What exactly is the suspension upgrade on Vipers?

akrievins

akrievins

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I hear so much about this suspension upgrade for 02-03 Vipers, but what really is involved?
Is it brand new shocks, a Yamaha recall, or a re-valve?

How would I know if this has been done?

Thanks.
 
It is a service bulletin/special program for '02 viper owners that were unhappy with the ride of their viper in stock suspension form. You would bring in your 4 shocks, and they would give you a set of 4 new ones which had much softer valving in them. Most dealers would take your shocks in exchange, some let you keep them. The program was only 189.00 bucks for four shocks, so it was a real steal of a deal. Really made a huge difference in ride quality. The valving was much more compliant, and was still stiff enough for 99.5% of riders, no matter how aggressive they tell you they ride.
 
I think that the 2003s had the corrected/ different set up.
I just picked up a set of 2002 rear shocks from a local dealer for $100.00.
When I get ready to install them, I plan on sending them to Pioneer performace for the updated kit.
2datrl
 
I didn't have to bring in my 4 shocks. I brought in the whole sled and they installed the shocks for the $189.00. If the dealers made you do it yourself ,they were not being honest. Yamaha covered the labor too. My dealer also let me keep the old shocks and I sold them on here and actually was money ahead.
 
You're right it is no longer available, but a few dealers still have a couple update shock packages sitting around. They just can't get them from yamaha anymore and yamaha wont reimburse them for the labor anymore.
 
2003 were covered too!

in 2003 there were two setups. The red vipers er's had the softer updated version and the blue ones had the outragous stiff valve shocks. I bought a left over 03 blue non er and drove it a few hundred miles and almost died. The suspension was way too stiff. I took it back to my dealer and they installed the updated version that was put on the 02's. Made a hell of a difference and it was all covered under warranty.
 
Did Viper ER's ever come out in blue? If so, which year(s)?
Viper-Rules! said:
in 2003 there were two setups. The red vipers er's had the softer updated version and the blue ones had the outragous stiff valve shocks. I bought a left over 03 blue non er and drove it a few hundred miles and almost died. The suspension was way too stiff. I took it back to my dealer and they installed the updated version that was put on the 02's. Made a hell of a difference and it was all covered under warranty.
Click to expand...
 
Blue er's!

No blue ones never come from the factory with electric or reverse. Alot of dealers added it on though for factory pricing to move the blue ones. I had reverse put on before I took it home.
 
2003 shocks!

If you have an orginal red viper er, it came with the soft upgraded marsh-mellow shocks. If you have an orginal blue viper it came with the hard ditch banging 02 setup. Hope that helps!
 
I ended up getting a 2003 blue viper. Some posts say that the recall was on 02's only, and some say that it was fixed for 03. Is there anyway I can look at my shocks to know if they have been changed?
 
03 vipers ride fine, no need to change the shocks. if you want to make it work better, go to the faq section and read how to make it better and not break.
 
Had the replacements put on in 02.
Just bought an original (stiff) set and put them on...there were numbers stamped into the shocks just below the lower bolt hole....not sure if that is a way to tell the dif. or not.
BUT,...one thing that is visibly different is the center shock spring.
the replacement set has a center shock spring that has the coils evenly spaced, while the stiff set will have a tightly coiled section 1/3 of the way and then the coils get wider @ the top...dual rate???
the front springs are stiffer on the originals, but you'd have to have both sets to see that because they look the same.
 
I bought an 03 viper blue!

I totally disagree with you guys. In 2003 there were two setups. Red vipers had the soft marshmellow shocks and the blue ones had the super stiff shocks that were put in the 02 vipers. Yamaha did this to give people a choice in 03. I weigh 175 Ibs and had to have the shocks switched in my 03, since they were way too stiff for me.
 
Viper Setup

The 03 Vipers all had the updated shocks. And the ER model did come in blue.
 
Last edited:
The 03 ER's had the soft shocks like the 02 update shocks. The non-ER 03's had revalved shocks that were softer than the original 02's but a bit firmer than the update shocks. Hope that makes sense.
 
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