09 tc 450 shock questions

Hey all. I just bought a 09 tc 450 and can't wait to ride it. I know that in 08 husky switched to the sachs shock and for 09 they updated the shock as well as the linkage. My question is from the 08 sachs shock (which apparently had dampining issues) are these problems fixed with the 09? I have a 2007 tc 450 as well and wanted to know if the ohlins shock would be better than the 09 sachs. Thanks.

Hi,

Congratulations on the TC450.

The linkage in 08 and 09 bikes is the same, the change on the linkage was from 07 to 08 when the new frames came in. The early Sachs shock had a single O ring on the piston which, depending on how hard the bike was ridden and how well the shock was maintained, did give a few problem with the oil and gas mixing. The later Sachs shocks have a twin O ring piston and seem to be better.

I don't think an 07 Ohlins will fit in an 08/09 frame due the angle of the reservoir and the routing of the exhaust on the new bikes.


Dave

That was my doubt as well, the angle of the shock being different. Oh well, im sure that the new sachs will outperform the ohlins when properly tuned in. However, I am almost 100% positive that the linkage design changed slightly from 08 to 09. Part numbers in the fisches are different. Thanks for the input though!

Joe,

According to our parts system, 08 and 09 linkages are the same and the application list shows the parts as being applicable to 2008 and 2009 models, see screen grabs below for complete link kit and complete tie rod kit. Which parts have you identified as different?

Dave

I was looking under the husky spare parts fisches, not the softway catalog. But from those screen shots it looks like the part would fit both applications. I didn't think to look under softway for the applications. Thanks for clearing it up. One question though, as far as ordering accessory parts like sprokets, triple clamps, brake parts etc., do you know the average eta on backorders from parts like that from italy? I work down at GP Motorcycles in San Diego, CA and I recently ordered a sproket that was backorderd. Just curious on the eta times.