[glenlivet]

I'm eagerly watching for news on the Trail 800 suspension, toward improving it.
For some reason the rear springs of my 800 Trail are made to be already at coil bind for the top 5 and bottom 5 full turns when at rest, making just the middle five or so spring coils do all the compression work. No wonder it hammers so hard on the back and wants to ride like a Sherman tank. Who makes these decisions?

[NMKawierider]

I'm eagerly watching for news on the Trail 800 suspension, toward improving it.
For some reason the rear springs of my 800 Trail are made to be already at coil bind for the top 5 and bottom 5 full turns when at rest, making just the middle five or so spring coils do all the compression work. No wonder it hammers so hard on the back and wants to ride like a Sherman tank. Who makes these decisions?

I don't know but mine is doing the same thing. I wish I could come up with a better spring just to get me by a while until I can put some better shocks on it.

[Hrc630]

I won’t give up before finding a good affordable solution.
Thursday I will try others spring and even try a dual spring set up on my oem shock. From what I have seen I think many Elka parts can be put directly on our shocks.

[ctdls]

I've been in contact with Elka, they do not have anything available for the narrow ZForce. Yet CFMOTO lists an Elka shock, I've passed that on to Elka & they have have contacted CFMOTO Canada.

In true fashion........I've not heard a word from either party.

I do remember Wheels mentioning a shock he was impressed with, maybe Ohlins.

[Hrc630]

Elka is supposed to have stage 1 - 3 - 4 - 5 for the trail model. It’s 20 min from my house. Thursday I have a free day and I will go to the Elka plant and see the disponibility.
Also, even if not listed they can make them for you.

For now, I don’t whant to pay $2000 for upgrading my shocks.
I am confident that ride quality can be improved a lot by changing de coil spring or going to dual spring set up.

[4getful2]

Specs.-wise. How much wheel travel do these things have?
Has anyone suggested a 200-225 lb. spring in the rear?

[Hrc630]

I think it’s a little over 8 inch travel. I will go to the garage in a few minutes and check that.

200-225 seem a lot to me.
A RZR 800 have 175 lbs.
I will check the spring rate tomorrow at my friends shop

[glenlivet]

I have been looking at various quad A arms and I see that the Trail model CF Moto has its lower shock mount located at least 2/3 of the distance toward the outer king pin location compared with most sport quads and even the EX model that have their shock mount more like half way between the king pin points. This is much reduced mechanical advantage of the A arm over the spring, making the spring effectively stronger and it articulating further for the same wheel travel distance.

This suggests that if shocks from an EX were to be mounted on a Trail the ride would be harder.

[Hrc630]

Not so good today...
Our rear shock are very weak internally in the valving system.
Because of that, 70% of the ride are related to the spring. Our spring are tripple rate spring (good) but because the shock are to small and not strong enough for a side by side the company have made a stronger spring (center of the spring) and very soft end. That is why each end of the spring are compressed just by the weight...
because of that it’s like riding only on the hard part of the spring that are way to stiff... nothing to do with the oem rear shock.

Tomorrow I will try different shock from RZR and Wildcat to see if something can be bolt on.

On a side note, our shock are made by YIT and can be buy brand new for 180$ instead of the $550+ from de dealer...

[Hrc630]

Yessssss !
Today at the performance shop of my friends I have find a pair of Elka stage 5 that have 20 inch long and quad spring set up.
I have remove the two small spring at the top end put the shocks on my ZForce... Just like that with no tuning the difference is incredible! It’s like running on a cloud. I can’t believe it. The rear suspension are now so smooth.

A little to much sag so I will instal stiffer Spring and ajust all parameter but wow !
All that for $300 ! Thank you my friend!

The shocks came from a Can Am DS 450 with long travel set up.

I am really happy with my finds !

[NMKawierider]

Yessssss !
Today at the performance shop of my friends I have find a pair of Elka stage 5 that have 20 inch long and quad spring set up.
I have remove the two small spring at the top end put the shocks on my ZForce... Just like that with no tuning the difference is incredible! It’s like running on a cloud. I can’t believe it. The rear suspension are now so smooth.

A little to much sag so I will instal stiffer Spring and ajust all parameter but wow !
All that for $300 ! Thank you my friend!

The shocks came from a Can Am DS 450 with long travel set up.

I am really happy with my finds !

I am really happy for you. It gives the rest of us with Trails/53s hope

[Hrc630]

I have made a 70 km ride today in the very ruff and I can’t believe the improvements. The comfort is incredible. Not sure if I will change the spring. I have gain a lot of wheels travel and the rear suspension work very freely.
Before, when I put my weight on the rear hitch the rear only drop about a inch and was very stiff.
Now with the Stage 5 the rear drop 3-4 inch very smoothly!

I am very happy. If the handling was good on high speed run I will keep the shock like that, probably no need for other springs !

[NMKawierider]

Dang..even I'm getting excited now. I have all my bushings working so smoothly it feels like never before now..can't wait for some real shocks.

[Hrc630]

My friend have an other set of ELKA ELITE. 19 1/2. A little shorter but a lot more travel than our CF oem shock.
With 1 1/2 shocks spacer extension it would be awesome

[NMKawierider]

So your stage-5s have the reservoirs..any issues with clearance? Some pics withs be great too