I go camping about 3 times a month and i put close to 250lbs on the back rack and 125 on the front. I weigh 275 lbs and by the time I have everything ready to go I dont have a back shock anymore. The preload set as far as it will go and i dont know what to do next. I would put some air in but I dont think it's an air shock. Please help me! Thanks

 

The rear shock is filled with nitrogen, not air and I'm not eactly sure what pressure the Prairie is filled to cause we haven't had any problems with the shock where I've had to mess with it but most gas charged shocks take around 300 to 400 psi of nitrogen! What is the shock doing or not doing that makes you think there is a problem?

 

There's nothing you can do. You are running way over the machines (or any machine's) intended weight limit.

 

I saw in a catologe reciently a rear spring loaded shock that mounts to the trailer hitch & goes up to the frame... to increase the load carrying capacity of your quad...I've designed a similar system for racing, that I'm field testing currently that employes 2 fox racing shocks...I'm new to the ATV racing arena, but raced Jeeps for 10 + years...I have a custom rear rack / spare tire carrier, that balances the quad like a 2wd ripper, & coupled with being about the same size, needed alittle help in the rear as well...I've considered raising the nitrogen pressure in my stock shock as well...or at least testing it, as it is cranked up all the way, & still the shock is not fully extended even before I get on it... Have A GREAT Day, Go Four Wheel'in !!!!! WAM

 

I have also contemplated the long trips in the woods packing everything but the kitchen sink, ok i'm bringin the sink too[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]I plan on towing a small garden trailer, since most of the riding areas have main trails that a riding mower could navigate then unhook where I want my base camp and rip around the woods without the trailer or other gear for a few hours, sleep the night, get up in the morning and do it again, an ideal trip would be about 2 days out, 2 days back, and a week to recover.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]since your hitch sits on the axle, not the rack it wont compress your shock. I just have a massey ferguson garden trailer with pneumatic tires, but I've even seen what they are calling "ATV Trailers on the net and in magazines, shouldnt be too hard to find one that matches your needs. Good Luck.

 

I've thought about trailers and I don’t think it would work very well because I have to do a lot of rock hopping and side hilling to get to camp. Last night I put my bike’s shock pump on the rear Prairie shock to see what the pressure was and it only said 160 psi I didn’t add any or take any out so maybe I don’t have pressure in that bad boy.

NovaKaw650
The book said you could safely put 475 pounds and I’m only around 100 lbs to heavy.

Newbeatle
What Mag were you looking at? How much? I think I would be really interested in buying that! Thanks!

 

BAD PRAIRIE... I looked again last night when I got home, the unit is available from "shade tree power sports" ...They have a new web page that I was able to go to, but not able to hook up with an online catolog on ... you can request a catolog from thier page though... They list 2 locations, one in Minnesota, & one in Ohio...the phone for the Ohio location is; Toll Free 1-888-SHADETREE, or (440) 834-4782...If I remember correctly, I think it was $189.00, & included a mount from the rear trailer hitch, to the rear rack, incuded a "name brand" spring boosted shock, & was manufactured by a company ( 3 initials, I hadn't heard of before ) I've never ordered anything from Shade Tree before, so I don't know how they are to deal with... I just like to keep an assortment of ATV catologs by the crapper. LOL... Have A GREAT Day, Go Four Wheel'in !!!!! WAM

 

I, too, have seen the "helper shock" somewhere. Try: www.bigbuckrack.com
To be realistic, you are overloading the machine. You might get away with it for short trips, I wouldn't regularly overload it, though.