[yearoftiger]

Ok so i'm either buying a used '05 v10 mono or a used later '04/early'05 turner dhr. I found a dhr for a reasonable price but i'm not too sure about the shock spring weight. I'm 185lbs with gear on and the dhr has an el jefe shock with a 350lb titanium spring. I'm really not good with shock leverage and ratios and that kinda stuff so my question is, am I too heavy for this ti spring? Will it be too soft? i'll be doing freeriding and northstar if that helps. I don't know where i could find another replacement ti spring in that kind of size for an el jefe so im prolly gonna make my decision based on this. I hear the el jefe internals are a copy cat of the avalanche so i assume that it is pretty hard to bottom out. let me know. thanx

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

craig over at avy has an EXTREMELY detailed setup guide for DHR's. i weigh 225lb and run a 550lb Ti coil avy on my 04 DHR and feels spot on (as the guide suggests). for your weight a 400lb-450lb spring is ideal, but im sure you could get away with the 350lb without any major problems....

heres the link....
http://avalanchedownhillracing.com/bikes/2004turnerDHR.html

 

[Fury]

No way on the 350lbs.

I ranged from 175 to 185 through the season and I used a 450lbs coil. You'd be the same.

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

also, DHRs are really great frames, so i wouldnt recommend ruling out the DHR solely based on the spring that comes on the El Jefe.....it would almost be worth it to look for a different spring or get another shock (my turner came with a romic, but switched it out with an avy)

 

[DH biker]

No way on the 350lbs.

I ranged from 175 to 185 through the season and I used a 450lbs coil. You'd be the same.

DO you run a Ti Spring though?
Yes or no?

 

[Fury]

DO you run a Ti Spring though?
Yes or no?

Do you not think a 350# Ti spring takes the same force to move an inch as a 350# Steel spring?

Yes or no?

 

[Edgy]

I have an 04 DHR and when I got it I was 180, running a 450, down to 160 and still running it. I picked up a back up Romic from Turner a while...they blew them out for $125. They're not the ultimate shock but if price is an issue they're still a worthy consideration. Never been on the AV so I can't comment on the 350 but if it feels like the Romic then perhaps 350 might be a bit cush.
BTW, I LOVE my DHR...

 

[Red Bull]

I love my DHR. Im running a 450 Pound spring on my pushed vanilla rc for 160 Pounds. (Im 150, i need to EAT!)

 

[fox-ranger]

softer is better. i am 200lbs and ride a DHR medium with 450 steel spring on a dhx5 its like glue

 

[Bati]

No way on the 350lbs.

I ranged from 175 to 185 through the season and I used a 450lbs coil. You'd be the same.

I weigh 176 and have a perfect 34% of sag with a 350 on my Avy.

 

[Fury]

I weigh 176 and have a perfect 34% of sag with a 350 on my Avy.

Thats strange... maybe it has something to do with the Avy valving vs. the Fox DHX's.

 

[DH Dad]

My '04 DHR came with a 350# Ti spring. I was 175 at the time. Although the sag measured fine it was too cushy and I did bottom like 4 or 5 times a run. I now run an Avy with a 450# Ti spring, sag is still spot on and I don't bottom nearly as often nor do I wallow in the travel either.

Fury, a 350 on an Avy will bottom less than a 350 on a Romic (not sure about the DHX?). This is due to the Romic being an unworthy shock for a frame of this caliber! I couldn't wait to get rid of that thing.

I'm actually putting the new Avy Monotube shock on my '04 DHR this year, it just came last night. I'm very happy not having to worry about routing/mounting the remote reservoir anymore. Craig also told me that the Monotube has something the DHS does not so hopefully my bottoming out days are over. Here's the note from the Avy site:

"Bottoming resistance is provided by a Internal Floating Piston (IFP) with Progressive Ramp-Up Control (PRC) and Hydraulic Oil-Lock Anti-Bottoming System (ABS)"

 

[big-ted]

Well, as this is rapidly becoming a random database of set-ups run by DHR riders:

185lbs, 6'4", Large '04 DHR, Romic, 450 wire spring, spot on.

 

[dhrace507]

For the answer to the original question, yes, I think the 350 ti spring will be too soft for you. But, like a previous post said, don't rule out thousand dollar decisions on one 100 dollar spring. You can sell the old ti spring easily and buy a new one. Simple fix. I think you should run a 400pound spring, unless you plan on doing lots of bigger drops and "freeride" type stuff like you mentioned. Then I think a 450 ti would suit you fine.
As far as the differences between ti and steel spring rates go, using both for many different years and on the same DHR leverage design, I've found the weight ratings (pounds of force to compress it one inch) are the same, but ti feels more lively.
You can also easily calculate what spring rate you "should" have by the leverage ratio on the DHR, (@ 8.5 inches of travel, 3 inch stroke shock) which is 2.83. Simply multiply your body weight which was around 180, by 2.83 and that's how much force it will take to compress the suspension one third of the way through it's travel. That comes out to about 500, but take into account there are shock pressures that aid the spring rate, friction in all suspension systems and rider preference. After all that, it'll turn out to be about a 400-450 for you.