Jun 29, 2026

Dual Rate Spring Kits and UTV Shock Tuning — The Complete Performance Upgrade Guide

Name: Schmidty Racing Suspensions
Address: 8150 E Germann RD, Suite 104, Mesa, AZ, 85212, US
Telephone: (602) 920-1337
Price range: $$

Dual Rate Spring Kits and UTV Shock Tuning — The Two Upgrades That Transform Everything

If you want to dramatically improve how your UTV rides, handles, and performs — there are two upgrades that matter more than anything else: a dual rate spring kit and proper shock tuning. Done together, they transform a stock machine into something that feels purpose-built for your weight, terrain, and riding style. Done separately, each one still makes a significant difference. Here's everything you need to know about both.

What Is a Dual Rate Spring Kit?

A dual rate spring kit replaces each factory single spring with two springs — a lighter tender spring and a heavier main spring — separated by a spring separator and crossover collar. The system works in two stages:

Stage 1 — Small bump compliance: Early in the shock stroke, both springs compress together at a combined soft rate. This gives you a plush, compliant feel over rocks, roots, ruts, and trail chatter that stock springs transmit directly into the chassis.

Stage 2 — Bottom-out resistance: As the shock compresses further, the separator contacts the crossover collar and the tender spring stops compressing. Only the stiffer main spring continues to compress, providing dramatically increased resistance to bottoming out on big hits, drops, and whoops.

Factory UTV springs use a single rate — meaning they're either soft enough for small bumps but too soft for big hits, or firm enough for big hits but too harsh for small bumps. A dual rate spring kit solves both problems simultaneously.

Why Factory Springs Fall Short

Every major UTV manufacturer — Polaris, Can-Am, Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha — specs their factory springs for a theoretical average rider with no accessories and moderate terrain. Real-world riding rarely matches that spec.

Factory springs fail riders who:

Weigh more than the factory average (180-200 lbs)
Ride two-up regularly
Have added accessories — cage, bumpers, spare tire, audio system, roof rack
Ride aggressive terrain like Arizona desert, sand dunes, or high-speed whoops
Have put significant miles on their machine

The result is sagging ride height, increased bottoming, and a harsh choppy feel that gets worse over time. A dual rate spring kit from Schmidty Racing fixes all of this — and our lifetime warranty means you'll never have to replace them again.

Dual Rate Spring Kits We Offer

At Schmidty Racing Suspensions in Mesa, AZ, we offer vehicle-specific dual rate spring kits for all major UTV platforms:

Every kit is spec'd for your specific vehicle model, rider weight, and terrain. Contact us at (602) 920-1337 before ordering and we'll make sure you get exactly the right spring rates for your setup.

What Is UTV Shock Tuning?

Shock tuning — also called revalving or custom valving — is the process of modifying the internal shim stack inside your shock piston to change how your shocks respond to compression and rebound forces. It's the most powerful single suspension upgrade available and the one most riders never know exists.

Here's the simple version: inside every shock is a piston with small holes and thin metal washers called shims. When your shock compresses or rebounds, oil is forced through these holes and past these shims. The resistance created is called damping. By changing the size, thickness, and arrangement of those shims, a suspension technician can fundamentally change how the shock behaves — across its entire range of shaft speeds and travel.

This is different from adjusting the external clickers on an adjustable shock. External adjusters change damping globally within a limited range. Revalving changes the fundamental character of how the shock responds at low shaft speeds versus high shaft speeds — small bumps versus big hits.

What Does UTV Shock Tuning Actually Change?

A proper shock tune from Schmidty Racing takes into account:

Vehicle make and model — shock travel, geometry, and leverage ratio all affect the correct damping specification
Rider and vehicle weight — a 150-pound solo rider needs completely different valving than a 250-pound rider with a full crew and gear
Primary terrain — Arizona desert hardpack, sand dunes, mountain trails, and rock crawling all demand different damping characteristics
Riding style — an aggressive high-speed desert rider needs more high-speed compression damping than a casual trail rider
Spring rates — spring rate and damping must be matched to work correctly together

Spring Kits and Shock Tuning — Better Together

Here's something most riders don't know: spring rates and damping are directly connected. Your shock's damping was designed around the factory spring rate. When you change the spring rate — which you do when you install a dual rate spring kit — the optimal damping spec changes as well.

This is why the best suspension upgrades combine both:

Install a dual rate spring kit with spring rates matched to your actual weight and terrain
Revalve the shocks to match the new spring rates and your specific riding style

Done together, these two upgrades create a suspension system that's genuinely optimized for you — not for the theoretical average buyer Polaris or Can-Am designed for.

Signs Your Shocks Need Tuning

Your shocks may benefit from a custom tune if:

You've significantly changed your vehicle's weight with accessories
You're significantly heavier or lighter than the factory average
Your shocks feel harsh on small bumps but blow through on big hits
Your shocks feel soft and wallowy even with correct nitrogen pressure
You've installed a new spring kit and want the damping matched to the new rates
You primarily ride terrain very different from stock intended use

UTV Shock Tuning Services at Schmidty Racing

Schmidty Racing Suspensions offers professional UTV shock tuning, revalving, and custom rebuild services at our Mesa, AZ shop. We service all major UTV brands including Can-Am, Polaris, Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha, and Textron.

Our shock tuning process starts with a conversation — we want to understand your machine, your weight, your terrain, and what you're not happy with about your current setup. From there we make specific recommendations on spring rates and valving changes and give you an honest assessment of what to expect.

You can bring your machine to our Mesa shop or send your shocks in from anywhere in the country. We ship rebuilt and tuned shocks back nationwide.

Get Started with Dual Rate Spring Kits or Shock Tuning

Ready to transform your UTV's suspension? Here's how to get started:

Spring kit only: Browse our complete UTV dual rate spring kit selection or call us at (602) 920-1337 to discuss spring rate selection for your specific setup
Shock tuning service: Visit our UTV shock services page or contact us at (602) 920-1337 to schedule a tune
Both: Call us and we'll build a complete suspension package — spring kit and shock tune — optimized for your machine, weight, and terrain from the ground up

Schmidty Racing Suspensions | 8150 E Germann RD Suite 104, Mesa, AZ 85212 | (602) 920-1337 | Sales@schmidtyracing.com | Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm MST