? Which LT Front End for GNCC on 450R (pro's opinions welcomed)

[Honda]

O.K.

Been shopping around for a Long Travel front end for my 04 TRX450 for some time now and I can't decide which brand to purchase.

I have a Houser Rear swingarm and linkage paired with an an Elka Elite shock, the rear end works so well now, much better than what the front end is capable of. I ride very hard, and the front end just can't deliver the performance that I expect, it's not even close to the plushness of the rear set-up I have, plus I smoked one of the A-arms yesterday during a trail ride so I have to replace it now.

I have been looking at the Roll Design, Houser and ARS front ends, probably would pair any one of these with either Elka, Axis or Fox shocks, but please suggest your opinions.

I want the best front end available, cost is no object, but I also want to be able to get replacement parts easily if needed.

What do you guys recommend?

Do I need a plus forward design?

And how much wider when running a 4-1 offset front wheel?

Thanks in advance for the help, so many choices to choose form and I wanted to get the opinions of those who have had experience.

[hardkoratvmxr]

get houser +.5 to +1 out and +1 forward if your houser swingarm is extended and get elka shocks.

If you do not like that setup get lsrs newest xc design

[mx3mom]

A friend of mine has a very nice Walsh front end set up for sale. He's only asking $750.00 for it and that is with the tie rods and steering stem. If you're interested, I can give you his number.

[450r51]

ars-fx/custom axis the best xc front end hands down

[R3Concepts]

I have brand new Custom Axis that can be used with the Ars-Fx front end..Ready to ship.

[Pappy]

i wanted pretty much the same as you, and i chose LSR's new XC arms paired with axis shocks. i love the arms, and i know parts are but a call away if they are ever needed!

[450r51]

man r3concepts u really want to sell those shocks.:p

[R3Concepts]

Its business.

[Dave400ex]

I would either get the new Housers, LSR, or ArsFX.

[bradley300]

ars-fx or houser would be my two choices. cant go rong with either for a 450r in xc

[Allen]

ars-fx/custom axis the best xc front end hands down

This is what you see alot of the Pro AM guys running....probably couldn't go wrong with it. I have the JB Long Travel with Axis and couldn't be happier. Customer service is great because I go through Rich @ Hetrick Racing or Baldwin Motorsports.

[300ex73]

I think most people are going to agree that the ARS/FX front end is just about the best choice.

[scramblerracer]

Derisi racing has some new arms that he designed- very similar looking to the ARS-FX design but they are supposed to be better. Take a look at those and talk to Derisi about shocks. He seems to know what he is doing.

[Honda]

Derisi


How do I get a hold of Santo?

[scramblerracer]

www.derisiracing.com

[Honda]

Yea, I checked his set-up out, looks like it is going to be very nice, I like the extra adjustment for the castor.

Seems to be priced well also.

http://www.derisiracing.com/atv/images/DRLTa-arms01.jpg


The Welds could be a lot better! Other than that they look good, and I don't doupt they will function superbly.

http://www.derisiracing.com/atv/images/castercam.jpg

[Honda]

One more showing the complete kit.


http://www.derisiracing.com/atv/images/DRLTa-arms04.jpg

[trx400exxracer]

I would get houser long travel a-arms and get elka shocks

Houser said that if you get their long travel arms and get 19.5" shocks you will get 11.5" of wheel travel so I would go with houser and elka if I were you

[John Houser]

Before you buy, check out the HOUSER SLICAST designed maximum clearance long travel A-Arms for the cross country rider. We have been working on this design all year. We had one of our sponsored riders, Santo DeRisi, test these our new design out last spring. We displayed them at the Ironman & at St Clairsville GNCC race. We gave two sets of these away at the Ironman race to promote the new product. Many pros will be using them next year. Check out the features of each product before you spend that hard earned cash! Ours have two needle bearings at each pivot so that grease can be applied between them, not plastic bushings, seals at each bearing, the bearings run on hardened & ground to size pivot sleeves, two dust covers at each pivot. These bearing holes are line bored after they are welded so that the holes are on size. Press in replaceable lower ball joints. This is a special designed sealed ball joint that we had made for us. We quit using 16mm tie rod end ball joints 4 years ago. They are too easy to snap. SLICAST caster adjustment is on the top a-arm. This is a patent pending design. All of the steel parts are plated so that they do not rust. Chrome tie rods on the Honda. The HOUSER logo & The SLICAST logo are powdercoat & not spray off stickers.
Do some research before you buy!
John Houser

[reichart90]

i have eyeball engineering a-arms ( www.eyeballeng.com) . i think they are wider than what you are looking for though. good people to work with though and ++++A products they make

[Honda]

This is a special designed sealed ball joint that we had made for us. We quit using 16mm tie rod end ball joints 4 years ago. They are too easy to snap.


John,
I have been running your Swing arm and LT Link coupled with an Elka shock for the past few months. I have no complaints about this set-up at all. Adding those parts, totally changed the handling of my 450R, I do wish the swing arm was lighter, but that would be my ONLY complaint. I also realize that the stock swing arm is going to weigh much less, and be more prone to fatigue because of its cast aluminum design.

I have no doubts about the quality and engineering of Houser Racing Products. I have yet to find better welds or a better finish and fit on any ATV part available today.

The only reason, and I stress (the only reason) I have had any doubt about running the Houser LT front end, was because of the rumors about the Houser A-arms eating ball joints at an excessive rate, 3-4 sets per season according to some people.

I assume, that this problem has been corrected with the newer style ball joints?

