I recently purchased an 86 QRacer 250 hoping to get back into the sport side of ATVing. Took it out to the local area and had my first chance to check the suspension out. HARSH!!! It has aftermarket shocks and they have the WP stickers on them. Compared to my brother in laws 400ex, mine is terrible on the landings. Do the shocks just need a recharging or what? Anyways, after several attempts at mediocre airtime, my footpegs couldn't take the beating and were bent. I managed to straighten them back up with a bottle jack while still on the trailer but it's gonna happen again if I try it again.

I know my QRacer can't be that terrible so help me out, is it all in the shocks or what? If they do need work, where can I get the work done reasonable?

Thanks in advance

 

Stock lt250 footpegs are made of thick steel bending them seems almost impossible even if you are extremely overweight, im thinking you only bent the bolts possibly. Anyway yeah you are right LT250 shocks were decent for 86 but now are far inferior to todays shocks, a400ex has better shocks with more travel. My 89 shocks are somewhat adjustable. You can make them stiffer or softer by the dial at the top and the settngs on the bottom, assuming they are the same as the 89's.

 

No, I bent the "flat" steel that the peg is welded to. Now that it's been bent, it's weak.

Been searching some on the suspension guru's site such as Ohlins and Works and maybe I'd be better off replacing or revalving (or whatever needs to be done) mine? Mine is too harsh to catch any air without beating it to death.

I guess I'm more or less asking should I replace my 3 shocks or send them off to be worked on?

 

You should get new shocks, the harsh landings are probably due to your weight. Order them through a company that will make them for your specific application. I have heard nothing bad about Elka but if price is an issue go with Works.

 

86 LT's have very short 12 1/2" front shocks. Those harsh landings are bottoming out the suspension and will end up cracking the upper shock mounts. A stock 86 is nowhere near as good as a 400ex when it comes to big air. I've got a set of 15" works shocks waiting on HSD +3 arms to bring mine up to modern standards.

 

do the shocks have remote rezzies? if so, have them rebuilt. if they are stock, junk them.

 

my '87lt250r seems to be fine and I had it at the dunes catching some pretty good air. Oh yeah, I am 6'5" and 225lbs. Did you have a problem with the rear or just the fronts? Of course our ancient bikes are in no way gonna compare to the newer improved suspensions, your looking at almost 20 yrs of advances in suspension. Maybe get your shocks redone or buy some after markets...then catch some kill air on your 250. 'Cause that's what 2-strokes are for, right? I am thinking of buying a newer 4-stroker, but ya know I'll keep the 'racer...scotty