okay long story short, my bike fell last night while i was turning around in some gravel. when i picked it back up it suddenly felt like the shock wasn't holding the bike for some reason. i checked today, and all bolts are in and the shock is at the stiffest setting. when i went for a short ride though, i realized i was riding on the back tire and a bolt under the seat started rubbing the center of the tire. If everything is bolted up and there are no visible leaks in the pressure lines, what could be wrong?

 

Guessing that if the linkage is intact and nothing is disconnected, check the gas canister for a puncture.

 

Something is not right. I would tear into it deeper to find the problem. Maybe gravel got bound up in the linkage.

 

this would be my first thing to check, thats what it sounds like, especially if the shock is at its stiffest setting. But if i remember correctly on my racing quad those gas shocks are outrageously priced. So i'll hope for you its not that.

 

This would be my first thought. My second thought would be something wrong with the spring. Even if the gas canister is punctured, or the even if the shock itself broke, that is not what gives you the ride height. the spring is what contols the height. The shock itself should have no effect on the ride height.

 

Maybe you could get a couple of friends to help lift the rear of the bike by the sub frame and see if the suspension is bound up. If it is there's probably a rock stuck in the linkage. Get back with us on what you find. I'm kinda curious about that.

 

luckily the bolt that held the shock to the swingarm just fell out. I didn't notice because the shock came back to its place when there was no weight on the bike