[DustMaker]

My dad and I have torn apart the Xtra 12 suspension on his 99 Polaris Classic, both shocks are RideFX shocks about 2years old with little riding on them and we just replaced both springs. So far no luck with finding the fix.

The problem is that the suspension goes down but does not come back up. We pulled out both shocks and they still seem to have good compression.

We've done everything we can think of, hopefully some of you have some ideas.

 

[TRIPLEB]

Have you checked/greased the cross-shafts- if they are dry and binding up that will prevent the suspension from moving freely. When you say you replaced springs are you talking shock springs or torsion?

 

[DustMaker]

Have you checked/greased the cross-shafts- if they are dry and binding up that will prevent the suspension from moving freely. When you say you replaced springs are you talking shock springs or torsion?

We greased every point until grease came out each end and replaced the torsion springs.

 

[JD]

Just because grease comes out the end, doesn't mean the shaft is greased. Half the shaft could be filled with rust and would never get any grease. To grease the entire shaft, the shaft has to be removed.

The springs might not push the suspension all the way to the very top of the travel, but they should push it to within a couple inches.

 

[Hangman]

Just because grease comes out the end, doesn't mean the shaft is greased. Half the shaft could be filled with rust and would never get any grease. To grease the entire shaft, the shaft has to be removed.[/color=red]

The springs might not push the suspension all the way to the very top of the travel, but they should push it to within a couple inches.

If your shocks are good and have new springs in, that could be the only explanation, assuming everything is assembled correctly. Pull each cross shaft out, wire-wheel and smear with grease, reassemble and pump more in with the grease gun. You are positive everything is assembled right?

 

[DustMaker]

Just because grease comes out the end, doesn't mean the shaft is greased. Half the shaft could be filled with rust and would never get any grease. To grease the entire shaft, the shaft has to be removed.

The springs might not push the suspension all the way to the very top of the travel, but they should push it to within a couple inches.

I'll look into the shafts, maybe pull the whole suspension and check each one.

Yup, I know the sled shouldn't go all the way back up, but it doesn't come back at all, it sits all the way down.

 

[DustMaker]

We just pulled the whole suspension, checked every shaft and they were all good. Really don't know what else there could be to look at. Is it possible the shocks are no good? We pulled both of them and with all my weight I was able to push them down some and they came right back up, to my knowledge that should tell me that they are good.

Any more thoughts?

 

[JD]

It's possible that the shocks are bad, but you wouldn't be able to tell it by what you're doing. Springs lift the weight of the sled, not the shocks. So, as long as your shocks aren't frozen, you shouldn't be having the problem you are having. Plus, are you compressing the shocks with or without the springs?

When you compress it and you say it doesn't come back up, is it just flat on the garage floor? Or do you have it on dollies? Sometimes if you have a dolly right near the front of the track, the suspension will compress very easily.

This reminds me of a thread a while back where somebody had the torsion springs installed wrong. Are you sure they are right? Also, are both coil springs installed?

 

[DustMaker]

Everytime we have checked it, it has been on the shop floor. We have compressed the shocks both in and out of the suspension. While out with the coil spring around them they seem to work fine, but with the suspension back together its a no go. Is it possible the coils are bad around the shock? Pretty sure we everything installed correctly, I'm not sure how one could put the torsion springs in wrong.

Thanks for all your input.

 

[JD]

I seem to remember that somebody had put the torsion springs on the wrong sides, and then tensioned them around the wrong side of the blocks, so that they were actually helping to compress the suspension, rather than hold it up.

Anyway, it is possible that your coil springs are bad, but it would be a really unlikely coincidence.

When did you first notice that the suspension would not rebound?

 

[DustMaker]

Sometime last year, but it hasn't been ridden yet this year.