Got a 5th element coil shock, changed the coil from a 350 to a 500lb coil. Need advice, the coil is a little smaller in length than the last coil and what Iv noticed today whilst riding it that the coil does slide a bit side to side which tft have assured me is normal, but I was clunking a bit today – the screw thing is fully down the shock to the limit but the coil still wobbles a bit. Is there any spacers or bigger screw things I can put on this shock to make this a little tighter?

I hope this makes sense, I’m just a bit baffled with what to do with it

Sounds like the free length is too short to allow you to even get zero preload. It certainly shouldn’t be able to clunk around when riding.

Unfortunately I don’t know of any spacers you can buy. If TF recommended that one for you I’d be looking to send it back.

How do you determine what free length to get ? I bought the shock from crc, they stated when I bought it, it was for a 200mm shock which is my shock length.

So confused to where I went wrong even though it seems I have

aaaahh ok, thought you’d gotten it from TF. The problem is that not all shocks have the same amount of adjustment, some others will have a longer threaded section which would allow it to fit properly.

As CRC won’t be listing the length I doubt they’d be much more use over the phone. Might be worth a call or email to see about getting one long enough, the next stroke length up might fit perfectly instead (going up stoke length is fine, down is bad)).

Failing that, try TF Tuned again and see what they’ve got that’ll fit better

The strange think is that crc did list the length,, said the coil was for a 200mm shock which mine is 200mm eye to eye.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=15335

200mm Manitou shock might have more adjustment than a 5th though.

As I said, say you need a 2″ stroke spring, 2.25″ (for example) will likely be long enough to solve your problem

Aparently 2″ was the original size however tft advised to get 2.25, and the manitou I bought was 2.25 500lb,, would you say I need the next one up 2.5??

Sounds like it. If you get hold of one you’ll be able to tell right away if it’s going to fit

Thanks for this, the 2.5″.. Just curious, where does that measure from?

That’s the maximum stroke. So generally the 2.5″ stroke shock would be matched to a 2.5″ stroke spring. If you measure they gaps in the coils they’ll add up to soemthing around that number.

It’s ok to run a longer spring than shock, but the other way around would see the spring bottoming out before you hit the shock’s bottom out bumper – not a nice feeling