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The Official Iron Horse Sunday / DW-Link Tech. & Tuning Section

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
Anyone else experienced this on a later bike? (08 Factory). I might just get a replacement pin and see what it does.
Haha, nice to see the cutouts are catching on. I've seen 2 other bikes with them now.

Anyway, I'd take the shock out, and slide the lower shock pin in by hand to see where the play is. If it's between reducer and the DU then obviously new bushing time. If it's between the pin and the reducer, then maybe you can just measure the parts with a caliper to see what is out of whack. The reducer should be ~10mm ID, and the pin should have roughly the same in OD. If a past setup (on either the reducer or the pin) had a tight DU, the reducer may have rotated on the pin itself, causing wear.

Probably goes without saying since you've had a Sunday for ages I think, but it always helps to make sure the bearings are seated properly and 22mm hexes are done up tight.
 

-C-

Monkey
May 27, 2007
296
10
I've had it all apart and replaced the DU which has helped, but it still has a small noticeable amount of play, if I was being really anal about it. I guess its probably play on the reducer and pin so will get some replacements as they are cheap as hell.

Any tips on the RC4 setup next? I'm good on the sag with a 300 spring, but I can bottom it out on the road with a big push down when on the bike. Bottom out is fully wound in and I'm about mid point on the compression settings. Not sure without checking on the boost valve where I am with that however.

Anyhow, this it my budget build bike, I've been built from buying and selling a couple of bikes, and scavenging the bits I want and selling everything else to cover the cost. Been fed up with previous nice bikes being wrecked on uplifts so this is the result. I'm quite pleased with the end result for something that has cost so little. I'll total it up shortly.

With the ARC's its come in about 63.7 on my phone angle finder and a 13.6 BB. I forgot to check the wheelbase to be fair.



 
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bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
Don't know about the rc4 but I've got a MARZOCCHI wc on mine and the thing destroyed rocks and rough. I am SUPER impressed with the roco wc. I will be slapping a avy on it and having the roco avalanche race tuned and modded.

I FRICKING LOVE THIS BIKE. What a beast in corners and overall control.
 

saruti

Turbo Monkey
Oct 29, 2006
1,167
73
Israel
RC4 adjustements
from my experianse with this shock on my sunday for the last few months

close the bottom out all the way in
I'm 72 kg
300 TI spring
140 PSI
5 clicks of rebound from fully open
ls comp - 12 clicks from fully close
hs comp - 10 clicks from fully close

it really make this bike better and feels like higher in its travel all the time.
 

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
Boostvalve pressure has a big effect on bottom out resistance too, so if it's doing it often, try adding 5-10psi.
 

bismojo

Monkey
May 5, 2009
271
39
Installed the RC4 on my sunday two weeks ago and very happy with the improvements!



Agree with you guys, it sits higher in travel yet feel bottomless and responsive.. I just wish there's new frame besides DHR and Phoenix later, with similar suspension kinetics as the original sunday and 'friendlier' price - or just reproduce sunday hahaha - i might get one after this one retired.. :thumb:
 

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
I've been running the same fork and shock for most of this year, pretty nice stuff. Is that a needle bearing kit on top? How do you find it?

I ran one on my BOS for a while but it wore out within a few weeks of riding in the alps.
 

bismojo

Monkey
May 5, 2009
271
39
Yep, needle kit from RWC, been using it for 2 months with previous shock, so far so good.

The difference in friction is quite noticeable, i had to compensate rebound damping 1-2 clicks slower..
 

saruti

Turbo Monkey
Oct 29, 2006
1,167
73
Israel
looked at some of your sunday pics.
it looks like you are using 2 rubber bumpers on your rear shock.
and aneedle bearing.
is the needle bearing worth the price?

thanks
 

bismojo

Monkey
May 5, 2009
271
39
looked at some of your sunday pics.
it looks like you are using 2 rubber bumpers on your rear shock.
and aneedle bearing.
is the needle bearing worth the price?

thanks
Hi, I added 'mechanical' soft vivid bumper on the VAN R for bottom out while waiting for the RC4 that got delayed.

For the needle bearing, so far worth it IMO but we have to wait and see how long it lasts.. you need the instalation / DU bushing tools as well.

cheers..
 

