atv strut spring

pruav · #1 (**permalink**) 02-08-2012, 03:07 PM

My new springs will be here on Fri, thanks Thor. The rear looks easy except for the muffle being in the way. How much do you have to dissemble the front strut to put on new springs? I have already taken the front box off. Do you just compress the springs and remove the top nut or is there more to it?

jac42779 · #2 (**permalink**) 02-08-2012, 04:21 PM

I have not changed out rear, but everyone says they are harder than the front. You must compress the rear springs. The front springs do not have to be compressed. You just take the top nut and bushings off and then there will be another nut under there that you remove to get spring off. It may be easier if the front tires are removed, mine were for other maintenance at the time. Of course have the front lifted off the floor.

After the first nut is off just pull the assembly out from the mount, remove second nut, old spring and install new one. Don't know that it will do any good but I rubbed a little grease on all the rubber parts before assembly thinking maybe it will help any squeking.

KICKER431 · #3 (**permalink**) 02-08-2012, 04:45 PM

Should be that easy on the '07. I put them on my '04 last week which doesn't have an easy to remove front box. I had a hard time getting access to the top nut and when I rotated the strut around to slide the spring off my cv shaft pulled out of the outer cv joint. I ended up having to dissassemble the whole hub, take off the cv boot, reassemble the joint/shaft and put it all back together. Looking at my '07 I don't think this will be a problem at all with the front box off. But I just wanted to warn you. Try not to move the strut around too much. If you find yourself having to move the strut very far you may be better to just pull the hub apart and slide the strut all the way off. I wish I had done that rather than having to crack into my cv boots and replace cv bands.

bakada · #4 (**permalink**) 02-08-2012, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KICKER431

Should be that easy on the '07. I put them on my '04 last week which doesn't have an easy to remove front box. I had a hard time getting access to the top nut and when I rotated the strut around to slide the spring off my cv shaft pulled out of the outer cv joint. I ended up having to dissassemble the whole hub, take off the cv boot, reassemble the joint/shaft and put it all back together. Looking at my '07 I don't think this will be a problem at all with the front box off. But I just wanted to warn you. Try not to move the strut around too much. If you find yourself having to move the strut very far you may be better to just pull the hub apart and slide the strut all the way off. I wish I had done that rather than having to crack into my cv boots and replace cv bands.

I had the same experience with my 04. On the right front I ended up wiggling it around so much I popped the CV joint apart. I coudn't get it to pop back in so I tried to take the boot clamp off so I could see what I was doing and ripped a hole in the boot. Cost me $30 bucks for a new boot kit. The left side I was very careful with and was able to do it without any mishaps. My 08 and dads 06 were a piece of cake. Take the box off you have all kinds of room.

KICKER431 · #5 (**permalink**) 02-08-2012, 06:24 PM

Thankfully, though unfortunately, I have a lot of recent experience with cv joints and boots. I was able to cut clamps, get the boots off, clean and degreaser the joints and reassemble without any mishaps. I even had spare cv clamps around. Thankful I did to because I was wanting to go ice fishIng the next morning and had no time to wait on parts.

KICKER431 · #6 (**permalink**) 02-13-2012, 03:22 PM

Ok. Just finished puttIng the rear springs on. The originals were longer than the new HD ones. But the HD were definitely thicker metal and made a massive improvement. It was terrible before. If I so much as leaned on the back it squatted and didn't come back up. Now I can jump up and down on it and it returns to normal. And it was massively easier to change the rears than the fronts.

4wheelindad · #7 (**permalink**) 02-20-2012, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KICKER431

Ok. Just finished puttIng the rear springs on. The originals were longer than the new HD ones. But the HD were definitely thicker metal and made a massive improvement. It was terrible before. If I so much as leaned on the back it squatted and didn't come back up. Now I can jump up and down on it and it returns to normal. And it was massively easier to change the rears than the fronts.

This might be a stupid question, but how can I tell if the rear springs on my '2004.5 700 are the stock ones? I'm putting a rear seat on for my son and want to make sure I have the rear stiff enough for the extra weight, but I bought the quad used with 2000 miles on it and don't know if the springs are stock or not. I did see that the preload adjuster is on the lightest setting both front and rear.

KICKER431 · #8 (**permalink**) 02-20-2012, 08:39 AM

I can't honestly say I know how to tell. I just knew mine were shot or not stiff enough for what I was doing. So I got new HD Springs. I would say that if there is any doubt about whether the strength is ok now, once you add the rear seat it will definitely need done.

RENOBADBOY · #9 (**permalink**) 02-23-2012, 10:55 PM

Put your and the boys weight on the seat and then bounce the rear to see if it returns. Then try turning the adjuster up a couple notches.( Jack up the rear to get the weight off the shock) and see if it works better. I f you don't have the wrench for the shock use big channel locks, but don't squeeze really hard!!!!