Tie rods hitting shocks

[wvspeedfreak]

I just installed a set of Lonestar +3 +1 long travel a arms on our Raptor 250 and when you turn the bars all the way the tie rod hits the shock.Has anyone else ran into this problem??If so,what is the fix?

[sno-x139]

We have had no problems that i am aware of.

everything fit easy and it works great.

maybe it is the shocks? Are you using the longer tie rods?

[wvspeedfreak]

I am using the longer tie rods.I have had 2 different sets of shocks bolted up and it hits them both.Are your a arms +1 forward?

[sno-x139]

Yes I have 3+1+ long travel.

hmm...thats weird i dont know what else to tell you.

[bradley300]

thats real strange, my a-arms are +2 foward and there isnt any issues

what brand of shocks are they? and what is hitting? the spring or something else?

[wvspeedfreak]

I will get a pic and post it tonight.The tie rod itself hits the shock body and will not allow the steering stem to go all the way to the stops.

[wvspeedfreak]

Well,I didn't get any pictures but basically what it looks like to me is with the a arms being +1 forward it just puts the tie rods too close to the shocks and when the wheels are cut all the way the tie rod is contacting the shock.The arms on the spindles where the tie rod ends attach unbolts so I am going to make some spacers to shim them back away from the shocks.
If any of you that are running these a arms could take a picture of the front end for me I would appreciate it.A picture from the side showing the tie rod as it goes past the shock would be great.Also if someone wanted to get me a measurement from the centerline of the tie rod to the centerline of the shock mount with the wheels in the straight ahead position that would be great.

[bradley300]

do you have the tie rods on correct? the inner tierods should be on the bottom of the steering flag, and the outers on top of the spindle.

My a-arms are +2 foward and i dont have any clearance issues

[wvspeedfreak]

The tie rods are on correctly.The same way as the original stuff.Bradley,could you do me a favor?Your front end is +3 wide correct?Could you measure the tie rod length,just the tie rod itself not the ends.Also with your wheels pointing straight ahead could you measure from the centerline of your tie rod to the centerline of your shock?It doesnt have to be dead on exact on this measurement I just want to see how far out of whack this is.

Thanks.

[bradley300]

the rod its self its 12 7/8ths including the jam nuts

from the center of the footpeg to the center of my a-arm's shock mount is 24.5

center of tierod to center of the shock shaft is 2.5 inches

probably a dumb question, but are you sure you dont have your lower a-arms on the wrong side? not trying to insult your intelegence, but it's a possible cause to your problem, and its possible if you were in a hurry or something. always have to check the obvious, like my friend who kicked over his banshee for 30 minutes, only to find out the key wasnt on.

[wvspeedfreak]

I would be happy to have my intelegence insulted if it was that simple :p Here are my measurements compared to yours:

Tie rods w/jam nuts 12 7/8"

Center of foot peg to center of a -arm shock mount 24 1/2"

Center of tie rod to center of shock shaft 2"

Now the tie rod to shock measurement seems to be where the problem is.I unbolted the tie rod end arm from the spindle and shimmed it back 1/2" and they clear now.I am still unsure as to what is different about these a arms that caused this.Stuff like this bugs me until I can figure out exactly what is going on.

Thanks for getting the measurements for me to compare to Bradley.

[bradley300]

i agree, thats real strange esp. since all your other measurements are so close to mine:confused: it would have to be that your shock mount position is wrong, but then the foot peg to mount measurement would have to be different than mine also:confused:

[bradley300]

scratch that, i bet your balljoints are farther foward than mine on the a-arm. yeah the a-arms might be foward at the shock mount and in the right spot, but maybe its where 1 or both of the balljoints are actually mounted on the a-arm that is off, which would push the spindle foward including 9obviously) the tie rod mount- let me go do some measuring

[bradley300]

from the center of my footpeg to the center of the balljoint's bolt that holds the balljoint in the a-arm, i got 26 7/8, i almost bet yours is a half inch longer than that. comparing our other measurements, its the only thing that would explain why your tierod is farther foward than mine

[wvspeedfreak]

I just measured from the center of my footpeg to the center of the balljoint and it is 27".I must be overlooking something obvious here :confused: I was told I would have to shim the spindle attatchments back to get them to clear but I would just like to know what is actually wrong.......I'm funny like that :p

Here is a pic of what I have been talking about.Now,these are just a set of stock 400ex shocks that I have on here until my actual shocks get back from C&D.I am not going to do anything permanent until I get the shocks on that I am actually going to use but if they are hitting these,they are going to hit the others too when I get them.

