How stiff is too stiff to run the shocks?

Is 1/2 turn from stiffest too stiff for wear and tear on the shock?

 

How is the adjustment made on the bike? Is it a 5-notch adjuster on the bottom of the spring? If it is then adjust it according to how you want it to feel. As long as your settings are within the maximum and minimum settings and you're comfortable w/ the setting, then leave it there. But I've never dealt w/ the z400/kfx shocks so my information is worth pretty much nothing.

 

They have compression and rebound adjusment on all three shocks. There is an adjustment at the top and at the bottom of all three.

But they don't have "clicks" so to speak, it's just a progressive dial.

I was just wondering if it's safe to run them on full-hard settings all the time. Not that I am, but I would like to run the rear at closer to full than the fronts. I'm just not sure if I risk damage to the shock if they are run too stiff.

It would seem logical that 1/2 turn off the hardest setting would be OK but I'm not sure.

 

adjusting shocks can be a real pain in the butt. if your shocks are to stiff you get a really rough ride
if they're to soft then the bike will bottom out. you dont want them to stiff or they might not compress when you hit something
and then you could go flying. take it from me I know, my rebound on the rear was to soft and the bike tossed me off
and I broke a rib. you want your shocks to compress some what quick and rebound slower. IMO
mostly its how you want the bike to feel and handle when you ride so becareful not to over adjust
and remember when you adjust the fronts make sure you adjust them the same amount of clicks or turns
and no it wont hurt them having them a half turn from full its just a stiff ride

 

Thanks,

I know it's tricky, I'm still making adjustments.

 

I think I need to adjust mine too. I bottomed out hard over a jump. I hit it several times, and it bottomed out every time. I weigh 230lbs and I'm 6'1". You really don't get that much air off it either. Probably 8-10 feet between bottom of wheels and the ground. I mostly trail ride, and we ride kinda hard on the trails, but I don't really like riding on my buddy's track. I don't really like jumping that much yet. When I was a kid, we'd jump higher than that. But I'm just getting back into riding and would like to be more comfortable first. I have no problem hitting the trails hard and fast, but there's just something about jumping I don't seem to enjoy anymore.

 

Sparky8370 That's called old age. I know the feeling, Open trail's and dune's are fine. But jumping is another story. I tend to sit back and watch now when we get into those aera's.

 

LOL Yeah I think kids make the aging process increase expotentially. That and knowing you gotta work every day of the work week, and most of the weekends.