Fox Podium X - install

The Tarantula Performance Racing project YFZ450R build continues this week with the addition of our Fox Podium X rear shock.

The install begins with the removal of the stock rear shock on our 2009 Yamaha YFZ450R project quad. The rear shock on the YFZR can be easily removed by removing the lower linkage arm bolted to the frame, unbolting the shock and dropping it out through the swingarm. The first step is to loosen the top shock mount bolt.

Here, we loosen the top shock bolt. Yamaha's engineers put some thought into this quad, as many of its parts can be removed easily without un-bolting a ton of other parts, including the rear shock.

Next, we unbolted the lower linkage and removed the lower shock mount bolt.

The link knuckle, shown to the left, simply rotates back and out of the way so the stock shock can drop out through the swingarm. You have to remove the link arm, shown at right.

After removing the linkage arm that connects to the frame, you can remove the top shock bolt and drop it down through the swingarm. We had to wrestle a little bit with our Motoworks SR4 exhaust system by pulling on it slightly to wiggle the shock out of its upper mount. For the most part, the rear shock un-bolted very easily.




With the stock rear shock removed, the Fox Podium X slides easily up through the swingarm. Again, there's a bit of finagling required to get the shock lined up and in the upper mount. But again, our new Fox shock installed just as easily as the stocker was removed.




We did have some clearance concerns with the Fox shock. The reservoir on the stock shock has about 1/4-inch clearance to the exhaust. And Fox attached the reservoir for our Podium X to the shock body in the same location as the stock reservoir with the compression adjusters on the bottom. Fortunately, the reservoir on the Podium X actually has more clearance than the stock reservoir.

The camera angle is deceiving, but the reservoir on our new Podium X rear shock (at right) actually has more clearance for the Motoworks SR4 exhaust than the stock shock reservoir (left).

After sliding the upper shock bolt in place, we re-installed and connected the lower shock links before tightening the upper shock bolt.

Lining up the lower shock link (top) after installing our Fox Podium X rear and torquing the bolts to spec (bottom).

We used Loctite throughout the TPR project YFZ450R build for peace of mind knowing everything will stay intact while racing.

We expect the addition of the Fox Podium X rear shock will greatly improve the handling of the TPR project YFZ450R. We also added an RPM Dominator II axle to hold up to the bigger and faster hits the quad will now be capable of withstanding thanks to the new Fox suspension.


The build will continue with the addition of ATV Four Play's MGC MX long-travel a-arms and a set of Fox Float X Evol front shocks. Keep the TPR project YFZ450R blog bookmarked to stay up-to-date as we get closer to testing the build with ATVOnDemand.com.

Now that's a pro-level rear end set-up! Thanks to RPM, Fox and Galfer.