I have a 2004 v-force 700, and the rear shock seems horrible to me...especially on whoops. The rear rebounds with such force it could throw you over the handle bars. I havetried to adjust the rebound dampening screw with no change in the feel. I have adjusted the spring all the way to the least amount of preload, and then tightened it down about an inch of threads from the top. That entire range of adjustment gave little effect to managing the problem.

I finally decided on a whim to remove the little tire valve cap from the schrader valve on the side of the shock and depressed the valve stem on the shock resevior to see if anything would come out. i figured it should have had alot of pressure in it....come to find out i depressed the valve stem and NOTHING happened...it acts like it is totally empty.

Is this the way it is supposed to be ??? or should fluid / air/ whatever have come rushing out when depressing the valve. I have been told that it should have had around 200 lbs of pressure...but not this shock it has 0 pressure in the resevoir.

If it is supposed to be under high pressure...now what do i do. Do i put air in it ??? or is it only for nitrogen ??

Thanks !!
Dave Boyd
Ocala, FL

 

in reading your post i reflect back on todays ride.. now im not experiencing the harshness you are when ridding the whoops but to me it does seem a little rough. in the morning im going to check my valve and see if anything comes out. i pretty much wrote the stiff ride on the fact they are stock suspension parts and i just figured its normal. im saving my dollars for elkas..

 

Hi Dave,

There is suppose to be about 200 lb. of nitrogen gas in the rezzie. The gas is only in there to keep the oil cool. If you are not riding it real hard for extended periods of time a no-gas situation would'nt make much difference. However if there is very little oil or air in the shock, it would make a big difference. The adjustment screw on shock is for compression damping not rebound damping. The rear end should not be bouncy. push down on the rear grab bar real hard and let it rebound on it's own. You should hear a faint hiss when it rebounds. And it should rebound with some resistence, with no bounce on full rebound. If it does, take it to the dealer to see if it has a defective shock.

 

but when ya push that air type thing is somthing supposed to come out anything at all???

 

Not sure on that but nitrogen accumulators (same idea , usually bigger) must have special tool to add or remove charge pressure.( story of my life,- special tool ) Looked in svc manual, 142 psi nitrogen, can be released with no tools. Sounds like it was.

 

the rear shock on the vforce in my opinon is really shaby. we rebuilt changed springs, change fluids, added gas, tookaway gas, and everything ended up very simular to stock. a slight difference. i bought a afco rear as recommended by brad covington and jackie meadows and never looked back. in all reality probably the best mod i did on the v force. it changed the bike completely. my point is don't even mess with the stock shock, get a new rear and be done with it. my 2 cents.

 

AFCO rear? where how much all the good stuff please....

 

afco

they have been making shocks for years. nascar etc.

 

Ok..Thanks for the input. I have an appointment in the AM to get the appropriate amount of Nitrogen charged back into the shock and then we'll see what happens then. I have already been in contact with Elka..so that will be the next step if this turns out to be a waste of $15.00 for the recharge.

Dave Boyd
Ocala, FL

 

I got fronts today here, cheaper than from Elka, for Elka's. C & D Racing 308-696-7805 ask for Colby. Thanks, Quadfather[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]