Elka or fox qs3

[Joe ltx-le]

I have an LTX DX and I'm 240 lbs. Shocks were too soft and the spring too light. Took it to Accelerated Technologies in Buckhorn Ontario and had a stiffer torsion spring put on and John set up Elka Stage 3s on the front and stage 4s in the rear. Unbelievable difference, Plush on top but beautifully compliant in the bumps. Made my amazing sled better. Also, in Canada the Elkas are less expensive. To get the same ease of adjustment, you move them 7 clicks at a time which is like moving the Fox 1 click.

I ordered my shocks from Ron at accelerated. Can’t wait.

 

[PigeonLake]

Tell him how you ride, your weight and they will not need adjustment. He is good. Best Elka shop in Canada

 

[Joe ltx-le]

I gave him all of that. We ordered 4 sets one phone call, from a warming hut haha

 

[rxwhopper]

Elka stage 5 are not recommended for trail riders. Way to stiff , the stage 4 with dual rate spring is the one if your a tuner. If you like to set and forget the 3 is a good affordable high quality shock

how can the stage 5 be to stiff? they also have dual stage springs and just have more adjustable areas. i would think be all in the valving and how there set up

 

[mainedrummer]

I'll be replacing the brand new shocks from my 2020 X-TX LE too.
Is there any market for them?

Fronts - Fox® 1.5 Zero™ QS3®
Center - Fox® 1.5 Zero™ QS3®
Rear - Fox® 2.0 Zero™ QS3®

 

[gouldsjett1]

I'll be replacing the brand new shocks from my 2020 X-TX LE too.
Is there any market for them?

Fronts - Fox® 1.5 Zero™ QS3®
Center - Fox® 1.5 Zero™ QS3®
Rear - Fox® 2.0 Zero™ QS3®

I'd be interested in those, what are you thinking for a price?

 

[scott bardwell]

The Elka stage 5’s are not too stiff, in fact they aren’t stiff enough as I need to have mine firmed up. I am 240 with gear. I like the Elkas stage 5’s but prefer the Custom Axis i had on my Viper.

 

[fxnytrortxkid]

The valves and piston and oil and body and springs of shocks are all the same is the revisor and the number adjustments you have that change between stages

 

[mainedrummer]

I'd be interested in those, what are you thinking for a price?

I'll post them up for sale as soon as my new shocks arrive.
Not sure on price yet, but it'll be more than fair.

 

[JPS]

Also like to point out the 2.0 fronts are not what come on a LE. They are a FOX option. Bigger body. Have only seen them on some Race sleds like the Iron Dog cats. Normally even the regular XC race sleds have 1.5's.

I have a Sidewinder XTX and dumped the floats for QS3's I got a real good deal on new 2.0's. I figured the shocks would be on the stiff side so i sent them strait to Monster Performance. ends up there was a very stiff race valving in them so they revalved for my weight and riding. the 2.0's now work great for my ride, damn they are a lot bigger than the 1.5's.

 

[Richard Hodgins]

Anybody have any more comparisons between QS3Rs and Elka Stage 5s? I do like the QS3Rs with the rebound. Wondering if the Elkas are that much better.

 

[STAIN]

if we would ever get any snow I will let you know how I like my stage 4 Elka's !!!!!

 

[fxnytrortxkid]

if we would ever get any snow I will let you know how I like my stage 4 Elka's !!!!!

I didn’t have qs3’s but I have some miles on my stage 4’s this year. World of difference from the stock se shocks and from the axis fronts and exit rears I had past few years.

 

[race24x]

I have Elka stage 4 on rear and sent them to Hygear with their spring and valving they are amazing. They also put their spring and revalved my front to be like the QS3's and the ride of my sled is awesome. That being said I have riddena sled with QS3's and it was pretty great. I liked mine a little better but had I not bought my Elkas used and pretty reasonable I would have went with QS3s.

 

[DennyTuna]

Well, here's a firsthand report. I have QS3r's on the winder and Elka stage 4 on the Viper and this report is from riding all last week (6 Days and 1500 miles). With the QS3r's I had the fronts revalved and couldn't be happier with the results, I was finally able to use all 3 settings. Also had Elka dual rate springs installed. The rear shock I had the rebound side sped up as stock is to slow. The center shock I replaced with an Elka stage 4 with dual rate spring as well. Two reasons for this change on the center shock, first the OEM QS3 does not have rebound and second the dual rate cross over collar wears on the kashima coating badly (been there done that). Lastly, I upgraded the torsion spring for my weight. I set the sled up as per Accelerated Technologies recommendation, leveled the front arms and pulled the limiter straps up (like 3 holes). So on to the ride, the winder improved in all areas, comfort, handling, easy steering, stability and quick-change ability to trail conditions. Prior to all these changes my foot would bounce on the running board in the stutters now I don't feel the stutters. Handling wise it's glued to the trail with no inside ski lift, and I don't have to apply footwell pressure to the outside ski for bite. Comfort comes for the shock springs; dual rate springs really take all the trail chatter out of the equation. Part of this is getting the center shock to stop creating a fulcrum in the sled. I have zero preload on the center shock spring, like a turn/turn and a half from loose. When the trails are smooth, I would slow down the rebound and speed it up if the trail turned choppy. Ok enough on the winder. On the viper I replaced the stock QS3's (not r's) with Elka Stage 4 all the way around. Dual rate springs and torsions just like the winder. Sled set up the same as well. Tuning the Elka's is different with having more adjustability, but the results are pretty much the same. Same comfort, handling, stability and steering. Both shock packages performed flawlessly, it would be very difficult to choose one shock package over the other. I would take either one, but the QS3r's will need some TLC to make them as good as the Elka's from the factory.