[MrClaus]

Hey guys new to the fourm I've lurked for a while but, I have a question! I have a decked out super low mileage 04 400 rancher and I love the quad but This thing rides like a DUMP TRUCK. It's absolutely horrible. I use the quad for everything from hunting to pulling out trees and many dice runs. The last dice run the quad chucked so hard through a set of whoops that the back rack hit me in the back. I've looked at all the manufacturers shock offerings and I'm hesitant due to lack of reviews and or price. The quad will not be sold she only has 400 miles so that's not an issue. I'm just looking for advice whether I should pursue elkas or progressives or try and mod some rev xp hpg shocks to fit the quad. I'm a sled guy and the suspension is similar. I know the Internet engineers are going to say blah blah valving will be wrong but I'm just curious what others have done. Thanks in advanced! Derek C.

 

[wheelsquad]

Welcome to the forum. Not many aftermarket parts available for our 400AT's because they were a short-lived and not very popular model. That's especially true for suspension components. For my type of use the stock suspension has done fine, but once it wears out I had figured on just replacing with Bronco's all around. They don't make specific ones for the 400AT's, so I was just going to measure and finds comparable ones. Or find somde decent used snowmobile ones like you mentioned. Keep in mind the rear suspension is a single shock, so you'd need to replace with a shock that can handle the full rear load with a single shock (potentially '00 to '06 Rancher 350 components). Keep us posted with what you end up doing and how it compares to stock.

 

[mrbb]

well you can dump a lot of cash into GOOD shocks, but its never going to ride much better, its the design of the atv that limits what the shocks can do for it

you'd be WAY better off buying a different atv, than trying to MAKE this one into a softer better handling atv !
sorry NOT what you want to hear, but just honest advice here

the trans in this model atv, is what caused it to stop being made, once they die, there almost NOT worth fixing, and they can fail from what I gather at any point in time, they loose pressure and well, game over?
Maybe sell it whiles its good and get a different model atv that fits your needs better?(and yes I know this too isn;t what you want to hear, but again, just honest advice)

 

[Larryw]

Bypass shocks with external reservoirs will always ride better because the shock has more travel and you can set them softer.. But they are pricey.. If you want shocks without all that and they are gas shocks its Bronco shocks or progressive shocks that have screw type pre load adjustment.. I put a bronco shock on my 300 and it works a lot better.. But its still a strait axle.. So you are not going to get any where near Polaris ride lol! Polaris ride like a big old Jewish canoe, soft!!

 

[wheelsquad]

I put a bronco shock on my 300 and it works a lot better..

that's good to know

 

[mrbb]

I replaced the front of my 400 with Bronco's and the ride in NO better at ALL< in soft, it doesn;t hold a plow at all, and doesn;t ride any better, in highest setting, it holds plow fine, but rides STIFF!
I seen ZERO improvement over OEM shock, minus mine the spring broke, so, it at least has a working spring now

and on another note, when I got mine, the shocks were about 2 inches longer than STOCK Honda OEM shocks, I had to remove the lift off the front of my atv to make them work, and not have too much lift and angle on things!

SO< I don;t think there SPOT on spec's for there so called replacement factory shocks, or sure were NOT for my 400 foreman, and I had part numbers checked to make sure mine were correct!

 

[SteveStrick]

I love the quad but This thing rides like a DUMP TRUCK. It's absolutely horrible.

Im curious as to what you love about it if it rides that bad! lol

 

[Larryw]

I love my 300 too it rides like a tank mostly because of the big stiff executioner tires on it. BUT IT MAKES YOU FEEL ALIVE AND ALL!! lol. I should really get softer tires and let some air out.. Example. I ran into a stick a year ago or so and ripped the valve stem right off the front tire. It didn't even go flat.. Drove it home 3 miles and the only new it was screwed up because it started pulling a little to the right lol.. Last winter I ran the rears without any air in them (digital gauge) and didn't even know it!! But I do notice the bronco shock rides better!!

 

[mrbb]

the older atv's are loved by many due to there simple, they work and they work and they work
they last long, don't have as many things to go bad/fail
and well, the con's they ride stiff
but that is also what makes they work so well

there more work that trail machines
but for those that water ride or mud play, they work great there as smaller more nimble and again, simpler to work on and keep going, and over built for what they are and these guys are not putting on a 100 miles day
heck I bet most are lucky if they log on 10 miles a day LOL so riding like a dump truck doesn't matter to them either , as I bet there beer off ets them bumps for them LOl