A-arms Are Here...now What?

[Pappy]

my housers arrived today and i installed them, now how do i align the front end? any tips are appreciated! thanks:cool:

[Guy400]

You definitely need suspension next. I'm assuming those are longer a-arms than stock. If that's the case the added length will increase the leverage the arm will induce on the shock. You'll in effect "soften" the front shocks making bottoming more frequent and much easier to do.

[Pappy]

ummmm.....the triple rates will be here monday or tuesday, thanks for the tip tho....now, whats the best way to align the front end.

[Poncho]

looks good. :)

You've really been spending the money lately huh. :D

[JhallettEX]

Here ya go, courtesy of www.cdracingonline.com

Camber is the amount of degrees that the tire and wheel is tilted in or out at the top in relation to the bottom of the tire. A tire that is tilted in at the top and out at the bottom is said to have negative camber. The farther it angles out at the bottom the greater the amount of negative camber
.
For positive camber, the top of the tire is farther out than the bottom. The reason for having camber in your front end is as follows. An ATV's suspension is forced over in a corner and the suspension flexes. With everything in motion, all this force wants to flex the tire more upright, or reducing the amount of negative camber.

A tires greatest traction is achieved when more of the tread is in contact with the ground. As the bike enters a corner, the forces tend to bend everything over, adding postive camber. To make sure that the tire's greatest amount of tread is in full contact when it is most needed, we set up the front suspension with a negative camber. How much negative camber you choose depends on the amount of suspension travel, and some various other factors such as the terrain you plan to ride on.

Recommended Camber: Negative
Motocross: 4.5 degrease
Cross Country: 4.5 degrease
Sand Duning: 2-4 degrease
Desert Racing: 2-4 degrease
Recreation: 1-3 degrease

Caster
Caster is the amount of angle that the spindle has in relation to the vertical centerline of the wheel. If the upper ball joint is farther forward than the lower ball joint, it is said to have negative caster. If the upper ball joint is farther to the back than the lower ball join, it is said to have positive caster. The greater the amount of positive caster, the more stable the ATV will be at speed. The less positive caster it has, the easier it will steer and the quicker it will turn. As the spindle is laid back, the tire has to lay over more when the front tires are turned. This adds stability. If there is not much angle, the wheel will trun more, making it quicker and easier to turn.

Recommended Camber: Positive
Motocross: 4.5 degrease
Cross Country: 4.5 degrease
Sand Duning: 3-4.5 degrease
Desert Racing: 6.5 degrease
Recreational: 3.5-4.5 degrease

Toe

The toe of an ATV measures the relation of the leading edge of the front tires to the back of the tires. Toe-out refers to the fact that front of the tires point out. Toe-in refers to the fact that the front of the tires point in. Recommended setting is toe-in to 1/4 of an inch.

How to set up your front end

Before you start this procedure, a few things need to be done first. Make sure your work space floor is completely level. You will need a straight edge and an angle finder (available at your local hardware store). Do not attempt to set up your front end on a stand of any kind. Your quad must have the tires on, and be on the ground at ride height.

Setting the Caster

Prior to installing your A-arms, thread the rod ends in all the way on the upper arms. Leave the front rod end alone and back the rearward rod end out (3) complete revolutions. This is a good starting point. Now install your A-arms. Tighten them completely. Rest the straight edge against the side edge of the upper and lower ball joint threads. (make sure the straight edge is touching the same section of the ball joint threads). If the top of the straight edge leans towards the rear of your quad, you have positive caster. This is what you want. Rest the angle finder on the edge of the straight edge. This will tell you the exact caster setting. You may need to adjust the rod ends by turning one in or out more than the other to get the appropriate setting. Refer to the above recommendations for how much caster to run.

Setting the Camber

Setting the camber is a much easier process. Rest the straight edge against the outside of your front tire (making sure both wheels are pointing straight and you are touching the same part of the tire, top and bottom). The top of the straight edge should lean inward for negative camber. Now put the angle finder against the straight edge and note the reading. If you need more or less camber, you are going to have to remove one of the ball joints in order to adjust it. First remove the cotter pin and castle nut off of the ball joint, then "smack" the side of the spindle right where the ball joint goes through the spindle to jar the ball joint loose. It will take some pressure to remove it, and it helps if you lift up on the arm itself as your hitting the spindle. For more negative camber, turn the upper ball joint into the a-arm (clockwise). Please Note: Try to keep as many of the threads as possible inside the a-arm. This helps to keep the strength of your front end high. We do not recommend more than 6.5 degrease of negative camber.

