This topic is a follow up to some pm's and comments in other threads. I've included photo's and part #s with Canadian pricing. I did not have time to pull suspension, you will notice the wet grass- my son riding the rough terain and jumps yesterday no problem. info from other post - My kit works for jumps and will even control ride with me riding it at 180 lbs. The shock it kit is better than nothing but IMO is useless when you factor in gear kits, speed and rough terain. I tried it, got ride of it and designed one that works which uses an inexpensive off the shelf shock from Kimpex. I was thinking about shock it kit and remembered my main observation. As stated before, shock IMO is in wrong position. I don't remember the exact dimensions but it went like this. Shock-it- shock eye to eye fully extended was 12" and fully closed was 7". Installed in tunnel at 11" when suspension all the way up. Suspension all the way down it was 10-1/2". 1/2" shock movement is nothing, you might as well put a solid bar in there. I figure the Shock-it shock may help couple front part of the suspension improving it slightly at slow speeds, maybe. My experience, Bob.



Parts Shaft - upper torque arm pn POL 5132257 $35.99
- Kimpex shock pn 08-114-14 $33.95
- 5/8" shaft locking collars- 4 @ $0.75
- 3/8 ' suspension bolt - 2 required $?

pic 1- shows proper location of new upper torque arm mounted in metal reinforcing plate near rear upper idler wheels

pic 2 - shows existing lower torque arm used, shock is centered and locked in place with two collars.

pic 3 - shows upper shock eye secured using two locking collars.

pic 4 - shows cross bar which must be cut to fit shock. The bar is welded and center section was probably there only for easy of original welding and removing it does not affect structural integrity. Mechanical engineering and welding metallurgy is my background.

Oh yeah- this suspension doesn't require a tunnel stiffner so your vin #s are not covered.

Great pics.

Did this set up give you more suspension travel?

How big is your young fella?

My son is 8 @ 60+ lbs and my girl is 10 @ 80+. I can ride it. I want to upgrade the front end, the aftermarket shocks are stupid for price. Polaris 90 cc ATV's rear shocks have same length and stroke, but all components are sold separate and add up to big $. I'll figure it out. The rear suspension upgrade is amazing. I don't know if it gave more travel but it usable and your not bouncing. My son told the wife " now when I land a jump I can grab the brake and spin out without tipping over". I listened to my wife's comments then gave my son the thumbs up.

I can not find that shock on KIMPEX site ,can you verify the number? Also do you have any dimensions of that shock?

Thanks Kirt

The shock number is correct -(08-114-14). The shock is listed under ski's, specifically for a 77-78 Artic Cat Jag. Eye length open= 11-3/4", eye diameters are 5/8". Still sells for $33.95 CDN :div20:

Thanks Kirt

THINKSNO I put your kit ($55.00 US) on my girls 120 and it works great ! THANKS for sharing.

Thanks! I was real happy with performance and cost, then after I did it realized I had to share. Hope your kid/s enjoy it :beerchug: Bob

LMAO

what is it you find so funny??

Smile on kids face.... $Priceless! :div20:

Thinksno,

how did this setup work out for you? Any problem with suspension durability?

Two full seasons and lots of hours and no problems. The suspension travel does not exceed the limits of shock thereby eliminating stresses that would cause something to break. The suspension is basically unchanged only now it's dampened. Shock could wear out, it's just a regular hydraulic unit, however it is heavy duty for loads it will see. If shock required a coil spring to hold suspension up there could be excessive forces generated, but I don't see that need with the Polaris skid.

Bob

:div20:

would this idea work for the Cat Z120?

I have never looked at a Z120. Maybe?

Sorry folks....first time posting so I'm just figurin' the system out. Thus the blank post above. What I was attempting to ask you, Thinksno, was could you explain your comments in your original post regarding the limitations of the Shock it kit. I am not all that handy with motorsport, I am more accustomed to working with wood than metal, so bear with me....I am unclear what you mean by IMO and why the changing of sprockets etc. would impact the usefulness/ability of the shock it type system. Your system seems to be getting good praise, I'm just trying to better understand the differences. I just bought my boys a 2001 Polaris XC 120 and it is pretty damn bouncy. I'm just begining to tweak it up a bit and want to address the rear suspension. Any help you can throw an idiot's way would be appreciatted!

kjh

IMO is short for in my opinion.

Basically I found that once you changed Gears and now the machine travelled faster the stock set up bounced really bad.

The shock-it kit is an aftermarket suspension upgrade kit that I feel is only for looks as shock placement is parrallel to skid travel not opposite.

The parts and install I came up with don't modify suspension for travel (+ or -) but dampen it to stop the pogo stick effect. I have had good feed back from local sleds, PM's and postings here.

Bob

Cool, thanks Bob. Can you tell me where you purchased the torque arm from? From the part number it looks like it came directly from a Polaris dealer or was it from Kimpex as well.

