450r A-Arms/Shocks Problem, No Suspension

[HondaRacing23]

I have Wicked products +2 A-arms on my 2004 450r. I had stock shocks on them as wicked told me thats what they were set up for. My a-arms go straight across there is no bend at all in them. I sent my shocks to DERISI RACING(GUY IS AWSOME LET ME MENTION) and had him revalve and respring the front shocks to my weight and riding. I also got the rear done with his link. looks sweet but when I hit a jump or even going through the trails my front end smacks the ground like I have no shocks at all. I do not have a lowering kit or anything other the the rear link. I had all this problem even before I got all three shocks done. This is why i sent them to SANTO. ill post some pics for you guy to take look at. It almost seems like the shock mouns on the a-arms need to be moved forward a little or I need longer shocks, but wicked said they are set up for stock shock NEED HELP PLEASE...

[HondaRacing23]

Im gonna wash it today and ill post more for you to see it a little better but heres a start.

[HondaRacing23]

Great Race huh!!!:D

[HondaRacing23]

Kinda Muddy Though HAHA

[HondaRacing23]

here you go

[trx4ever]

Try lowering your preload ring, which will raise your quad , that should be your soloution

[HondaRacing23]

but Santo set them to my weight and riding specs and for +2 arms...

[HondaRacing23]

here are some better pics.. kinda

[HondaRacing23]

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[HondaRacing23]

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[400exstud]

I have heard from others on here that if you are not satisfied with Derisi's work you can send them back and he will rework them.

Not sure though.

[400exrules]

what kind of racing do you do?


but do like the other guy stated, adjust your preload.....or save up and get some elkas built for +2 arms:devil:

[HondaRacing23]

Why would i buy elkas that are made for +2 arms when deriisi set mine up for +2 arms? the arms that i have from wicked are set up for stock arms so me hacing arms set up for +2 arms would be even better i think

[Chino886]

you need to adjust your preload (ride height).....

[Pappy]

Originally posted by Chino886
you need to adjust your preload (ride height).....


i agree, while santo can do the intenal work, the final ride height needs to be done by YOU

[hoopd450]

the compressed length of your shocks is wrong. your frame hits the ground before your shocks bottom. i'm sure the extended length is also too short. this probably means that your a-arms require a longer aftermarket shock. i would guess that the arm builder didn't do all of their homework when designing them.

[red4r]

hmm i might not no wat im talking about but u might of answerd your own question u said that those wicked a arms were made for stock shocks... not derisi triplerate zps shocks... so u sould just change your ride height so it will be taller..

[JW450R1]

NOT SURE.IT LOOKS LIKE U NEED LONGER SHOCKS.ARE U SURE THER ONLY +2.INSTALLED +2+1 AND MY DEALER SAID IT WAS OK TO RUN STOCK SHOCKS.WELL I CRACKE THE LOWER A-ARMS...:(
WHERE THE SHOCK MOUNTS WERE.SO I WENT WITH ELKA.NO PROBLEMS SINCE

[HondaRacing23]

yes these a-arms where made for STOCK SHOCKS, but.......I had stock shocks on this bike before i had derisi do them for me and still had the same problem thats why i sent them to derisi. Yes i am sure they are +2 arms. they are not triple rate ZPS springs either. they are dual rate springs.

Originally posted by Chino886
you need to adjust your preload (ride height).....

for sure, your bike is sitting way 2 low IMO

[HondaRacing23]

So Lowering my preload will solve my problem?

[trx4ever]

he did the internal valving for your weight and riding style, not your ride height, your ride height when your sitting on the quad should be 8 inches atleast for mx under the rear lower a arm mounts.

[04TRX400EX]

Is it just me or does the front end seem to be almost completely straight across? I don't know even know if you could adjust the preload enough to fix that. I know what you are saying, and I'm sure you can run stock length shocks with those arms, but it makes that thing sit really low. If you said nothing about it and just showed me a picture, I would say your shocks were too short. I would adjust the preload to see if you can gain some more ground clearance and get the front end back to its natural shape /-\ not - - -

[TBD]

To me it looks like Wicked has there shock mount inboard too much. Did you tell Santo what paticular arms you were dealing with or did you just tell him that they were plus two's? It makes a big difference if the shock mount is too inboard.

u should call santo again

[400exrider707]

Try adjusting your preload before you call either santo or wicked and make a fool of yourself. If that fails, then call wicked, because santo didn't mess it up. They're still standard length shocks, no matter what he did to them...