I would like to possibly run the Pro-Am class in next years GNCC series, as time for me is running out. I am not getting any younger. I just want to be sure I have the proper equipment, equipment that will allow me to fulfill the goals I have set out for myself. I have no doubt that Houser Racing's quality products would allow me to succeed. But with all the products currently available the decision is not always easy to make.

TRX450R (2004-05)
Maximum Ground Clearance A-Arms (with SLICAST™)
• Maximum Ground Clearance

• 11.5" of wheel travel

• Uses 18.5" length shocks

• 4130 Chromoly steel

• TIG welded construction

• Replaceable HOUSER press in bottom ball joint

• Adjustable camber & caster using SLICAST™ method

• Lightweight Chromoly tie rods, chrome plated

• Uses needle bearings

• Threaded grease zerks

• Chrome dust covers with seals

• Hardened thrust washers

• HOUSER logo powder coated onto A-Arms

+.5” Wide, +0” Forward

** NOTE: SLICAST™ is a Patented Pending product

http://www.houser-racing.com/sites_pages/PRODUCT_PAGES/HONDA/TRX450R_2006/images/slicast3.gif
http://www.houser-racing.com/sites_pages/PRODUCT_PAGES/HONDA/TRX450R_2006/images/SLICAST-TRX450-LT-A-Arms.jpg
http://www.houser-racing.com/sites_pages/PRODUCT_PAGES/HONDA/TRX450R_2006/images/Max-Clearance-A-Arms2b.gif

[John Houser]

We have had very few problems with ball joints when we quite using the Heim type ball joints. This style just did not hold up to the GNCC racing. Once we used factory prepared sealed ball joints, the problems went away. With +1/2" wide A-Arms, all of the ball joint travel is being used. Some people, & shock companies, will try to get more travel than designed for Or put the wrong size shock on, & will over travel the ball joints. In this instance, problems will occur with anyones a-arms.

[Honda]

We have had very few problems with ball joints when we quite using the Heim type ball joints. This style just did not hold up to the GNCC racing. Once we used factory prepared sealed ball joints, the problems went away. With +1/2" wide A-Arms, all of the ball joint travel is being used. Some people, & shock companies, will try to get more travel than designed for Or put the wrong size shock on, & will over travel the ball joints. In this instance, problems will occur with anyones a-arms.

I never thought about that. If you don't buy the proper length shocks, the ones specified by the manufacturer, then you could over or under travel the suspension, which would put the ball joints in a bind.

John,

Why don't you offer a Plus Forward design for the 450R, as some of the other manufactures do, and recommend?

Would it be possible to order the Slicast Arms in a +3/4" or +1" forward design?

Oh and one more question, What is the reason that the 2006 Arms are only .250" wider, and the 2004-2005 is .50". Did they change the spindle that much?

What benefits if any would there be from running the 06 A-arms with the 2006 spindle assembly, on a 2004-2005 frame?

Thank You for the info!

Justin

[Dave400ex]

Looks like I will be running the Houser Slicast and Elka setup on an 06 next spring.

[eganracing]

houser all the way!:D

[John Houser]

I did forget to mention on the last post that we will be offering a light design swing arm. The new design has been in testing since mid summer.
A note on the the ball joint issue, people will say, "it bolted up"! It's not too tuff to get a shock with a 10mm hole in the top & in the bottom to bolt up. You will also hear the same story when it comes to 06. Last years a-arms will bolt up, but if in XC almost all of the ball joint travel is used, & the spindle ball joint angle has changed 5-6 degrees-GO FIGURE!

Our measurements show that with the 06 spindles being different, & the A-Arms, +.25" will make you alittle wider than with +.5" on 05.

On the forward issue, we wait for feed back from our pro riders to determine what is best for 90% of the riders, & that is what we offer.

We just made the first production run on the new XC SLICAST designed A-Arms. The yfz450 will be next week.

I am starting on the swing arm linkage design next week.

[Dave400ex]

John,

I have been wondering, will you still be offering the option of just the normal camber adjust top a-arm without the Slicast?

Also what is your opinion on rebound adjust for the fronts? Is it really needed/worth it?

[John Houser]

We will still be offering the the camber adjustment only top A-Arms on our regular travel A-Arms & Long Travel that are not XC a-arms with the maximum ground clearance.
I do believe that the rebound is important. I also think that the longer length shocks make a difference.

In developing the XC a-arm with maximum ground clearance for the YFZ450, we started with the shortest shock that Elka can supply that will still allow them to have rebound adjustment. We worked our design out from there.

[racerxxgncc]

John, how long of shock are you talking for the yfz. 17-18" or around the 18 1/4 to 18 1/2 that I am running now the your +.5 arms and elkas.

[John Houser]

For the YFZ450 using the new XC A-Arms that have the maximum clearance, we will be using a shorter shock. The free length will be 17.25". When compressed, it will be the shortest shock that Elka can make & still have rebound & compression adjust. You will still get 11.3" of wheel travel with this setup. We think that it will be a super setup.

[Dave400ex]

John:

I have some questions about the rear end setup for the 06.

Will it still be the same setup, swingarm, linkage, and lifter kit? Also, what I'm most interested about, will the linkage allow clearance for a skidplate to bolt up like the stocker with not having to cut it up? I would be running the PRM Z-Plate...

[John Houser]

We will be working on the rear end, swing arms & linkage, this week for the YFZ450 & the TRX450R.

[Dave400ex]

What is your take on this.

http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=193814