Hi all. Right from day one last August, I noticed that when I get off my '07 Sportsman 700 EFI, the rear suspension does not fully extend all the way out. In other words, the back of the machine remains squated down about 2 inches or so. If I grab the rear rack, and pull up, the suspension will fully extend, and the back will lift up about 2 inches, and it will stay there by itself. And yes, I did set the rear preload adjusters to the heaviest setting when I first got the machine. My '05 700 EFI did not do this. It would spring all the way up by itself when i got off. Did Polaris go to softer rear springs sometime between '05 and '07?
Does Polaris offer a heavy duty rear spring? anyone have a part number? I weigh in at about 290, and I almost always have my 60 lb son on the back. We don't bottom out the suspension when we ride, but it would be nice if it came all the way up when we got off!! thanks in advance for any insite here. --JH

 

Mine is on the softest setting, which is pretty stiff. And it stays sagged about one or two inches unless I pull up on the rear rack like you've described.

 

my 08' as well stays a little sagged.

 

My 06' acts the same....

 

I always had the same problem so I bought a set of those rubber spacers that polaris sales for the fronts and used them in the rears, and that worked pretty good. I just installed a 2 inch bolt on lift that I got from ebay for 60 bucks and I had to soften the preloads. The lift stiffened it up pretty good and I like the stiffer ride. Don't get dicuraged about the lift it is not that much taller for the fronts get lifted 2 inches and the rear only 1.5 inches. The installion was easy and fast and came with picture directions. You don't even have to remove the tires on the front. All this lift does is add space between shock mounting brackets useing bolt on spacers.

 

I just thought of another idea. When I first started noticeing this I used to put the quad up on the lift when I wasn't rideing to keep the shocks and springs relaxed for the polaris is heavy one.

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: atv gooroo

I always had the same problem so I bought a set of those rubber spacers that polaris sales for the fronts and used them in the rears, and that worked pretty good. I just installed a 2 inch bolt on lift that I got from ebay for 60 bucks and I had to soften the preloads. The lift stiffened it up pretty good and I like the stiffer ride. Don't get dicuraged about the lift it is not that much taller for the fronts get lifted 2 inches and the rear only 1.5 inches. The installion was easy and fast and came with picture directions. You don't even have to remove the tires on the front. All this lift does is add space between shock mounting brackets useing bolt on spacers.</end quote></div>

Link to the auction for the kit?

 

All I did was go to ebay and did a search for the listing "polaris lift kit" and a bunch showed up. I bought the one set that is black in color. I beleive the price was about 54 dollars plus 10 dollars shipping. (may have to grind a little off the strut for boot clearance) this is a very easy job and anyone can do it. (anyone)

 

There are a bunch of polaris riders in my group, me being one of them, and we had this issue as well.
I think the rear suspension is set up like this as it needs some 'sag' in order to preform properly. Soft supple suspension that doesn't bottom out provides superior traction, ride and handling.

I come up with this idea from my motorcross and sledding exp.
All motocross bikes have a min of 3-4inches of sag when you sit on the seat - so the rear suspension is in the top 60-70% of the travel with rider.
Try to drag race with a sled that has the susp set up with no sag or worse yet try to hillclimb with hard susp. Doesn't work!

Jodaanja, at your weight and the add'l of your son you could probably use some heavier springs but the suspension shouldnt lift the bike all the way to the top as there is some tire scrubbing when the susp is fully extended.

Just my $0.02

 

How can there be tire rubbing when the suspension is fully extended? When the suspension is all the way extended, the tires are the farthest away from everything. When I get off my 700, and then lift up the back, the suspension is fully extended, and it will stay in this condition until I sit on it again. I can roll it around the garage floor without sitting on it so it stays fully extended, and there is nothing even close to rubbing on any of the four tires.......not sure what you are talking about. Could you clarify this for me? I'm sure it is just me not understanding what you are taliking about. Thanks---JH