Guys:
I just bought a really clean 1994 Polaris 400L for a song. Mechanically everything is in great shape- just replaced the air box, battery, and rebuilt the carb and it runs like a champ.

The suspension has never been touched, and I'm in the process of getting parts together so it will ride better and haul me & gear without bottoming out. I have heavy-duty front springs ordered from Dennis Kirk and I'm getting new struts, which is where my question comes from.

Somebody else on this board had the genius idea (in my opinion, anyway) of buying Monroe replacement cartridges instead of ATV-branded cartridges. Last night I looked through the Monroe technical information and found one that I think is a direct replacement for the Polaris strut:
http://info.rockauto.com/Monroe/72826.html


They cost $34.99 each at my local O'Reilly auto parts...about half what aftermarket "ATV" struts go for ($65.99 is the best I've found) and a third of the OEM replacement ($109.19 each).

It has the right diameter (1-1/2") and travel (6.25") to match the Polaris specs, but I haven't pulled my old struts to see if the body length, extended length, etc. are correct. If anyone already knows that this strut will (or won't) work please let me know.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a replacement rear shock?

 

Grab a fox off a 95-2001 scrambler/sport for the rear

(someone correct me if im wrong)

for the fronts, I've heard people say that 'they must be stiffer b/c they are automotive struts'

I dont buy that, They are cheap... check them out, if they ride like crap take them back, no biggy.

 

did you get the front shocks? how does it ride?

 

I would be very interested as well on how they worked.
What about the rear cartridge?

 

I figured the performance of the strut would be all wrong due to the intended application.

But I tell ya... it's gotta be hard to get much worse.