The suspension was at the dealer to have the shocks rebuilt and when I got it back I noticed the linkage rods (28) were mounted in different holes. From the factory they were in the holes as shown on the diagram below. The dealer put them in the holes closest to the front of the sled. I then looked in the service manual from a 99 zr 500 and it says the ZR's are supposed to be in the front holes and the ZL's are supposed to be in the holes as shown. It looks like they were in the wrong holes from the factory? Just by looking at it, the shock would have a longer stroke when mounted in the "ZR" holes. So the question is... how does changing the mounting points affect the suspension/handling?

Anybody? I know there are some good motorheads here but no suspension geniuses?

i aint no genius but i can B.S. with the best of them. the zr and zl use different lengths of collasped and eztened shocks. One of them purposes of the rods is to keep the shock from over eztending. It will change the angle compared to the front link. The more straight the shock is to the forse its trying to compress the stiffer it will be. The zl is set up for a softer ride. i gtting outa here wheres my shovel

Thats exactly what I was thinking. So how many people are riding ZR's with the linkage rods mounted in the "ZL" holes as they came from the factory? Maybe that helps explain why some people complain about ZR's being soft.

Very interesting...i have on 02 zr 500 and i think its too soft. Ill check in the morning to see where mine are mounted.

I ALSO HAVE QUESTIONED THAT EXACT SAME TOPIC. I HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH MY REAR SUSPENSION ON MY 02 ZR 500 CROSS COUNTRY. I LOST COUNT OF HOW MANY TIMES I REBUILT/REVALVED THE REAR CLICKER SHOCK. EVERY TIME IT WAS REBUILT NOTHING WRONG WAS FOUND. BUT THE SHOCK WOULD FADE TO NOTHING. ONE FINGER ON THE REAR BUMPER AND YOU COULD PUSH IT TO THE GROUND. TRIED STIFFER TORSION SPRINGS. STILL HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. DEALER WARRANTIED THE SHOCK. RODE IT 200 MILES, AND AGAIN. HAD IT REBUILT, AND AGAIN IT WOULD FADE TO NOTHING. I HAD THREE DIFFERENT SHOPS SERVICE THE SHOCK. IT HAS BECOME A BROKEN RECORD FOR ME. THE ONLY OTHER IDEA IS TO SCRAP THE ACT CLICKER SHOCK FOR A DIFFERENT BRAND. SEEMS LIKE THIS SET UP IS AS BAD AS THE 01 CROSS-LINK.

Ok boys, checked my '01 ZR6 last night. Rods mounted in the "STOCK" location in the above diagram. My sled bottoms out alot. I have stock '02 ZR800 springs on the hardest cam setting and can still bottom this thing out. I only weigh in at 170-180.

So what's the verdict here? Can you relocate the rod mounting point? What is the advantage/disadvantage?

And the big question.......WILL IT STIFFEN UP MY RIDE?