>>Custom Extended Steering Stem<<

[Hondamaster5505]

Hey guys.

I plan on doing a custom soon. Im gonna find a cheap stock steering stem and cut it. I will then take a piece of matching size round tubing, or some off the stem on there now, and weld in a 2in piece.

So there you have it, and +2 steering stem that any average joe with a welder and not much money can do!

When i get a new stem to work with, i'll let everyone know how it turns out!

I love having a machine shop/fabrication shop to work in:p

Whats everyones opinions on this? I know stock stems aren't the strongest ever, but i'll figure out a way to reinforce it.

[JOEX]

I don't know a whole lot about fabbing stuff like this but you may want to consider having a sleeve either inside or outside of the joint.

And make sure it stays perfectly straight while welding:)

[Hondamaster5505]

Originally posted by JOEX
I don't know a whole lot about fabbing stuff like this but you may want to consider having a sleeve either inside or outside of the joint.

And make sure it stays perfectly straight while welding:)

I'll have to do that sleeve thing, i didnt think of that.

We'll make sure we have it perfectly straight. I want to do this because the bars i have are nice, but a little to low. And i cant afford an aftermarket stem

[Brauap]

Hey. I don't %100 understand why you would want a longer steering stem? Just to raise the bars? Isn't it kind of stupid to pay 150 bucks or so just to raise the bars? :huh But.. thats just comming from.. me.:ermm:

[my88r]

helps raise the bar height. also when you run a oversize tank. to help with clearance problems.:tired:

[Hondamaster5505]

Originally posted by Brauap
Hey. I don't %100 understand why you would want a longer steering stem? Just to raise the bars? Isn't it kind of stupid to pay 150 bucks or so just to raise the bars? :huh But.. thats just comming from.. me.:ermm:

"I don't %100 understand why you would want a longer steering stem? Just to raise the bars?"

Yes, I want to raise the bars because I LOVE my Tag bars, but even with risers they're a little too low for my taste.

"Isn't it kind of stupid to pay 150 bucks or so just to raise the bars?"

Where did you get $150 from:huh You can find stock stems for dirt cheap used.
Im gonna cut the new one in half. Cut a 2in long section out of the one in there now, and weld a sleeve to the inside. Then i weld it together and have a custom +2 stem for maybe $35





:D

[exrider272]

i wouldnt do it. ive seen a quad rolled and bent the stem then cut it and welded a new peace on and just from rockin on it it snaped.. and i wouldnt even wat to take anythin like that offroad.. JMO

[lawdog800]

If you have a machine shop to work with, take a 6" piece of billet, and turn it down on a lathe to the outer diameter of the shaft, then turn a couple inches on each end down to the ID of the stock shaft, put it togetehr and weld it up.

Even more important than making sure it is straight, is making sure it is clocked correctly. Scribe a line down the center of the stock shaft PRIOR to cutting. Scribe a line down the new piece and mae sure they all line up.

[Brauap]

"Where did you get $150 from"

I am talking an aftermarket. Not stock.

[CSR400EX]

if you can get the material, make a full chromoly stem:D my buddy made one for his yfz, it looked aftermarket

[Hondamaster5505]

A diferent material stem could be possible I guess, and my dad gets alot of scrap titanium:D

But I think I will use stock for now.

Thanks for all the tips guys.

I might even try to make it adjustable. It I weld A sleeve inside the one half that sticks out, I can put holes so I can make it +0, +1, +2, by using pins to lock them in place.

[TRXRacer1]

There's no way I'd run a steering stem that had pins in it! I mean to each their own but I don't care for variables like that. Have you considered a handle bar riser kit from RMATV? For only $20 this kit might be that more economic and safer choice if you're looking for budget hight. It's adjustable too. If you think about it most guys running fat bars are using a riser kit so it's nothing new.