Cheers,

Kelly

Polaris

Thx for the info Thinksno, I've decided to go your route as well & Canadian Tire will have my shock in this afternoon. A few questions if you're not tired of them already, the torque arm- is it the one from the skid and if so I guess it's just co-incidence that it's the correct length for the tunnel? Also, where did you source the locking collars, I can't find 'em for less than $4.00 ea. (you found 'em for $0.75). I just picked a new '05 for the kids for x-mas and my son already mentioned that it bounces too much, and it's pretty obvious from watching him- I thought he was bouncing it for fun!
Anyway thx again for the help.
DVO

I found them on ebay 5 for $5 bucks shipped

DVO, Kingston has the best Princess Auto in the country. That is also where I get the idler gear to replace the noisy plastic chain tensioner.

Hi Bob,I installed the rear shock and a wheel kit today. We still have no snow here... and Im in northern Ontario! the boy is freaken!, Anyway, I followed your instructions and it went like butter. Works awesome! cant wait for him to try it out. Thanks again! :beerchug: Randy

Snows gotta come soon, sleds are pointed out in garage. I'm sure you'll get snow up north. :div20:

Heres a link to Polaris parts page for a 2000 XC 120 for anyone who can,t find it around,

http://pi54.com/corp/manuals/Parts/9915619.pdf

This was a fairly easy install. My son is waiting to run it (Daddy polished everything while it was out and doesn't want to mud it up yet).

Anyway, Thanks for the great write-up!

Eric

http://www.recmotor.com/productDetail.php?partID=35

After looking at this a little closer, and studying what is available, seems that this idea has been put to the market. Only difference is the spacer sleeves unstead of the locking collars. Also, I guess the price. $140.... See the link above

Thanks Eric. Snow is here for a bit now. Still surprises me how many have done it by the pm's I get.



Some one had to sell it I guess. This is my son's fourth season with suspension upgrade and it's still working great. I could have marketed it but oh well. HCS has been great to me for tuning info, parts and friends so why not give something back.

PS I like my locking collars better

I agree with helping others. I used your idea and am in the process of modifying the AC z120. I have the new cross shaft, which I made out of steel rod, cut and tapped it for bolts. Figured where the mount should be, drilled it and installed the shaft. It is currently in the sled and the shock should arrive later this week. When it does, it will slip in in about 15 minutes.
Super idea....total cost for me will be about $45....$30 for the shock, 8 for the collars, and 5 for the steel. A very good deal, and fun to work on also. If anyone is interested in pictures of the install on a z120, let me know and I will post them when I get the shock in. The only trick is figuring out where the upper shaft for the shock to mount to should go, and after quite a bit of measuring, I found out where it needs to go.
Thanks for the idea...

Just did the shock mod my l'il Pooper and it went great.
1 piece of 5/8 aluminum rod 275mm long tapped for 5/16 UNC for 1 " bolts.
Held a cut off piece of the 5/8 rod with a 1/4" hole in it up on the re-inforcing plate in the tunnel to get in in the "triangle". Marked the hole and drilled from the inside with a short 1/16" bit to mark the hole from the outside. I dropped the top shaft to get the drill in there and it clears the idlers by + 1/4".

DON'T FORGET THE LIMITER STRAPS !!!

Cheers eh !

i would be interrested in this could you send some pics and a material list when you finish 2003 zr120
thanks jeff jazzyone24@sbcglobal.net

You can't race with the rear shock unless you run in champ class.

Just finished installing this mod and it works great.

Shock from Dennis Kirk w/ S&H $30
Collars from farm store $5
5/8 steel rod from farm store $8
5/16 bolts less the $1

Total cost less than $44

Total time little less than 2 hours, which included drill and taping holes at both end of steel rod, painting steel and installation.

Thank You for the great tip!

Just wanted to let everyone know that based upon ^^^^^^^ reply we decided to do one of these. We actually did three of them in the same evening. I picked up the shocks from Dennis Kirk in Minnesota for $22.95 US, each. We bought the steel rods ourselves and tapped them. We bought two collars for each side of the shocks and them bloted them on. Total cost of each project was UNDER $30.

We did all three projects in 3 1/2 hours. Buddy of mine that is a hell of a lot smarter then I am did the tapping. That and a few beers (alright several) later we got them done. Buddy tried them out after we did the deals and he thought they worked awesome.

THANK GOD FOR THIS CITE!!! THANKS FOR THE GREAT ADVISE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am glad it works so well. I am amazed at the number people that have done it.

Cheers, Bob

If anyone still has installation pics for an Arctic Cat 120, could you please email them to me? Particualy interested in where to drill holes for the cross shaft and the length of the cross shaft. Will the Polaris OEM shaft work?

Thanks, Dave @ DCMYERS1@msn.com

I read this post to my son and he is pumped.
"No More Bouncing!"

If possible please email me pic on the Zr120 install.

kcstefa@epix.net


Thanks
keithstef