How common is Z400 frame cracking?

[nozerider]

I'm going to get a new ride soon, torn over Z400 vs. 400EX. The two biggest things holding me back from the Zuki is the magnesium clutch cover melting, and the frame. Is the cracking that common? Or does it happen only to people who ride at the track and such?

This quad will be for trails and dunes.

[YFZ450Ridr]

the cracking frames is ONLY the 2003 models and mine hasnt given me any troubles and i race harescrambles. i dont know to much about the clutch covers but i think u can drain the coolant and put a diferent kind in to fix it. theres a few threads on this just search it a little, youll find what your looking for.

[nozerider]

Hmmm, I don't know where you got tha 2003 number from, but I've read every year has had this problem.


As for the clutch, if I buy the Zuki, I'll make them changing the cover part of the deal.

[indyZrider]

if you want peace of mind then gusset the frame. i did cause im a big boy and i jump a little so now i don't have to worry. the 03 and 04's do have more of a tendency to break than the 05 and later models but thats normally for the big balls 30 ft jump kind of guys not the trail riders

[YFZ450Ridr]

the 04s have the same frame as the 05s and 06s. only the 03s have the frame problems because in 2004 they switched frame builders because of all the cracking issues. an easy way to spot an 03 is if the grab bar in the back cant be taken off and is attatched directly to the sub frame. the 04s-06s have detatchable grab bars and the newer frames with no issues. the 04s dont have breaking problems, same frame as the 05 and 06.

[nozerider]

OK. I guess this won't be a big problem for me , seeing how i won't be jumping 50 footers anyways.

[Pappy]

The Z400 is a crackwhore. I dont care if you do not jump, all you have to do is ride it hard and it will crack as sure as the sunrises.


In all honesty, any new quad just loves to crack frames....the 400ex would be my choice as it will also crack but you have to beat it pretty damn hard to reach that point.

[nozerider]

Actually, after reading up (http://www.z400central.com/invision/index.php?showtopic=52767) I've decided that I won't be buying an ATV with two major problems going into it, and the maufacturer unwilling to do anything about it.


I'll be picking up a new 400EX it seems.

[05mxZ400]

the new 400ex is ok.. i got an 05 like 2 months ago, and it was horrible, cuz im into mx, so i got a new z400 a couple of weeks ago, and im goin to get the lt-r in like 2 years(unless somthing new comes out). but the 400ex looks way better, and the motor/frame has been around forever with no probs, so its a good choice, and it comes in black:D

[nozerider]

Honestly, if I could get anything, I'd grab the new 700 Raptor. But seeing how I'm starting off on my own (no credit obviously) there's no way I could grab a $7000 loan.

[MoToX199]

ok 1st of i have had no problems with my frame and i hit some pretty big jumps and i dont even have paint chippin off so i dont think they crack that easliy

[DOHC]

Originally posted by trick400ex
ok 1st of i have had no problems with my frame and i hit some pretty big jumps and i dont even have paint chippin off so i dont think they crack that easliy
06s dont have frame probs buddy well minor ones, 03s were huge u can go to a suzuki dealer and they even agree dont buy a 03. It all depends on the rider of the bike

[MoToX199]

pappy said that they where crack-whores and that all years crack and which only mainly 03's crack i kno the newer ones dont have this prob but pappy made it seem like they did

[liv2race]

03-04 frames crack no matter what. i race hard motocross and even after a BARE 13 pc gusset kit i just cracked the frame in half this season. it was cracked in 6 spots before the gussest kit, so i welded and fixed it then added gussets and now it just cracked in 6 new spots after gussets. actually im goin to put it back together again for my race this weekend as i right this.

[z_militia]

I race my 04 pretty hard and it hasnt cracked "yet" lol.. but im waiting for it to happen.. :devil:

[GooseZ400]

aint cracked mine yet and Ive done some pretty stupid things. wonder how many of those frames had some ones fat *** that was over the rating of 243lbs.

[Jakeyracer]

Pappy is oviously exacteratin(sp) he said any frame will crack he said that if pushed far enough the 400ex frame will crack so how come i have cased over 10 jumps rolled 3 times and hit the backside of a 20footer landing dead on and have only barly chiped paint lol of course i havnt gotten hurt riding yet so maybe i am just invincible and give my 400ex the ability to also be invincible:macho :D (new to raceing thus explians the numerous crashes)

[H-bombwarrior]

i had a 03z and i jumped it all the time and never had any problem with the frame,and i have never had any problems with my 04z either

[sdxp787]

Mid production in '03 is when Suzuki had their frame manufacturer change the wall thickness of the tubing used in the frames. That was the only change. I know this as I was service manager at the local Suzuki dealership. The subframe also received thicker tubing.

Don't get cracking mixed up with flexing. All frames are going to show signs of flex where you have two tubes coming together. My 250R's, 450R's, and my 400EX's all have cracking paint where two pieces of tubing are welded together.

Don't label a quad as "junk" just because it has some frame issues. I and several of my friends who have Honda 450R's have cracked or broken our frames. When you abuse them as well as we do, you can expect this kind of thing to happen.

If I had to choose between a Z400 and a 400EX, I would pick the Z400. Much more technologically advanced. Don't get me wrong, I am a die hard Honda fan, but given a limited choice like that, I will take the Suzuki. Look at the quads that I own in my signature.

[motomanmike]

As far as the 400ex i'm not sure but i can attest to the z400 frames developing cracks early on. I personally one an 04 and i've welded it up once right on the right side where the oil tank sits. I have viewed this crack developed on 5 other z400's and a kfx so its a pretty common problem from my personal experience. I actually look for it now whenever i'm checking out someones Z

[bradley300]

it seems to me, that i would beleive pappy. he dosnet do anything but look at new and old frames, with and without gussets all day. he's looked at more bare frames than most people ever will, so my geuss is if he said the z400 has a horrible frame, then it probably has a horrible frame

[DortonRacing]

any frame will crack after so many hours of riding on them. Even leager, lsr, walsh any frame will crack. 400ex have frame cracking problems like the z400 do so dont worry about that part. The z400 has more power then a 400ex stock.

[curious george]

i have seen the most common cracks to be the stress points on the welds right above the front shocks mounts. i am going to guset mine and re weld it before i hit any big jumps or what not. i would rather have a 400ex though. better handeling, not as much top end power, but also is not so zingy, more low end, and last loner all around, and also if you are riding in the trails you dont have to worry about a radiatior hanging from a tree branch, and air cooled elimanates all the B.S. so you could work on it if needed. adjusted valves is fine, you dont have to lift the cams on an ex like you do on a Z. i would go with the ex. the one i had would kill Z's i just have one now becuase it was a good deal and i am going to fix it up and sell it for cheap.

[booterskuggs]

theres a recall on the clutch cover so the dealer should cover it and install a cover that wont crode

[WhiteZrider]

my subframe broke the other day, but thats because i landed with my foot on brake pedal