My New suspension setup

[adrenalinefreak]

Hey everyone...first off I have to say that sticky thread on suspension setup is amazing!!

Here is my new front and rear end. I have a Kawasaki KFX450R and I have to say I love it but the handling on it is a bit rough especially when haulin butt through a whoops section. It doesn't track straight very well. I guess the best way to put it is the front end tends to dart a lil.

I made my decision on the suspension and here are the results:

I'm running the Elka Elites all the way around with the Houser Long travel arms! (Max Ground Clearance) which I need since I race WORCS...

I also put on a wider axle since I extended the front end.

I haven't had anytime on it yet but I'm sure its going to make a huge difference in handling...

Another huge thing I did was put a GPR on!! I recommend anyone who has a KFX450R to purchase a steering stabilizer even if it's a stick stabilizer just because the way the Kawi handles!! Made a huge difference.

I have flexx bars and after I read the thread about them I'm going to switch to the blue elastomers and then maybe they'll feel better...

Let me know what you guys think!!

[adrenalinefreak]

side

[adrenalinefreak]

rear

[racernorris]

to check for bump steer, jack you quad up until the shocks are fully extended. measure from center of the tire in front and back, (place a can in front and behind the tires so to measure the same height on both sides) write down these measurements. now remove your shocks front and rear (i know this is a pain but this is the best way) set the frame on 2 two by fours (1 1/2 side) one in the front and one in the rear of the frame. now place your cans (wd40, etc) in front and behind the tires again, and measure your toe in again, (example: 1 1/4 inch toe in extended, and plus 1/4 toe out collapsed = 1 1/2 bump steer) if your front end toes out any where thru the travel this will cause it to dart. call houser if you find this problem!

norris
quinn motorsports:macho

[adrenalinefreak]

If I do that It'll be after my race this weekend....I've already spent every night this week getting everything put on and set up...I'm not too worried about it...I can't imagine it being any worse than what it is stock!! We'll see. My toe at this point is a little exaggerated so I'm going to adjust that again...

Towing it in seems to help corning especially for me...seems to be less work for me being a lighter rider...

Thanks for the input though...Its something for me to keep an eye out for. I'm still learning on the terminology and stuff which ultimately helps with feedback and getting everything tuned right!!

Definitely not mechanically inclined but learning ;)

[Honda#4]

Looks wonderful, im not a fan of the stock kawi rims.

[F-16Guy]

Originally posted by racernorris
.....call houser if you find this problem!

norris
quinn motorsports:macho
How would Houser be responsible for bump steer? Bump steer is caused by the relationship between tie rod and a-arm mount points. Lengthening the a-arms and tie rods a proportionate amount, as you would with aftermarket arms, should have no effect on the amount of bump steer. If there's a problem, it was created by the engineer who determined the design and placement of the components.

adrenalinefreak -- Did you race Mesquite? That's a sweet quad, but I don't remember seeing it.

[esr250r86]

Looks good!Ever think about running any of the ITP Quadcross races like at gh? Are you going to be racing at Lake Havasu this weekend?

[adrenalinefreak]

I run the entire WORCS series and I am going to try and run the entire ITP Quadcross if money allows and there are no conflicts as WORCS comes first.

I think there are a couple rounds where they overlap one another!!

I raced the first round of ITP and they put me in the wrong class...I was supposed to race in the highest womens class which is intermediate and they put me in novice so I raced myself ...pretty unorganized!!

I was at mesquite but my quad was stock all around except for some stock length ishocks. I race with DATS Racing and I'm usually hanging around there...

I'm leaving for Havasu tomorrow morning early so I can practice and try to get my suspension setup as of yet I don't have any time on it!!

Going to ride it at lunch for a few minutes just to break in the shocks a little and get everything set up....then fine tune in Havasu

[400exrider707]

Originally posted by racernorris
to check for bump steer, jack you quad up until the shocks are fully extended. measure from center of the tire in front and back, (place a can in front and behind the tires so to measure the same height on both sides) write down these measurements. now remove your shocks front and rear (i know this is a pain but this is the best way) set the frame on 2 two by fours (1 1/2 side) one in the front and one in the rear of the frame. now place your cans (wd40, etc) in front and behind the tires again, and measure your toe in again, (example: 1 1/4 inch toe in extended, and plus 1/4 toe out collapsed = 1 1/2 bump steer) if your front end toes out any where thru the travel this will cause it to dart. call houser if you find this problem!

norris
quinn motorsports:macho


Almost every dual a-arm setup sport quad, will toe out and in throughout it's travel. Unless you are fortunate enough to own a Laeger narrow frame, but I'm sure those still do it to some extent. I dont think bumpsteer is his problem here. Almost every atv on the planet has some bumpsteer. The one main thing I see right now is the rear shock. Is it still stock? A stock rear, with a sagging front aftermarket setup is not a good combo. Other than that, are your shocks built to your tire sizes? Are they setup for your weight? Have you tried adjusting them at all?

[F-16Guy]

The Polaris steering system eliminates pretty much all of the bump steer, but then you have all of that extra linkage to maintain. There's a lot more potential for slop, which is much worse, in my opinion, than a tiny amount of bump steer. I guess if you're Doug Eichner and you have a mechanic checking everything between rides it would be fine, but I don't, so I'll take the bump steer.

[adrenalinefreak]

I have an elka elite on the rear and elka elites on the front. Everything is set for my riding style and my weight...

Everything has been last minute and not gonna lie I'm stressing out a little...just went for a ride and I need to play with things for sure!! Especially need to set ride height and sag!!

I wish I was more mechanically inclined!!

[BlaineKaiser450]

that looks really good!

[racernorris]

i have installed and set toe,caster, and camber on most brands of a-arms( and of course some brands are not caster adjustable) (roll,lone star, laeger, jb,walsh, gibson,houser, burgard,herman,rpm,atv four play,and many more) all on one brand of quad (honda 450r)(also on yamaha, suzuki, ktm,etc) but for this example we will use honda. every brand has bump steer but some have a lot less than others, u can change the amount of bump steer by moving the peddle on the steering stem up or down (of course this means changing the stem), and by lengthening the peddle. u can also put washers on the tie rod end between the tie rod end and the spindle and or the tie rod end and the stem peddle. u will not be able to get all of it out, the main objective is that the front tires never toe out during the travel.
if u can get the bump steer below 1 inch and it doesn't toe out it will handle a lot better. now for all of u that don't know how much bump steer u have (go check it). my wide frame laeger has no bump steer thru out the wheel travel (i did measure it) the suzuki z400( i once owned) with laeger a-arms had 1/2 inch, the 04 trx450r ( i once owned) with leager protrax had 1 inch, the prp chassis (i once owned) had 1/4 inch, the gipson chassis (i once owned) had 3/8 inch, the narrow frame laegers (3 of them i once owned) had 0, the lone star tt chassie (i once owned ) had 1 1/4 inches, 14 -15 more quads that i have owned was before i new how to check for bump steer. the reason i told u to call houser is just to here there response!

norris
quinn motorsports:macho

[kodymx13]

for all of the "computer racers" listen when mr quinn speaks. he speaks the truth and u might just learn something.

[racernorris]

easy there not every body has a hybrid with a 250r protrax front end like you do!



norris

[ryanowarrior]

kodymx13 is right and i dont even have that set up ha!!! Mr Quinn sure does know what he's talkin about, so yea i'd listen too!!!!!!!!! or i do listen!! ha!!

[kodymx13]

haha what can i say?

o and i wouldnt try to explain you rebound set up technique you told me. then wed have a congressional debate.