Viper suspension setup?

Zachalyse

Zachalyse

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Mar 14, 2005
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Maine
I recently bought an 04 Viper ER from a female rider, non-aggressive, approximately 110-120 lbs. I assume the dealer set it up for her. Rather soft settings. Killed my back on the first ride.

What should the setup be for me?
Aggressive rider, 180 lbs.
 
crank the center spring all the way, get the FRA in the center position, and adjust the rear spring accordingly to get a 50/50 control rod gap.
 
Why would you set the center spring at full tight. I do my set up just oppisite, and everyone can't believe how good my sled rides. I set my center shock to have zero preload with the weight of the sled on the track. I then use the rear shock to get my 50/50 gap. It rides smooth, handles bumps great ,and doesn't trench at all. I tried the crank the center spring up trick, and my sled would trench through a concrete floor, and was so tippy it wasn't any fun to ride. You may need to readjust your ski shocks again, and then retweek the rears to get good ski preasure, but you won't believe how smooth it will ride. But hey thats just the way I do mine, so to each his own. Maxdlx
 
cranking center shock 2002 viper

While I didn't get a chance to try this on the only ride I had this year on the Viper I just bought, I think there is something to this. I took it to Houghton a month ago, and on trail 3 around Twin Lakes just south of Houghton, it got rough just like it always does on Saturday. Anyone who's ridden there knows what I'm talking about. Anyway at 50-65mph in the 1 1/2-2 footers I could definately feel the center shock bottoming. I've heard on here that the center spring is too soft and the shock bottoms quickly, with zero preload on it, causing a harsh ride. I don't know if it is a progressive rate spring or not, but it feels like a strait rate. I wanted to try to crank the center spring, but didn't want to hold everyone up. I am going to send these shocks in for revalve anyway, or get the Yamaha shock upgrade, haven't decided yet. I would like to hear from the guys that have cranked up the center shock for their input.
 
I have mine revalved and run with the center set mid-hard. the fra is soft and the rear shock set for the 50/50 gap. can really pound the big bumps without bottoming. handles great (I like a lot of front end bite!) and have the front shocks set in the middle fo rthe front end bite. I just ran a 200 mile day, half nice groomed and half crappy with a lot of chatter bumps. not faatigued at all, just had tight muscles a day or so later, should have stretched after I rode lol! the revalve is better than the update, and really not a costly thing to do.
 
the service bulletin for the 03 viper er suggested 3/16 or less gap on the bottom of the transfer rods achieved by cranking the rear spring tighter. I adjusted my fra to full firm and moved my spring about 3/8 inch and it rides good now. I'm gonna try cranking my center spring tighter next year to see if that smooths out the big bumps.
 
i have the upgraded shocks and ran the center in all positions. cranked all the way was best. i weigh 170 and dont ride all that agressivly. it never bottomed.
 
tried both sides and having more preload on the center spring and front shocks sure makes the sled hammer through the bumps without bottoming....i can even leave the FRA in soft position for stutter and mid position for rollers...i weigh 200lbs....CP
 
This is why i said crank the center spring, and it sure seems enough people agree. The center spring is the weak link in the stock suspension, it doesn't have enough rate to support the way it should, and it bottoms far too easily, and causes the rest of the suspension to couple front to back far too early, so the rear shock feels harsh as well. I should point out that i only set them this way on the long travel suspensions (11.5"). On my short travels (8"), i run the center with a lot less preload because for some reason they seem to react a lot differently, and actually ride better with quite a bit less preload on the center.
 
yamaholic, good call on the short travel rears. my ol sx did react a lot differently and as you said, I set it a lot differently as well :)
 
So why not get ride of the springs, and get some that work right. I bet it would be a lot better ride set up the way the skid was meant to be worked. JMO Maxdlx
 
maxdlx said:
So why not get ride of the springs, and get some that work right. I bet it would be a lot better ride set up the way the skid was meant to be worked. JMO Maxdlx
Click to expand...
i agree im going to try a stiffer strait spring. i just wanted to see if more inital pre load is what it needed. and it was.
 
Guys, what rate of springs have you tried on the center for zero preload?? and also what sled sx or viper, short or long tracked are you making adjustments on....thanks CP
 
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