Pegboy

Turbo Monkey
Jan 20, 2003
1,139
27
New Hamp-sha
I've been running that RWC needle bearing kit for 1 1/2 seasons and I would honestly say don't bother. At first when it's installed and you push down on the seat you think "oohh that's nice!" but I am not sure it's all that different when riding, if at all. On top of that, I was removing the shock earlier this year and when I pulled the upper shock mount out, all of the actual roller bearings fell out of the race. I was able to pack them back in with grease and it has been functional, but I am switching back to the orriginal style hardwear when I overhaul the bike this winter.

I have heard from others (Transcend) that they wear out quick but figured I would give it a try anyway....they were right. Designers will also state that they are a poor application for this particular area due to the limited rotation and the unevenly distributed wear area. My 2 cents.
 

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
Pegboy - Thanks for that. Did yours develop any play or creaking? With the one I had on my BOS, it would start making noise after a day of chairlift riding and require regreasing to shut it up again. I think it is a legit application for a needle bearing (a high rotation pivot such as the upper mount of the sunday) however it is the size restriction of the eyelet that stops it working out, as the bearing is just too small to deal with the high loads.

One hot tip for those sticking with normal DU bushings (I have been for half of this year):
Something Fox has been doing on their 2012 shocks is reaming out the bushing itself for a looser fit between it and the reducer. Problem with this is, they take away half the red material which means the bushing wears out very quickly. A good solution I found is to remove some material from the outside of a new DU bushing instead (which results in it being compressed less when you install it in the eyelet). I used a large grinding tool with a bit of guess-and-check to get it right, a lathe might be better but not necessary. If you go too far, you're only down a cheap bushing.

I could slide in the reducer by hand after this, and rotation is just as light/easy as the needle bearing. So far it's working well and no play.
 

Pegboy

Turbo Monkey
Jan 20, 2003
1,139
27
New Hamp-sha
Nah, there was no noise but I did have very minimal play and I suspect that was from the lower pivot as far as I could tell. I was considering doing that lower(even less of an ideal application) with needles as well but wanted to see If I noticed a difference before I did both. Consequently the lower harware was not as new as the upper and It felt like that may have been the issue. It was so minor that I decided to live with it and it never got any worse...hardly noticable.

If you want to have every little bling factor on the bike, give it a go but I don't think you are missing any posible performance performance upgrade without it...plus the flush stock hardware looks a little cleaner than that obtrusive cap bolt and nut.
 

Speed

Chimp
Aug 19, 2009
20
0
Seattle
I want to try an Elka on a 7point, but it's not listed as a compatible model, but neither is the sunday and I've seen a few good reviews of an elka on a sunday.

I guess my question is does elka have a tune that works for a 7 point and do you think it would be a good shock choice for the 7 point (mine is a 2006)

Thanks!
 

staike

Monkey
May 19, 2011
247
0
Norway
Don't Elka custom tune theThe reason why it's not listed is perhaps that Iron Horse (the one we knew at least) doesn't exist any longer?
 

craigyboy

Chimp
Aug 21, 2005
45
1
Don't suppose anyone would have a medium Sunday front triangle for sale? Mine has cracked, on the lookout for a new one.

Craig
 
Dec 11, 2007
140
0
Lawn Dart Training Center
Just finished my Sunday build. Frame started life as a rootbeer 07 large. Acid bathed, powdercoated, new bearings.
I have loved the way these bikes ride for some time, and can't be happier with the results.
The angleset and Elka shock really woke it up.











 

saruti

Turbo Monkey
Oct 29, 2006
1,167
73
Israel
You should cut a little from the lower link
If you check the suspension without the spring, you'll see that it touches
If not cut, the link will curve the pigiback
 

tombate

Chimp
Oct 22, 2009
13
0
how are you getting on with the elka? I take it that they have come up with a special tune for the sundays now? could be a potential upgrade here as i ain't getting on with the Vivid at the moment and im back on the Van R as it seems much more stable.

Tom.
 

saruti

Turbo Monkey
Oct 29, 2006
1,167
73
Israel
Had the ELKA for few months on my sunday
It was great but the end stroke was too linear
If you don’t care about bottom outs (maybe can be fixed with a bigger bottom out rubber ) it’s really the best feeling shock I had on my Sunday
 

BmxConvert

Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
715
0
Longview, Washington
Had the ELKA for few months on my sunday
It was great but the end stroke was too linear
If you don’t care about bottom outs (maybe can be fixed with a bigger bottom out rubber ) it’s really the best feeling shock I had on my Sunday
Too linear in comparison to what?
I believe I read someone asking about the DSP Dueller shock on the sunday a few pages back, what were the results of that?
I've decided to keep my Sunday since there aren't any other bikes out there that I want and my geometry is super low/slack anyway so it's time to bump up the suspension to something neat(and maybe a new paintjob...again).

