ATV Suspension for Smooth Handling

ATV Suspension for Smooth Handling

March 31, 2021 | How to | By: Honda Parts Direct

When your suspension is dialed in, your ATV will handle like a dream! Here’s a brief introduction to how ATV suspension works. We’ve got the parts you need to perfect your suspension, including springs and shock absorbers. Please contact Honda Parts Direct for all your Honda® parts needs. We’ve got an amazing selection of Honda OEM parts and accessories our neighbors near Dallas and Houston, Texas can save on shipping by picking up parts at our dealership in Palestine.

 

How SusClose up on the front suspension of an ATVpension Works

The suspension has two key elements: Springs and shock absorbers, or dampeners. Both parts are needed for a smooth ride. Sometimes they are integrated and sometimes they are separate. 

The springs minimize the jolt when you hit a bump by allowing the wheel to bounce up, and then they send your wheel back down to contact the ground so you maintain traction and control. If you only had springs, you’d keep bouncing and jouncing from every bump.

Shock absorbers impose some control and resistance on the springs’ innate bounce. They consist of an oil-filled tube with a piston inside, and internal valves that control the movement of the oil within the piston. 

Many shocks can be adjusted. There is a little knob, nut, or set screw that’s built into the top of the shock, commonly called a “clicker” because it adjusts in small increments and you can hear a click when you turn it.

Most shocks have just one adjuster that influences the overall compression of your ATV shock. Higher-grade shocks have two adjusters. There’s a high-speed adjuster for powerful suspension impacts like landing a jump, and a low-speed adjuster for minor impacts like rocky terrain. 

Deluxe suspension is increasingly a thing on ATVs, so it pays to understand your options when you are shopping for a new rig. It’s also possible to achieve tremendous upgrades on your suspension with the right parts. 

Adjusting for Compression and Rebound

Compression describes how your shock compresses when you land after a jump or hit a bump. You are looking for a sweet spot that softens the bumps but doesn’t send you bouncing after every hit. 

Rebound describes the rate at which your shock decompresses. Some shocks have a rebound adjuster set screw at the base of the shock. Rebound is the force that pushes your wheels back down to the ground to regain traction. Once again, you are looking for a sweet spot between the two extremes. 

Customize ATV Suspension for How You Ride

ATV suspension should be adjusted based on how you use your quad. If you use it for hauling and loads, that places different demands on it than if you take it out on dirt roads, rugged, rocky tracks, or if you’re all about jumping. Racing ATVs have their own set of suspension demands. 

Adjusting suspension is an art! Like many mechanical endeavors, some people are attracted to the challenge, while others are more than happy to leave it to the experts. 

We hope this helps you understand the dynamics of your ATV suspension. Please remember that we’ve got all the parts you need for your Honda ATV here at Honda Parts Direct, in Palestine, Texas!

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ATV Suspenion