[JW450R1]

do u know any-one with after market front shocks,that u can just try to see if it may be a shock issue?.
also try loosening the a-arm busching bolts,they may be to tight,and u tightened them up when the quad was in the stright possition.:)

[hoopd450]

yes the ride hieght is very low. but raising it all that u can is not going to fix your problem. THE SHOCKS ARE TOO SHORT. this is why it sits so low. and this is also the reason that your frame hits the ground before your shocks bottom. i know that it sucks but its not your fault, whoever designed the a-arms for standard length shocks messed up. take a shock off and put a 12 inch block under your frame or just use a floor jack or something. but when you get it exactly 12 inches off the ground then measure from the center of the upper shock mount to the center of the lower shock mount.. this tells you what the extended shock length should be. i would bet that your measurement will be longer than your shock.

[HondaRacing23]

Thank You very Much...... I told Wicked that he messed up the shocks and he swares up and down his street that he didnt. Even my friend said the arms are screwed up. Santo is sending me some stiffer springs. he thinks that will fix my problem.
Wicked products thinks that the springs are too soft as well. but......If the springs are too soft now and he says that these arms are made for stock shocks shouldnt the springs santo just did for me "be even better"??? That is why i think the arms are screwed up to. If the new springs dont work them im going to junk these arms and save my cash and get some better ones. If these arms are supposed to be designed for stock shocks in the first place i should have never had to send my shocks to santo. thats the only reason i sent them to him. I also 100% agree that santo didnt mess up. This guy knows his $hit and if anyone messed up it is Wicked.:mad: :mad: :mad:

[1fst400]

have you tired adjusting the preload up some. Im pretty shure thats ur prob.

[HondaRacing23]

yes but it wouldnt go any farther

[4strokemadman]

I agree with TBD. The A-arms are made for the stock shocks. In order to do that the a-arms got wider and the mounts stayed in the same place so you could use the stock shocks. This increases your motion ratio (some people like to call it leverage ratio). If you increase motion ratio you need to have more spring rate and you will need to run more compression damping and more rebound damping.

[redrunner]

I am going to throw something real silly into this....a friend bought some Wicked arms a while back and they actually sent +2 uppers with +3 lowers and really screwed his head up....so by the looks of them did they send you +3's by mistake? That would cause Santo's set up to be off....but dang they look too short...

[bradley300]

Originally posted by HondaRacing23
but Santo set them to my weight and riding specs and for +2 arms...

he only sets up the internals and spings, you need to adjust everything to your liking like the preload, compression and rebound. looks to me you need to lower the preload rings to correct the ride height. 8.5 or 9 inches with you on it

[HondaRacing23]

if i measure the lower arms what would they measurments be for +3 and +2. wicked told me he only makes +2 for the 450r so i dont know if that could have happend or not

[redrunner]

Well then maybe not I was talking about a Z so if they don't make them for the R then....just seems weird either place would miss something. Let us know what you find out.

[HondaRacing23]

Actually just give me $100 and there yours. if you still want them. let me know and ill just end the auction. i need to get rid of these tires. i need the cash

[Colby@C&DRacing]

Originally posted by TBD
To me it looks like Wicked has there shock mount inboard too much. Did you tell Santo what paticular arms you were dealing with or did you just tell him that they were plus two's? It makes a big difference if the shock mount is too inboard.

Tim I agree those arms look like the shock mount has been relocated causing allot more leverage over the shock. You need to take some measurements and give them to santo those are no standard +2 arms.

[HondaRacing23]

**PROBLEM HAS BEEN SOLVED. WICKED PRODUCTS ARMS ARE NOT MADE WRONG. tHEY ARE COMPLETELY CORRECT. ITS OT THE ARMS IT WAS MY SHOCKS. oNCE i GET mY SHOCKS BACK FROM SANTO EVERYTHING WILL KICK @SS. THANKS GUYS.

[400exMO]

What'd santo do wrong?

[HondaRacing23]

just didnt put stiff enough springs on them. He is making it right. I put stock shock on for my race yesterday and they worked fine for a little bit then it seems like they did the same thing. i think the stiffer spring is gonna o the trick and if it dont ill sell the shocks on ebay and get some long travel peps or something..