RIV Technology

Don Richardson founded RICOR in 1988 to address the compromises that plague traditional shock absorbers after he determined that the ideal shock absorber would respond to chassis motion and wheel motion with two completely different valving circuits, as opposed to traditional shock absorbers, which cannot distinguish between chassis motion or wheel motion and can only provide resistance based on relative motion between the chassis and the wheel.

The solution Don ultimately arrived at employed a motion-sensing valve to determine whether movement is coming from the chassis or the wheel, as opposed to merely reacting to the relative movements between the two like traditional shock absorbers. The second part of his ingenious design was to use the position of the motion-sensing valve to open and close different fluid circuits that could each be tuned independently to provide EXACTLY the right amount of resistance to chassis motion AND wheel motion.

In a sense, RICOR has managed to put two different shocks with completely different characteristics into one package. The primary circuit is tuned to control chassis motion and the secondary circuit is tuned to control wheel motion. The RIV piston is able to recognize the difference between these two types of input and select the appropriate response reliably, instantaneously and automatically. As a result, RICOR shocks are able to provide the optimum response to chassis motion AND wheel motion without any of the compromises typically associated with traditional shock absorbers.

The concept behind the RIV is easy enough to understand. It's fundamentally sound from an engineering perspective, but it's taken 20 years and over 11 million dollars to see this idea executed to it's full potential. RICOR's patented RIV piston is the end result of twenty years spent refining this technology.

Hi-Flow Bypass Tube Assemblies

The patented high-flow external bypass tube assemblies used on RICOR's RIVAL bypass shocks are superior to traditional bypass shocks in every aspect of their design and construction. Simply put, there is a new standard in bypass technology. The high-flow bypass tubes, machined valve blocks and superior bypass valving work together to make RIVAL bypass shocks more effective and easier to tune than any other bypass shock on the planet.

Quick & Precise Tuning

RICOR's RIVAL bypass shocks use a patented mechanism to meter fluid-flow through the bypass tube assemblies that works in conjunction with the high-flow bypass tubes and machined valve blocks to provide a level of adjustability that traditional bypass tube assemblies cannot match. RIVAL bypass shocks also use clickers to adjust the bypass tubes instead of set-screws and lock-nuts. One wrench, count your clicks and you're done.

More Progressive Bump-Zone

RICOR's RIVAL bypass shocks are more resistant to bottoming-out because ALL of the shock fluid flows through the external bypass tubes on compression, except when the piston moves past all the bypass tubes and gets into the bump-zone. As a result, RIVAL shocks can use much stiffer valving on the compression side of the RIV Piston without making the suspension feel too harsh through mid-stroke.

Hydraulic Cut-Off at Full Extension

On full extension most shocks are limited by metal to metal contact. RICOR shocks have a hydraulic break to eliminate metal to metal contact at high speeds.

Universal Fitment

All of the RIVAL 3" external bypass shocks are made-to-order. RICOR can accommodate all common travel lengths and most common overall shock lengths (eye-to-eye dimensions). This means that RICOR shocks can be retrofitted to almost any off-road race vehicle.

The RIV system was designed to work best when mounted like traditional shock absorbers, but the suspension configuration, geometry and shock orientation should be considered before placing an order so RICOR can optimize the package they build to suit your application. If you are just starting a new project or have questions about how RICOR shocks might work in a unique suspension configuration, don't hesitate to contact us.

Dakar Pack - HD Scraper and Seals

RICOR uses a metal scraper followed by a viton scraper to make sure the shaft is absolutely clean when it enters the shock. RICOR's Dakar-proven gland design uses two viton poly packs and two linear bearings for superior protection and reliability.