Toe Adjustments

For this all you will need is a tape measure. Make sure the handlebars are straight, then make sure both tires are pointing straight forward. To do this, measure from the inside of one tire to a point on the chassis. Make a note of the distance. Then on the other side, measure from the exact same points as you did on the previous side. These measurements need to be exactly the same so that you know your tires are pointed the same. Adjust the tie rods so that this measurement is the same. Now that you're sure the tires are the same distance apart, you need to measure for the toe in. On the front of the tire about half way up, place one end of the tape measure on the inside of the tired and take a measurement from teh same point on teh other tire. Note this measurement. Then repeat this for the rear of the tire, the same height from teh ground as you did on the front, and make a note of this measurement. The front measurement needs to be a 1/4 of an inch less than the rear measurement. Adjust the tie rods so that you achieve this measurement. And remember, count how many times you rotate the tie rod, then rotate the other side the same distance, so you can keep the tires going straight ahead, then take your measurements. One full turn on both tie rods will change the toe about 1/8th of an inch.
Make sure to completely tighten all nuts and bolts on your front end, install your cotter pins and GREASE your ball joints!

Sorry about this post guys but cdracingonline is currently down, but you can check it out at a later date, they are great people.

[muff]

thanks a lot jhallett i really needed to know that because i bent a tie rod on my 300 and didnt know what the toe in needed to be, and on my 400 the top of the tires seem way to far in and it turns way to easy if i hit a bump while turning

[Pappy]

cool, thanks for the useful info. i will adjust everything in the a.m.

hey shee...it's the wife's money!!!!!wait till she gets here credit card bil!!!hahahahahaha!!!!

[JhallettEX]

Dont thank me, thank dust and kolby at C&D Racing by ordering something from them, tell them i sent ya

[Dave400ex]

Man that was GREAT info. That would have been nice for my Brother`s A-Arms.

[Holty]

this post should be in the faq section.

[Pappy]

Originally posted by Holty
this post should be in the faq section.

yes it would

[wvspeedfreak]

Bored tonight Kenny?:blah:

[Pappy]

naaa just trying to fimd some old pics to save

[F-16Guy]

Man, that confused the crap out of me.:confused: :confused: :bandit:

[theTman]

Originally posted by F-16Guy
Man, that confused the crap out of me.:confused: :confused: :bandit:

haha me 2...i was like...wait why does he have a 400

[Mike[socal]]

I just installed a set of used LSR +2 +1 racing arms on my 400ex. Contrary to those instructions above my 5 degrees positive caster(as measured) was achieved turning the back rod end all the way in and the front rod end quite a few turns out. Keep in mind that changing one measurement will impact the others to some degree. You probably want to set the toe last as that seems to have the least impact on camber or caster.

Originally posted by Pappy
ummmm.....the triple rates will be here monday or tuesday, thanks for the tip tho....now, whats the best way to align the front end.

For my 400EX, with +1's here's what I did.

Straighten the bars out so the bike would be going staight if you were riding it with perfectly aligned wheels.

NExt I lay out cinderblocks right up close to all four tires. Then I got a long straight edge longer than the quad. Lay it on the blocks squared agaisnt the rear tires (course, this only works if your rear is a lil wider than yer front :D )

From that you can measure each side of the quad (left and right) how far the front tires are from the straight edge - The front (leading side) and back (trailing side) of the outside of the front tire. This will get you in the ballpark.

For me, the front of the outside of front tire was 3/4" off the straight edge and the back of the outside of the front tire just touching it. Just make both sides the same.

This tells me the front tires are aligned with the rear tires.

Last, I measured center to center of the leading side and trailing side of the front tires. Honda specs call for 0.6 to 0.7 wider dimension on the trailing side of the front tires than the leading side.

It tracks pretty true with minimal wobble on pavement in fourth gear wide open.

If this don't make sense, I 'll get pics. Just ax me.

[JJs450r]

not to steal the thread but what are thos front tires? thanks

[300ex_#387]

Originally posted by JJs450r
not to steal the thread but what are thos front tires? thanks

Grooved radials. There kinda hard to find anymore, but back in the day everyone ran those and a set of turf tamers on the back.

[procircuit406ex]

K&K atv carried them last time i checked

[wishmasstir]

Originally posted by procircuit406ex
K&K atv carried them last time i checked

a lot of places still carry them. nacs and james lucky do too

[dunny_mark]

This thread started 6-7-02! I think he got the awnser to this like four years ago LMAO!

[Pappy]

LOL...yes I know most of the answer anyway:D