[NJ450rider]

The metal used in a stock stem is pretty thin. IMO I looked at many photos of people cutting and doing what you want to do. First roll over that thing will be ruined. Aftermarket plus size stems will survive many many crashes. Its not a bad idea at all if your on a budget to cut and weld the stock stem higher. Do that now and save up for a nice aftermarket stem. Both my 400ex and 450r have +2 housers on em and i love it. the comfort factor of having you bars up and not feeling like your falling over your quad is awesome. Took alot of pain out of my back thats forsure!!

[j450rking]

i think you might be wasting your time. i think if you just took some chromoly or even titanium and make your own stem. the top mount would be vary easy and i think the bottom peace for the tie rods wouldn't be hard eather. and you could machine a peace of billet for the bearing part and thread it. i think it would be great and wouldn't cost that much and you wouldn't need a after market one ever.

[imc188222]

I have lengthened a couple of stems and the other guys are right, first rollover and it will bend. Stock it doesn't take much of a rollover to bend the stem above the mount and when you lengthen it there is much more leverage on it. As far as the welds, if welded correctly with the joints below the stem clamp not above it, you will have no problems with the welds breaking, even with it butt welded without sleeving it. The first one I lengthened I added the piece above the stem mount and just butt welded it. Several rollovers later it was bent all over the place but the welds were fine. The key is a good weld, I have seen plenty of people that can "weld" but in reality their welds aren't worth much. Visit a welding forum if you are looking for information on welding.

If I was going to lengthen another stock stem, I think I would get some tubing that was the same id as stock but much thicker walled, cut the top and bottom off the stock stem and put them on the new tubing. The stock stem is way to thin, even at stock length.

As far as why raise the bars? It gives you a much better riding stance, taking weight off your hands and improving your balance. Worth every penny. Going to a +2 stem was the best single thing I did to my quad.

[scruff_mcruff]

Originally posted by NJ450rider
The metal used in a stock stem is pretty thin. IMO I looked at many photos of people cutting and doing what you want to do. First roll over that thing will be ruined. Aftermarket plus size stems will survive many many crashes. Its not a bad idea at all if your on a budget to cut and weld the stock stem higher. Do that now and save up for a nice aftermarket stem.

first the stock tubing is actually kinda thick. you cant say a aftermarket one will last many rollovers cause every wreck is different and puts different stress levels on different parts. i made my own stem from .058 thick 1.125 4130 almost 2 years ago, its seen 3-4 rollovers and is still close enough to straight that it dosnt need to be fixed. all you need to do is a filet cut and reweld and youll be fine. sleeving it would only work well for the inexperienced welder.

[REPOMAN]

me and a friend have done this to 3 yfz stems (they dont hold up well)lol and it has turned out good. make sure the splines on the bottom of the stem are exact or you alignment will be way off and you will either have to redo it or adjust alot with your tierods.

[TRXRacer1]

Originally posted by REPOMAN
me and a friend have done this to 3 yfz stems (they dont hold up well)lol and it has turned out good. make sure the splines on the bottom of the stem are exact or you alignment will be way off and you will either have to redo it or adjust alot with your tierods. There are no splines on an ex stem.

[Rip_Tear]

j450rking has this whole situation over ruled. If you have a machine shop to work in, why are you buying a steering steam and modifying it, that has to be the dumbest idea I ever heard.

Just build the whole damn thing, I'm a machinist and I could do the whole thing without to much thought at all. Decided on your material, chromolly steel, billet what ever, machine that in a lathe make the tie rod bits and a top mount and you are done. The whole tie rod mount and handle bar mount don't even need to be 100% closer the better, but thats why you have tie rods for that small adjustment. The "hardest" part is turning the threads and getting the right diameter for that bearing...

[f150mann]

wow, if you have a machine shop you obviously arent a machinist...let someone else do this!! because that is a BAD way of doing it. just get a peice of round stock and turn it down yourself!

use chromoly or even just plain cold raw steel if you want to save even more. make it all one peice dont go welding on!

