fair to Accelerated, he purchased the sled used and the setup was already on it, they’ve never been given a chance to optimize the package for him. The previous owner said he’d be blown away with it when he bought the sled, but that hasn’t been the case yet several seasons in.

 

[STAIN]

It does handle much better than a stocker, and is likely more capable in the trash,

I am done hammering through thrashed out trails. Too old. I am looking for comfort.

 

[earthling]

Well, I finally put almost 200 miles on my new stage 4 Elka shocks.
I purchased them from Accelerated Technologoies, and they set them up also.
So far not impressive. They are far too stiff. I spent the ride dialing them softer and softer until they were at the end of the adjustment. The rebound was so fast that the front end was bouncing up after a bump. I also have that dialed way back now.
I will call them tomorrow.
I am looking for a "plush" ride. These just seem to be hitting the bumps, not absorbing them. I feel EVERY trail irregularity.
Hopefully I can get this sorted out. I have a lot of $$$$ in these and was hoping for more.
I think I will throw the stock stuff in for next week to compare.

The springs are too stiff and no amount of damping adjustment will overcome that, it will only make it worse. If you want 'plush' you want a progressive or dual-rate spring setup that is made for your weight.

 

[1nc 2000]

Also the difference in 1,2,3 or 20 clicks of adjustment for compression and rebound can be too much "dialing in " for some people.

 

[Richard Hodgins]

Well, I finally put almost 200 miles on my new stage 4 Elka shocks.
I purchased them from Accelerated Technologoies, and they set them up also.
So far not impressive. They are far too stiff. I spent the ride dialing them softer and softer until they were at the end of the adjustment. The rebound was so fast that the front end was bouncing up after a bump. I also have that dialed way back now.
I will call them tomorrow.
I am looking for a "plush" ride. These just seem to be hitting the bumps, not absorbing them. I feel EVERY trail irregularity.
Hopefully I can get this sorted out. I have a lot of $$$$ in these and was hoping for more.
I think I will throw the stock stuff in for next week to compare.

I was waiting to hear about your experience! That doesn’t sound promising at all. I ended up getting some QS3R to replace my regular QS3 and noticed a big difference on my 2022 LTX gt. Dialing the rebound in, I was able to smooth out the ride over the bumps. It is plush!
I was wondering if the elkas would be better

 

[STAIN]

Also the difference in 1,2,3 or 20 clicks of adjustment for compression and rebound can be too much "dialing in " for some people.

It can be overload. With that many positions of adjustment I find myself fiddling all the time.

The springs are too stiff and no amount of damping adjustment will overcome that, it will only make it worse.

This is what I am thinking also but all my springs are set at minimum preload so the only adjustments I had where compression and rebound.
my front tender springs are 9.4x45 and the mains are 2.7x254
front track shock springs are tender 9.4x45 main3.6x127
#20 left torsion only.

Maybe I need to set them at the stock positons and just start over.

 

[earthling]

It can be overload. With that many positions of adjustment I find myself fiddling all the time.

This is what I am thinking also but all my springs are set at minimum preload so the only adjustments I had where compression and rebound.
my front tender springs are 9.4x45 and the mains are 2.7x254
front track shock springs are tender 9.4x45 main3.6x127
#20 left torsion only.

Maybe I need to set them at the stock positons and just start over.

Are you sure about those rates. Sitting in a restaurant but assuming you mean kg/mm thats like 117lb initial rate and 151 secondary rate. That would feel stiff, much stiffer than stock if I remember right.

If those are lbs its probably blowing right through the tender into the stiff main spring.

Sag dictates the position of the shock within its working travel length. Too much spring will leave too little room for shock extension, too little and you will be further into the shock travel. For a given rider weight, sag should end up in the right position (~30% of total shock travel) in the shock extension. John has a good video that talks about this. If you set sag for shock length and the sled is too high or low then you may need different springs.

 

[STAIN]

Yup. That is what is printed on the springs

 

[DennyTuna]

Are you sure about those rates. Sitting in a restaurant but assuming you mean kg/mm thats like 117lb initial rate and 151 secondary rate. That would feel stiff, much stiffer than stock if I remember right.

They are correct

 

[earthling]

They are correct

That would feel very stiff then. Aren't the stock springs more like 60 initial and 150 final?

 

[DennyTuna]

It's not at all, I have the same springs on the Winder with QS3r's and the Viper with stage 4 Elka's. Great combo for me on either sled.

 

[DennyTuna]

60 initial would be way to soft and useless

 

[earthling]

maybe I did hte math wrong.

60 initial would be way to soft and useless

60lbs/inch would be 120lbs at 2 inches and 150lbs at 2.5 inches, the winder has 150lbs(ish) on each ski. 117lbs of initial spring rate means you are only compressing the springs a total of 1.2 inches which is too short for the appropriate sag. But I probably did the math wrong, I am sure elka knows what they are doing.

 

[earthling]

Math was right, that is a stiffer setup.

Let's talk suspension

Thanks Stain. Who did you get your Elka's through? Elka, Accelerated, or Monster? The numbers are translated as follows: Fronts 9.4X45 = 527 lbs/in. rate, 1.77 inches long 2.7X254 = 152 lbs/in. rate, 10 inches long Center 9.4X45 = 527 lbs/in. rate, 1.77 inches long 3.6x127 = 202 lbs/in...

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