# Coil shock rubbing carbon frame



## akmotorider (Oct 6, 2017)

As pictured, my coil shock is rubbing my carbon frame in one spot. It looks like it has already rubbed itself into clearance. Should I be concerned about the damage to my frame? The only thing I’m worried about is the structural integrity, not the appearance.

Also, does anyone have experience converting to a DHX2? I did this, and after one ride I am surprised to say I prefer the DPX2. I put it back on. I am 240 pounds with a 700 pound spring. It feels OK, but it doesn’t have the pop I am used to with the air shock. On the flipside, it has so many more adjustments which I'm sure I’m not taking advantage of. Is there any way to give it more pop, and not make it feel so dead all the time?


----------



## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

Hard to say, your pictures are blurry. What kind of frame is it? The extra stiff coil spring you have to run may be significantly thicker than lower spring rates. A high leverage bike where you have to run something like a 700lb spring is usually not a good fit with a heavier rider. There are lower leverage frames that would work better for your weight. What year is the DHX2? How much sag are you getting out of the DHX2?


----------



## akmotorider (Oct 6, 2017)

Jayem said:


> Hard to say, your pictures are blurry. What kind of frame is it? The extra stiff coil spring you have to run may be significantly thicker than lower spring rates. A high leverage bike where you have to run something like a 700lb spring is usually not a good fit with a heavier rider. There are lower leverage frames that would work better for your weight. What year is the DHX2? How much sag are you getting out of the DHX2?


It's a 2021, and I get about 30%. The leverage curve for my bike is pictured here:









In short, I get high leverage while low in the travel, which means it feels very cushy while sitting on it; but as soon as the speeds ramp up and the shock ramps up, it takes a lot to bottom it out. It's possible it is actually too soft, and I am riding with the spring too compressed for too long, which is why it may feel "dead." Just a guess though; I have no idea.


----------



## weeksy950 (Jan 11, 2012)

Worried, heck yes.... Seriously mate, think about it for a second... Then a bit more.... then after that, get the coil off and an air shock that fits fitted. 
Coils are known for not giving the same 'pop as air shocks, that's just how it is.


----------



## bjcccat (Jul 28, 2009)

Always check frame and shock clearance specs before assuming a shock with the same eyelet-eyelet spec just “works”. Many bikes are not spec’d with coil shocks because of clearance and suspension progression. The best thing to do with a shock that is not giving you the desired feel is to take it to a suspension tuning service.

I would be very worried if a shock contacted the frame, particularly if it occurred on a bottom out. The external damage you see on carbon is rarely the full extent of the damage.


----------



## Cleared2land (Aug 31, 2012)

No contact is acceptable between any moving parts that are not designed for contact.


----------



## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

The first part of that LC is likely designed that way to assist air shocks with initial movement. Putting a coil on probably increases the wallow and spongy feeling, because it's too little progression in that part of the travel. It won't bottom, but it'll feel pretty soggy most of the time. It also might get harsh in deep-stroke with an air shock due to the ramp up, which typically is not needed with air shocks. It's a bit of a confusing curve which doesn't seem to be decent for either...vs. some that are intentionally designed to be a compromise for both. The other possibility with a curve that progressive at the end and with an air shock is that it's intended for very hard riding, typically XC bikes have very little progression, DH bikes have the most. The amount isn't the same when the intent is an air shock, vs. a coil, but in both cases as the intended use gets more extreme, the progression increases...theoretically, if the mfr is doing it right. There are plenty of examples of mfrs doing it wrong though.


----------



## thebigoutside MTB (Nov 18, 2021)

Ya I would be for sure.

But for the the suspension setup, to get more "pop" you can just adjust rebound to get it to be more poppy.
Is that all you don't like about it?
I'm getting a DHX2 but my riding style is DH and fast & chunky. So jumps and flow.

Also here is a thread on getting your coil more poppy:

__
https://www.reddit.com/r/MTB/comments/a4k354


----------



## akmotorider (Oct 6, 2017)

Jayem said:


> Hard to say, your pictures are blurry. What kind of frame is it? The extra stiff coil spring you have to run may be significantly thicker than lower spring rates. A high leverage bike where you have to run something like a 700lb spring is usually not a good fit with a heavier rider. There are lower leverage frames that would work better for your weight. What year is the DHX2? How much sag are you getting out of the DHX2?


Are these pictures blurry? I put them in as attachments instead of inline:


----------



## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

akmotorider said:


> Are these pictures blurry? I put them in as attachments instead of inline:


The one that shows the damage on the frame, yep. The first and second layer are usually clear coat and paint or just one layer of paint. There's typically a white sealing/primer layer below that, which appears visible. What is not visible due to the blurriness is usually below the white primer are the CF strands and resin. You don't want this damaged and it might be able to smoothen out, but should probably covered back up with some epoxy for protection. Hard to tell the condition though, because it's blurry.


----------



## thebigoutside MTB (Nov 18, 2021)

akmotorider said:


> Are these pictures blurry? I put them in as attachments instead of inline:


First one is still, It might help to go out and get a more clear picture.


----------



## akmotorider (Oct 6, 2017)

Jayem said:


> The first part of that LC is likely designed that way to assist air shocks with initial movement. Putting a coil on probably increases the wallow and spongy feeling, because it's too little progression in that part of the travel. It won't bottom, but it'll feel pretty soggy most of the time. It also might get harsh in deep-stroke with an air shock due to the ramp up, which typically is not needed with air shocks. It's a bit of a confusing curve which doesn't seem to be decent for either...vs. some that are intentionally designed to be a compromise for both. The other possibility with a curve that progressive at the end and with an air shock is that it's intended for very hard riding, typically XC bikes have very little progression, DH bikes have the most. The amount isn't the same when the intent is an air shock, vs. a coil, but in both cases as the intended use gets more extreme, the progression increases...theoretically, if the mfr is doing it right. There are plenty of examples of mfrs doing it wrong though.


This is what I was looking for. Ironically, I was under the impression a coil shock would be ideal due to how progressive the overall curve is, considering a coil is linear. But that little bit of digressive nature in the beginning of travel is proving to be very noticeable. And yes, soggy, is precisely how I'd describe the feeling of the coil shock. I put it on because the air shock felt extremely harsh when going through rough terrain, which as you point out (and didn't occur to me) is most likely due to the ramp-up at the end, because in "deep-stroke" is exactly where the extreme harshness is occuring. The coil, though, feels just as bad, which I believe is because it is only using the latter half of the spring travel in rough terrain. I cannot fit a higher weight spring because the 800lb black spring is much thicker than this 700lb orange one, which is already rubbing the frame.


----------



## r-rocket (Jun 23, 2014)

The damage already done did not "clearance" the parts. They will continue to rub.


----------



## Jayem (Jul 16, 2005)

Rode with akmotorider in enduro race tonight!


----------



## akmotorider (Oct 6, 2017)

Jayem said:


> Rode with akmotorider in enduro race tonight!


I see in the race times that you crashed on upper jeff's. Bummer! You sure were fast in the other segments though! 

I removed the stock volume spacer from my DPX2 to decrease progressiveness and that made a huge difference. I've got an X2 on order anyway though. The X2 comes stock on my bike on the XL size, but the S, M, and L sizes come with the DPX2. I will be sidelining the coil shock and repairing the damaged areas of my bike with epoxy.


----------

