How Do I Soften the Ride on My YFZ450?

An improperly adjusted ATV suspension affects both ride and handling.

Riding an ATV with an overly stiff suspension will exaggerate every bump in the trail, rattling your brains and tossing you around like a rag doll. It is commonly believed adjusting the suspension shocks and springs will firm up or soften the ride, but adjusting the suspension travel distance does not change the compression rate, or resistant, of the suspension. The only way to soften the ride on your Yamaha YFZ450 ATV is by replacing the suspension springs with softer set.

Things You'll Need

• Jack
• Jack stand
• Wrenches
• New suspension springs
• Torque wrench

Instructions

1. Obtain a softer set of springs at a dealer or service shop; the shop will be able to match the correct springs to the ATV, rider and terrain.

2. Place a jack under the frame at one corner of the ATV; do not set the jack under the ATV axle. Raise the jack until the wheel is off the ground. Place a jack stand under the frame and lower the ATV onto the stand. Do not set the ATV axle on the jack stand as this will restrict the travel of the suspension system and make removing the spring more difficult.

3. Remove the retaining bolt at the bottom of the shock absorber and suspension spring assembly with a wrench. Gently wiggle the bottom of the assembly free from the mounting bracket with your hands.

4. Loosen the retaining bolt at the top of the suspension assembly with the wrench and pull the assembly from the frame with your hands.

5. Remove the spring retention nut at the top of the shock absorber housing with a wrench. Invert the shock-spring assembly. Attach a pair of pliers to the end of the spring and twist the spring loose from the shock absorber.

6. Install the new spring over the shock absorber, placing the new spring in the same orientation over the shock as the old spring. Tighten the spring retention nut in place with a torque wrench according to the manufacturer’s foot-pounds of torque specification, obtained in a service manual, a service shop or online.

7. Reinstall the top of the shock-spring assembly into the top mount on the ATV and then the bottom of the assembly into the bottom mount. Secure the assembly retaining bolts in place with a torque wrench, according to the manufacturer’s specifications.

8. Let the ATV down off the jack. Repeat the procedure for the remaining three springs.

Tips & Warnings

• If the shock-spring assembly will not come free of the mount, place the jack under the axle directly adjacent to the wheel. With the ATV supported by the jack stand, raise the jack slightly to compress the suspension assembly to remove tension from the retaining bolts.

• Do not crawl under the ATV while support only by a jack.

References

• The Essential Guide to Motorcycle Maintenance; Mark Zimmerman

Resources

• MX-Tech: Suspensions