Aftermarket Shocks

    Quote from BryanL

    Bill, I'm heavy (260 something) and the 350lb spring was rough. When Caryn rode with me it was better but still a stiff ride in back. The 300 is a much better ride. Try the 300lb spring. If it's too soft for your taste we can meet up and I'll give you my 350. It's red.

    Thanks, the set that I purchased also has a 350lb spring on the rear, but in researching these shocks at least I know now how relatively easy, and inexpensive, it will be if I want to change it down the road. I still also have the additional option of replacing the rear tire with the better riding Yokohama.


    Bill

    Well, the QA1 shocks arrived yesterday and I was up early this morning installing them. I started with the rear, knowing that was going to be the more difficult, and it was! After struggling for a couple of hours I finally took the back loose enough to get in there and all was done in about 10 minutes. I had forgotten to measure before installing, but the belt became loose so I adjusted the shock to adjust it approximately, ( 42 degrees in the garage so I didn't tighten too much.) The fronts were plug-n-play with no adjustments necessary, maybe 10 minutes each. I initially set the shocks to 0 clicks/4 clicks. It's raining cats-n-dogs out there but I did take if for a quickie round robin through the neighborhood, but the jury is still out until I can get it out on to the open road.



    Though there is one thing I can say for sure now, they sure is purty! :thumbsup:


    Bill

    Yes - I agree that the back is the more involved job - when I did mine I knew I wouldn't have any helping hands so I just took the back panal off right at the start - - other than that it was very easy


    I look forward to hearing your views after you have had some proper seat time


    Merry Christmas!!

    Cage Free - 2016 Pearl Red SL

    DDM Short Shifter, Sway Bar Mounts Coolant tank Master Cylinder Brace & CAI

    Twist Dynamics Sway Bar, JRI GT Coilovers, Assault Hood Vent

    OEM Double Bubble windshields & various other goodies

    Quote from wjfyfe

    Well, the QA1 shocks arrived yesterday and I was up early this morning installing them. It's raining cats-n-dogs out there but I did take if for a quickie round robin through the neighborhood, but the jury is still out until I can get it out on to the open road.


    Bill

    OK, this morning I ran back and forth over a particularly choppy stretch of road and I must admit the sharp jarring experienced with the stock shocks in now gone. In just this short time I have settled so far with 0 clicks compression/4 clicks rebound on the rear, and 2 clicks/6 clicks on the front. I still am a bit fuzzy on how adjusting the rebound affects the ride, so the experimentation is far from being over.


    Over-all I am happy with the "softer" ride, but not so sure if I would be as much if I had paid a higher price.


    Bill

    Quote from wjfyfe

    OK, this morning I ran back and forth over a particularly choppy stretch of road and I must admit the sharp jarring experienced with the stock shocks in now gone. In just this short time I have settled so far with 0 clicks compression/4 clicks rebound on the rear, and 4 clicks/4 clicks on the front. I still am a bit fuzzy on how adjusting the rebound affects the ride, so the experimentation is far from being over.


    Over-all I am happy with the "softer" ride, but not so sure if I would be as much if I had paid a higher price.


    Bill

    Of all my mods the money for my coilovers was my easiest decision - I ride almost every day and every time out the investment I made in the JRI's pays for itself - - - to be honest if I had to do it again knowing what I know now I would do it the day I brought the Slingshot home and I might even consider the $3,195.00 Ohlins that DDM sells if they would be even better :)


    anyway - glad you are happy - in the end thats all that matters when talking mods 8o

    Cage Free - 2016 Pearl Red SL

    DDM Short Shifter, Sway Bar Mounts Coolant tank Master Cylinder Brace & CAI

    Twist Dynamics Sway Bar, JRI GT Coilovers, Assault Hood Vent

    OEM Double Bubble windshields & various other goodies

    Quote from Edward Neal

    Of all my mods the money for my coilovers was my easiest decision - I ride almost every day and every time out the investment I made in the JRI's pays for itself - - - to be honest if I had to do it again knowing what I know now I would do it the day I brought the Slingshot home and I might even consider the $3,195.00 Ohlins that DDM sells if they would be even better :)


    anyway - glad you are happy - in the end thats all that matters when talking mods 8o

    Thanks, and mind you, I am fully understanding that our primary goal currently is the improved ride that aftermarket shocks can provide. Where performance benefits are a totally different animal in which we might explore later as we become more experienced with them.


    Bill

    Quote from wjfyfe

    OK, this morning I ran back and forth over a particularly choppy stretch of road and I must admit the sharp jarring experienced with the stock shocks in now gone. In just this short time I have settled so far with 0 clicks compression/4 clicks rebound on the rear, and 2 clicks/6 clicks on the front. I still am a bit fuzzy on how adjusting the rebound affects the ride, so the experimentation is far from being over.


    Bill

    This prolly is nothing more than coincidence, but mind you we installed QA1 shocks and since doing our first lil trial and error run I found the adjustment recommendations from DDM for their shocks and our trial numbers just happen to fall right into DDM's suggested adjustment ranges. Like I said, prolly just coincidence. :/


    Bill

    And that my friends makes it go faster!!!

    JUST SAYIN

    Keep Three Wheels Down

    Quote from Oomp

    wjfyfe, What about the mounting point bushings? Did the shocks come with everything you needed for the install?

    As far as I have seen all of the aftermarket shock options for the Slingshot come with the correct size bushings to mount them in the Slingshot. The top and bottom mount are slightly different widths on the Slingshot and require different spacers in order to install correctly, our DDMWorks 3 way and 4 way shocks along with the Ohlins we sell all use CNC machined billet aluminum spacers to adapt to the Slingshot. Most of the QA1's and the JRI's also use a similar setup on those also.

    I am just carrying over some posts from the "other" Forum answering some of my questions:


    "On the rebound setting if you turn them to 0 clicks it should start bouncing like the shocks were worn out. Then just start turning till the bouncing stops. If you get into the twisty's crank them up to help control the roll in the corners. but you also want to keep in mind that you want the wheel to follow the road. To tight and on a rippled road you could skip through the corner instead of following the ripples. The same with compression to tight and it will hit and start skipping instead of following. also turning the compression all the way up is like riding with no suspension. It hurts the bones!"

    "Thank you for the insight. General instructions seem to suggest initially setting the rebound 4 clicks higher than the compression, so that is where we are at. Currently we look to our SlingShot as more of a touring motorcycle, where we have the shocks set now we are enjoying the improved ride. As of our admittedly current very limited experience, these shocks are probably an over-kill where we are concerned personally. If a aftermarket company had come out with even non-adjustable shocks with the ride quality and price range we purchased these shocks, we probably would have upgraded years ago. Of course, as we gain experience, we may find ourselves down the road taking more advantage of these shocks being adjustable......................................."


    Bill