-Kevin
 
Dec 11, 2007
140
0
Lawn Dart Training Center
The Elka feels awesome. A little loud on rebound stroke, sounds like a Tie Fighter is running you down. As far as end stroke, If I botch something it bottoms out, if I ride smooth it doesn't. The travel is very controlled, through the entire stroke. No crazy ramp up or lack of mid travel support. Besides, your supposed to be able to use the bikes entire travel.
I'm sorry, the tune is custom but not for a Sunday. I dont have specs.....
 

saruti

Turbo Monkey
Oct 29, 2006
1,167
73
Israel
the ELKA is linear in comparison to the RC4
but feels a lot better.
the RC4 is also bottoming once in a while... but not in every big jump like the ELKA or the DHX5 .
 

BmxConvert

Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
715
0
Longview, Washington
I'm still riding a DHX5 and have bottoming issues all the time.
Would you say the Elka is better than the DHX5? I'm really not overly impressed with the DHX.
I also absolutely hated the RC4 on my 2010 Demo.
 

JA666

Chimp
Dec 29, 2010
16
0
AUS
Took me a couple of months but finally got it together, sam hill spec:
IMG_3674 - Copy.JPG

Got a Thomson/SLR combo and a Ti spring going on in the near future too.
 

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CBJ

year old fart
Mar 19, 2002
12,862
4,160
Copenhagen, Denmark
I'm still riding a DHX5 and have bottoming issues all the time.
Would you say the Elka is better than the DHX5? I'm really not overly impressed with the DHX.
I also absolutely hated the RC4 on my 2010 Demo.
Have you read this thread? The RC4 should be perfect for the Sunday. Just because it does not work on the Demo does not say something about the Sunday.
 

saruti

Turbo Monkey
Oct 29, 2006
1,167
73
Israel
the ELKA is better than the DHX when setup right
but the RC4 is the best for the sunday.
just set it up like the recomended on the new turner DHR. (but turn the bottom out all in. with the recomended spring for your weight on a sunday)
found it to work great.
 

BmxConvert

Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
715
0
Longview, Washington
Have you read this thread? The RC4 should be perfect for the Sunday. Just because it does not work on the Demo does not say something about the Sunday.
I have and I saw that a few guys had switched to the RC4 and preferred them over the DHX. However, I still have a bit of a sour taste in my mouth from the **** ride of the Demo, which is why I'm skeptical still. I want to be completely researched out before I make a decision as I don't have tons of money to drop on my bike.
 

Marius

Chimp
Jul 4, 2011
51
0
Germany
Wanted to test the RC4 from a friend but it didn`t fit because of the link. So I switched from a DHX to a Vivid R2C. It feels so great and soft a great improvement to before. Only thing is that you don`t have really much room for the spring and it might be even worst if I would change to a ti-spring.
 

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
4mm key/head, 5mm thread I believe - so they'd be M5 bolts. I would guess 20mm but I'm sure you can measure the distance from where the bolt head sits to the top of the threads to find out.
 

CBJ

year old fart
Mar 19, 2002
12,862
4,160
Copenhagen, Denmark
I have and I saw that a few guys had switched to the RC4 and preferred them over the DHX. However, I still have a bit of a sour taste in my mouth from the **** ride of the Demo, which is why I'm skeptical still. I want to be completely researched out before I make a decision as I don't have tons of money to drop on my bike.
Even DW who designed the Sunday recommends the shock for the Sunday. Its two very different designs this is why the shock performs differently. You should really take the time to research the bike and shock a little more in stead just basing you judgment on how it worked on a completely different bike. I do not think you will find more information on any DH bike then what you will find on the Sunday on any forum.
 

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
Posts 2940 and 2991 detail some of my thoughts on the RC4. There is a lot of discussion between and around these posts with others' opinions as well.

As CBJ said, everything you want to know has already been discussed here. But at the end of the day it'll come down to personal preference, so if you don't like it then you don't like it. Keep in mind the non-kashima models can take a while to break in as well.