All I did was take the shocks off the bike and then the springs of the shocks, then cut some old rubber mud flaps in a circle to fit over the shocks and then trimmed them so they look good. it cost me 0$ I found the flap on the road. I put 4, 1/4 inch pieces on the bottom of the shock raised the bike about 1 ½ to 2 inches its cheap and not that hard no more rubbing tires it helped with steering, much easer.

 

To fit over the shocks, how? What kind of bike is this? I'd like to lift my Prairie and am trying to figure out how.

 

Roman:
On the Arctic Cat's, the spring fits around the shock. By compressing the spring, you can remove the retainer clip, then slip the spring off the shock assembly. There is a small plastic spacer about 1" tall that fits between the spring and the shock, to keep the spring in the right position. By removing that, you are now down to a large flat base washer, pull that of as well. All of this rests on a ridge base on the bottom of the shock assembly, so this is where your spacers (lift blocks) would fit. I made mine out of stainless steel shock collars, and cut them to 1/2" thick up front, and 3/8" in the rear. Simply slide the new "spacer" on the shock assembly (I believe it was about 1 1/4" inside diameter??? with 1/4" sidewall thickness), then put the base plate back on, then the plastic spacer for the spring, the spring itself, and finally the spring retainer clip.

I'm not sure how the shock/spring setup is on your prairie, this may or may not work. I know it won't work on the Polaris design, so they have to go a different route. Keep in mind though, this does stiffen the springs, and give a little rougher ride than stock, but you do get a substantial ground clearance gain. With the 3/8" up front, I gained 1 1/2" of clearance. I put them in the rear, and made 1/2" for the front, thinking I could get a little more, but I still had the same 1 1/2" clearance gain, nothing more. I do carry an excess of 100 lbs. on my front rack at all times, so I don't notice the stiffer ride at all-in fact, that's why I put the spacers in there-to compensate for the sagging front end, due to the weight I carry. If you made say 1/4"-3/8" or so, it wouldn't be quite as stiff. It does add to the stability of the machine though, so that is another bonus.

Anyway, if your springs are like this, give it a shot, it's an easy mod. to do, and easily changed back to stock if you don't like it. BigDcRed made his for free out of the rubber, I paid somewhere around $4.00 total for my collars that I then cut to size, so you can see the cost is next to nothing if you don't like it.

Best of luck,

Mike

 

I have an AC 500 4x4 By adding 1 in on the shock I now have 12 in ground clearance with only 26in tires. good luck

 

Not bad, But HL's lift kit got me 13" with 26" stockers AND I have an almost factory like ride. I believe your spring spacers will realy give you a rough ride if you don't carry alot of weight on it.

 

Boner:
You're exactly right with that one-the spring spacers WILL give a rough ride if you go too tall with them. I could tell a difference between the 3/8 and the 1/2" when I swapped them out. The 1/2" are a little stiffer, I just never got around to cutting them down. And, as you know, I always have a lot of weight up front. I'd hate to see how it handled without the weight, it might rattle your teeth out! heh heh heh. How's that new lift design you're working on the H.L. coming? Any new progress? I presume it will take some time due to the new design, sounds like it will be pretty awesome though when you guys get it all finished up.

Ride hard,

Mike

 

Well I was working on it today. That right rear side needed surgery. I used a band saw to cut a groove it it to bend it up alittle. But to fit it like the directions say it should fit I have to move one of the mounting holes 1/2". So I am working on that. After I do this it SHOULD FIT perfect. I'm gonna see if I can sneak the part into school to mig weld that gap I cut in it-- that way it keeps the angle I bent it to. Then HL will be able to copy the bracket, send me another one of the new part, then I will be able to approve it.

I'm probally gonna do alittle shoot out or something with the 2 lift kits. I think the first one might offer more lift, but it seems like the second lift is ALOT more user freindly. It seems to be easier to install(not that the first one was hard at all).