Sounds about right!!

I did pick up a new shifter knob at The AutoZone. I like it better than my black stock rubber one.

I moved the stock black knob to the emergency brake, and removed the green on it. I didn't like the green.

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FYI - I did some clean up in 'My Personal Mods Thread', mostly in the older pages. (Moderator Privilege)

If I deleted a post you made in an earlier page, please take no offence.. I just will be perodically adding more info from time to time, but still would like to keep this thread as short as possible.

I will leave the recent comments intact for rambeling purposes..

Hey there Talonman, you have done an excellent job on that buggy and here on this post. I started from the beginning and it was a long read, but well worth it. Keep up the great work!!!!!!!

Thanks BUGGYTIME, I like to hear that my lengthy post's help a few Buggy Brothers out now and then....

*----------- My shock upgrade was next! -----------*

Stu, The President of Blade opened a dialog with the Works shock company, and co-developed I believe, a performance shock made specificially for our 150cc two seater Mini-Buggies. Stu mentioned that allot of the data we posted here on Buggynews, about our various 150cc buggie weights, was supplied to the Works engineers to be used in their calculations during development. I like to think of these shocks more as high end '150cc buggy shocks', rather than 'Blade specific' performance shocks. They were actually made from data supplied on allot of our 150cc two seater buggies.

I contacted Stu at Blade about the Works performance shocks. He recomended that I contact the Works company directly at (818) 701-1010.

The Works rep was very friendly, and found all of the required build information about the Blade 150cc buggy shocks in their computer. (I'm sure it must be a high level secret too!)

Front part number=CU-0033 12 3/4" fully extended.
Rear part number= CU-0034 13 1/2" fully extended.

$419.00 each set.
$869.00 delivered to my door.

He asked if I wanted the stock black and white spring colors. I asked if I could get them in a black and red combo withought altering any the settings. He said no problem!!

I asked about an official set of Works shock covers, but they don't currently make any that will fit the 150cc buggy shocks. The only set they have would be 2" too long for our shocks.

I also asked about if I would be needing a Works shock adjustment tool. They let me know that we don't need one, as there is no adjustment spot on the 150cc buggy shocks. These are one size fits all, so no adjustment tool is required...
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-- So what makes a good performance shock? --

-- I was reading some info on the Works Q&A page:

Q: Are all the shocks you offer gas charged?

A: Yes, all the shocks we offer are either gas/oil emulsion design - or oil with remote reservoir or piggyback reservoirs with a floating piston and nitrogen gas charge. Gas charged shocks offer the benefit of much more consistent compression and rebound than non-gas charged shocks, much longer life for the oil because nitrogen displaces oxygen which prevents the oil from burning and breaking down, and since it is under pressure it offers higher operating temperature before before the oil boils.

The Works 150cc buggy shocks are the gas/oil emulsion design... Sounds good to me!

Q: What is the reason for the dual- or triple-rate springs? My stock shocks only have a single spring.

A: The dual- or triple-rate springs allow the optimum spring rates for each application. These multi-rate springs are soft at the beginning to soak up the small bumps, but "cross over" to the stiff part of the rate to resist bottoming on jumps and other big "hits." The dual-rate springs have two rates, a soft and stiff, while the triple rate adds a "medium" rate in between. The application of single-, dual-, or triple-rate springs is based on the overall length of the shocks, the shaft travel, and available spring rates. Customer requirements also make a difference.

The Works 150cc buggy shocks have dual rate springs in front and back, excellent! ...
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Works warning: "Shocks withought reservoirs are gas emulsion shocks and should be mounted with the body up in order to function properly."
(There is a right and wrong here, these shocks must be mounted body up!)

Trivia: "These shocks are pressurized to 250 psi nitrogen. This pressure is not an adjustable featrue of the shock. Unless there is a leak, the shock should not normally loose pressure."
(250psi nitrogen is required on a refill/rebuild of these shocks.)

Note: We do get one free Works stickers per each shock ordered. I received four stickers.

I think they are Absolute Beauties!!

To install these shocks on your Talon, I recommend you do this:

You want to get the Works black urethane sleeve, onto your stock steel inner sleeve.

Your stock steel inner sleeve is longer, and fills the buggies shock mounting area better than the shorter works sleeve would. It also will accept our larger mounting bolt, that will not fit into the Works steel inner sleeve.

Once you have the Works black urethane sleeve onto our stock steel inner sleeve, you will notice there is a bit too much play here, compaired to how tight it was on the Works steel inner sleeve.

I didn't like this so I cutt small strips of duct tape about 4" long. The tape should be cutt to the exact same thickness as the Works steel inner sleeve pictured below. Keeping the tape centered on our longer stock inner sleeve, wrap it slowly around insuring that there is always bare metal at both ends of the stock sleeve. We need the tape to fit totally under the centered urethane sleeve, but still having bare steel sticking out to take a washer at both ends of the stock inner sleeve.

Now slide the Works black urethane sleeve over top of the duct tape, wich should be located in dead center of the stock steel inner sleeve.

Tip: If the urethane sleeve does not want to fit over the duct tape, just peel a small amount of tape back off and try again. We want as much tape in there as will reasonably fit.

We want to leave room for some spacer washers on the ends of the steel sleeve before mounting the shocks.

It should look like this...

** Ideal Washers to use: I baught them from Car Quest. Dorman brand, part #825-015 9/16" washer. You will need 16 washers total to do all four shocks!!

Now our mounting area is still 100% full using our stock steel inner sleeve, with a firm urethane sleeve in place, and perfect size spacer washers too.

Fits like a glove!

The rear shocks also require two washers each, for both top and bottom mount.

Looking good, and still an excellent fit!

The Works upgrade is officially completed.

So if the question is asked: Do the Works 150cc buggy shocks fit on a Talon?
I would say this: With a little duct tape for backing to firm up the urethane sleeve's, and 16 Dorman washers (part #825-015 9/16") from Car Quest, the shocks will fit like they were made for a Talon!!

I feel like they are 100% solid, with no unwanted slop in any location. I am calling this upgrade a total success in my book.

Ride report:
Much better over our stock shocks! The bigger the bump, the more you notice how much better the Works shock just did. After hitting a large bump fast, the buggy stabilizes much more quicker and controlled too. Much less pogo-stick like action.

Going over decent bumps at slower speeds, the Works shocks seem to feel their way across the ground much better. The tires are keeping in good contact with the ground, most of the time. With the stockers, they could start to bounce against the ground fairly easy, and sometimes buggy handeling would suffer.

You do have better control with these shocks....

These shocks are well built, and should be much more durable too.

Overall impression: Standing in front of the buggy, just trying to bounce it's nose up and down, you will notice these shocks are much stronger, and would take allot more force to get these babies to bottom out.

They are in fact at their best, when the ground is at it's worst!

I love them..... Keepers for sure.

I had no odd noises of any kind on the shakedown cruise, even while slamming the buggy around pritty good! The install still seems to be solid, as do the shocks.

I thought these shocks would be a bolt in and go, espically for 800 big ones

Looks good on your ride though. When you get tired of them, give me a call