After loading my quad (2008 TOuring 500) back on the trailer after a ride last night, I noticed that the spring on the right rear of the quad is bent out to the right and it's rubbing against the left top of the strut (shock). So much so that the cap off the strut was sitting up two coil levels on the spring from it's normal level and the outside of the strut has marks from the rubbing.

I can't see any cracks in the mountings, bushings, etc, or anything else obviously wrong and I'm not sure how I could have done this without breaking somethings else.

Any ideas on what caused it and how to repair it? While I'm at it, are the springs on the touring the same as the HD springs on the X2?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

The springs on the X2 are rated to carry a 400 lb. load while the springs on the Touring are rated for 180 lbs. Not sure what could cause it without looking at it. Got any pics you could put up?

 

Thanks, I'll post photos later tonight when I get home.

Is there any downside to replacing the rear springs with the HD from the x2 other than stiffening it up?

 

I haven't really looked at how the shocks are set up. You probably would have to get the shock/spring setup together. I'm not sure if there is a way to take them apart like the front McPhereson struts.

 

To replace the spring you need to compress it(I use a $25 strut compressor from napa) enough to slide the top cap off(you will see the slot it it). Then remove the old spring and compress the new one enough to get the cap back on and you're done. I would assume they make a hd spring that will work for you. No real downside other than a bit harsher ride.

 

Heres a photo.

 

Do you carry a lot of weight on the back? Looks to me like it may have been squatted enough that the top retainer may hit on the inside which would explain how it bowed out. That or something is out of whack. Pull the shock and compress the spring to get it off and see if it sits bowed like that. If so, it's definitely the spring and I would upgrade to some hd's.

 

The only thing I can think of that something got jammed in there to bend the spring. Either in the spring or between the spring and the X brace. I took a look at my X2 and the plate that holds the spring on the shock looks the same as mine. It's at about the same angle. Sorry I can't help you figure this one out.

 

So I borrowed a set of spring compressors tonight and took the strut and spring out. Everything seemed fine when I had it apart, except for the signs of rubbing on the inside of the spring and the outside of the strut.

I put it back together and reinstalled everything and things looked fine. I gave the spring a couple of raps with a rubber mallet just to make sure it was seated around the strut ok. Lo and behold the spring got out of shape again, just like in the photo above. Frustrated I gave the other side a rap too, and it did the same thing. Of course both seemed to go back into position ok with a rap on the other side. It seems that the retaining plate at the top of the spring can move around and change the loading of the spring. This happened when the quad was on the jack or on the ground.

So I'm hoping the problem was a false alarm and a rock just hit the spring and pushed it out of alignment a little bit (we do quite a bit of rocky trails). Although the rubbing marks on the strut and spring on the right side, do have me a bit nervous. I'm going to keep an eye on it for the next few rides, and if I find anything I'll post it here.

Thanks again guys.

 

The springs for each model carry the same part number. The rating for the X2 is likely 400 lbs. payload beacuse its primarily a one passenger ride where the Touring is designed for two passengers as it primary design and would only carry a 180lb. payload while carrying two people.

If there were some way to remove the passenger seat on the Touring and use that space for cargo then it would have the identical capacity as the X2

Eric