[f150mann]

Originally posted by Rip_Tear
j450rking has this whole situation over ruled. If you have a machine shop to work in, why are you buying a steering steam and modifying it, that has to be the dumbest idea I ever heard.

Just build the whole damn thing, I'm a machinist and I could do the whole thing without to much thought at all. Decided on your material, chromolly steel, billet what ever, machine that in a lathe make the tie rod bits and a top mount and you are done. The whole tie rod mount and handle bar mount don't even need to be 100% closer the better, but thats why you have tie rods for that small adjustment. The "hardest" part is turning the threads and getting the right diameter for that bearing...

you are bang on, i also am a machinist.. but cutting threads and right dia for the bearing is nothing for even a apprentice machinist like myself.

[Hondamaster5505]

Im not a big machinist, but i know alot of stuff. My dad is the real machinist. He and I are eventually gonna build our own custom buggy chassis out of a quad frame and put a streetbike engine on it, but thats a different story:devil:

As far as the steering stem, i think i might try to find strong think tubing and weld the two ends on it from the stock.

[j450rking]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Hondamaster5505
. He and I are eventually gonna build our own custom buggy chassis out of a quad frame and put a streetbike engine on it, but thats a different story:devil:


i wanted to do that same thing!!!!!!!!!!! i was going to use a R1 engine and make it road legal but i couldn't get the cash

[Hondamaster5505]

Originally posted by j450rking
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Hondamaster5505
. He and I are eventually gonna build our own custom buggy chassis out of a quad frame and put a streetbike engine on it, but thats a different story:devil:


i wanted to do that same thing!!!!!!!!!!! i was going to use a R1 engine and make it road legal but i couldn't get the cash

haha.

were gonna widen the mid section where the engine is, and make it a 2-seater. Then we'll lenthen it a bit to put the engine in back of the drivers.

We cant find an r1 engine cheap enough. But if we did...:devil:

[j450rking]

i was going to just make it a one seater. a good engine you could use is a gsx-r 600 suzuki engine. they sell for less and still have tons of power

[416exfreak]

I think as long as you slid a 6-8 inch piece of stock inside of the stem and welded that in place, you would be ok until it rolls over.

90% of the time, the stock stem bends in a rollover anyways.

Ive bent 2 and broke 1 already. Im just always broke when it happens. So the 50 dollar stock piece works for me.:ermm:

I think my stock steering stem must have like concrete filledinside of it because it hasnt bent and I have been in some crazy wreck. My quad rolled and fell of a 14ft cliff, I did a front flip, I flipped it on the bars goofy around and they are stll straight as an arrow.

[damon#6]

ya same but mine are a bit bent barly but i had a bad wheelie crach it fliped 3 4 times and just the stolk handle bars bent a bit thats all

[Hondamaster5505]

my stock was already bent, but we managed to bend it back. lol.

[damon#6]

lol koo . but i would go with a handlebar rizers lol why try and make a stem if 4in or 5 in rizers is not good anuf for u ur crazylol u wouldn't beable to see over the handle bars lmao

[Hondamaster5505]

Originally posted by damon#6
lol koo . but i would go with a handlebar rizers lol why try and make a stem if 4in or 5 in rizers is not good anuf for u ur crazylol u wouldn't beable to see over the handle bars lmao

I do have risers, but they aint 4 or 5 inch :confused:

They're basically just adapters.

[j450rking]

you know if you have a machine shop then you could take a block of aluminum and make a riser to go in between the stem and the bar mounts and there you have it! you can make it as high as you want and not even take the stem off.

[Hondamaster5505]

Originally posted by j450rking
you know if you have a machine shop then you could take a block of aluminum and make a riser to go in between the stem and the bar mounts and there you have it! you can make it as high as you want and not even take the stem off.

DAMN YOU:p jk

you know, this whole time I NEVER even though of that. lmao. I think I just decided what im gonna do folks:D

[j450rking]

DAMN YOU SKOOBA STEVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

your welcome:blah: