I am in the market for new front shocks on my 400EX, and I thought you guys in the racing forum would know quite a bit on this subject. I ride on the local MX track a decent amount, but not all the time. I trail ride as well. What shocks would you all suggest for me? I have looked at TCS standard travel/finish fronts, PEP standard race, and Works Triple Rate A-T Steelers. Please help if you can. Thanks.

 

In my opinion out of those 3, TCS is the best, PEP next and then works. However, for the money, unless you really really want ZPS (on the TCS) then the works is probably the best.

They are something like 400 or so for the triple rate with Res. and the TCS are 750, with adjustable compression as well. I think the PEP have compression but are 595 without ZPS.

 

I'd go with TCS. They are great shocks for the money. If you got the cash to spend, go with AXIS.
#70

 

Works triples with reservoirs since you don't race. I love mine since they are next to impossible to bottom and they ride soft. Call Pierre at Works and tell him you are a recreational mxr and describe in detail your weight, experience, and description of jumps and that you trail ride. They run about $500. If money is no object, go with the TCS. I don't race so I went with the Works. I ride at a track that has a 30ft double, a 42 ft double and a 55ft tabletop. The highest I get is about 10 12 ft up. (I used to jump over my Ford Explorer lengthwise for fun) However, 86atc250r (Gabe) makes me look like I am riding a Quadsport. Be honest with people and they will set them up correctly for you. All are a good choice. WAY better than stock!!!

 

This year I switched from Works Triple Rate on my 400 to a full set of Custom Axis. I must say that allthough the Axis are a much better shock than the Works, the Works were excellent and I did like them. They were great for trail riding and worked ok for a spin around the MX track. If your going to seriously race, I would consider dropping the money for the Custom Axis. Whenever I build a race bike, my money always goes for shocks before doing motor work (don't know about MX, I'm a GNCC/Harescramble racer). Over the course of a lap, the shocks will make more of a difference in lap times then more HP will.

Good Luck and no matter which shocks you buy, they will be a marked improvement over stock.

Travis
1999 Honda 400EX

 

Well, the local MX track here has a lot of different size jumps. For example, there are things such as rolling whoops/doubles that I think are about 15 feet apart, to a couple of huge triples, all the way to the finishline tabletop that is around 80-90 feet.

I don't jump the really big jumps, but I would like shocks that will handle everything else. Would you all suggest the TCS? They sound amazing from what I've heard/read about them. Also, if I got the TCS, would I have to have my stock rear reworked by TCS to make it ZPS? Or would it be fine the way it is?

 

save your $$$ go with Works. Call Pierre. ABSOLUTELY if you intend on going with +2 a arms, get them set up that way, do not make a $100 mistake like I did. I have reservoirs so I cannot comment on the really cheap ones. If you want to do zps rear, they can sell you an extra set of springs for $25 to lower the front to match. That is what I am going to do.

 

Hakmazter,
I have quite a few questions for you. Do you have the Works Triple Rates? If so, how do you like them? Are they hard to bottom out? Do you like you JD a-arms? Where did you purchase them from? Also, do the springs for the Works just lower the front end, or make them ZPS? Sorry for so many questions. Thanks a lot.

Do you have a picture of your quad?

 

I ordered my Works shocks from Burgard Cycle 3 days before a trip to Little Sahara, OK. They are triple rate with reservoirs. I installed them that night and then went to OK. I loved them and had no complaints. However, they were close, not perfect. I then went to a place nearby where there was a kid with a 400ex with everything. He was a A or B class racer. When I saw it, I swore up and down that it was a 250r. I wanted it, so I began to buy piece by piece, what his quad looked like. I am 31 years old and I won't ever race, so I knew that I didn't really need top of the line equipment. I know that the majority of people out there might honestly think that I am one of the guys in Huevos, but there are alot of jumps that I look at and say "no way" 50 ft long is my comfort limit and about 10-12 ft high.
So, I saw the JDs tested by Dirt Wheels and they liked them. I ordered them directly from their little ad in Dirt Wheels (it is like a 16th of a page ad) I didn't see that those being chromoly, powdercoated, and using the same car ball joints and adjustable camber being much worse for $445 as opposed to the others for 550 to 800. The only thing I didn't like about the article was that they didn't tell how +2s affect jumping. If you have the stockers, set them at 5 and jump, them set them at 2 and jump. That is how they will feel on 5 with +2s. As a result, I was frame planting and casing over jumps. I called Works and described exactly what I was doing, what I wanted, what I weighed, etc... I also told them I wanted to lower them to zps when I rebuild my rear. They sent them back to me for $90 to rebuild and told me that the quad was supposed to drop about 3" in the front and at the time it did not. They had set it up extra stiff for the jumping, I called and talked to them and they said to drop the clips back from 11 to 8. Now they are perfect. When I get my rear done, I just call them, send $25 and swap 2 of the 6 springs, instant zps. I do not know if they were set up differently under the premise that I was going to lower it even more, but it works awesome, no more bottoming ever (I guess they put spacers in to prevent it) I am not a true mxr, so I do not know if or how much better the PEP or AXIS are, but I do not see how they honestly could be, but I spent alot of time describing exactly what I wanted and I got it. They are perfect for trail riding, too. I am now left with rebuilding my rear stocker to zps, maybe an Axcalibur rear axle, and new White plastic since I hate the way blue shows every mark.

 

What do you all think of PEP standard fronts, TCS standards, and Works Triple Rates? Pros and cons.