[wvspeedfreak]

A little better perspective...wheels cut to the left and it isn't against the steering stop yet.

[wvspeedfreak]

Here is how much I shimmed to get it to clear,and just barely clear.

[pongo]

Originally posted by wvspeedfreak
A little better perspective...wheels cut to the left and it isn't against the steering stop yet.

What shocks are they?

[wvspeedfreak]

Originally posted by wvspeedfreak
these are just a set of stock 400ex shocks that I have on here until my actual shocks get back from C&D.

[AtvMxRider]

Originally posted by wvspeedfreak



So they are stock 400ex shocks????:devil:

[wvspeedfreak]

Originally posted by AtvMxRider
So they are stock 400ex shocks????:devil:

:p

[pongo]

Originally posted by AtvMxRider
So they are stock 400ex shocks????:devil:
Are they any good for jumps are you just getting stock ones revalved.etc. What would yfz450shocks revalved.etc be like?

[bradley300]

on my upper a-arms, the rear tube from the spindle to the pivot is straight, and the front tube has the dramatic curve to clear the shock (more dramatic than your front tube) my front tube looks an identical shape to your rear one. I'd say your upper a-arms need flipped, that will also change your caster by tilting the top of your spindle back, which i bet will then let your tie rod clear your shock.

i'd bet thats what it is, if they are mounted right, look at how much clearance you have between the shock and the rear tube, and for no reason. it just wouldnt make sense to put such a dramatic bend back there when there is no use for it. then look how close you are on the front, very little clearance where you could actually use it.

even if i'm wrong, i would try it anyway, i think flipping the upper a-arms would work. all it will do to your set up is add some caster, it might get a little push in the front end, but you can cure that with a little more camber, and more caste will lessen trail feed back/twitchyness that you fell thru the bars

[bradley300]

you can see it best in this pic, see how my upper a-arm front tube is shaped very similar to your upper rear?
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/bradley300/DSCN0136.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a308/bradley300/fourwheeler/Bradleyquad2.jpg

[wvspeedfreak]

Bradley,I see what you are saying.I tried switcing the upper a arms and that throws the upper ball joint WAYYYY back too far.It isn't that.I think I may have a very early set that hit the market a little too soon :ermm: The only way I can get the clearance is to shim the spindle arms back.I appreciate your help man.
I would love for somebody to post some close up pics of their LSR set up so I could compare them to mine and just see what the difference is.

[wvspeedfreak]

Originally posted by pongo
Are they any good for jumps are you just getting stock ones revalved.etc. What would yfz450shocks revalved.etc be like?


The quad hasn't been ridden with these shocks.They are just on there to hold the quad up while I wait for my other ones.I had a set of Works Stadiums for a 400ex that C&D racing is reworking for this application.

[bradley300]

Originally posted by wvspeedfreak
Bradley,I see what you are saying.I tried switcing the upper a arms and that throws the upper ball joint WAYYYY back too far.It isn't that.I think I may have a very early set that hit the market a little too soon :ermm: The only way I can get the clearance is to shim the spindle arms back.I appreciate your help man.
I would love for somebody to post some close up pics of their LSR set up so I could compare them to mine and just see what the difference is.

yeah i geuss you kinda got screwed on that deal, have you tried calling LSR then? surely if they made them wrong they would be willing to help you out

[wvspeedfreak]

I have contacted LSR but haven't heard back yet.

[bradley300]

thats an awful big screw up on thier part, so i would sure think they will help

[wvspeedfreak]

LSR got back with me today.They are aware that some of the earlier arms had this problem and they are replacing these with a new set of re-designed a arms.I have to give props to them for making this right!

[bradley300]

yeah, good for you, glad to see them stand behind the products!

[bevel head]

Hey Jason I dont mean to hijack your thread , do you remember these http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w162/rljmwicks/solid30001.jpg
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w162/rljmwicks/soliddiff001.jpg

[bevel head]

http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w162/rljmwicks/raptor250arms004.jpg

[wvspeedfreak]

Hmmmmmmmmm.....LSR shipped my replacement a arms Friday.I wonder if this is the redesigned set I will get?I will post pics as soon as they get here.