American Star A-Arms - Tried Them?

[represent618]

Anyone running these A-Arms, or have a personal experience with them? I was thinking about buying the +2 pro series kit for my XC 450ER in the making. The kit appears to be a really good price considering brake lines are included.

I do not like that there is no grease fittings on the joints, but other that that, they look OK.

http://www.amstarmanufacturing.com/A-Arms.html

Thanks!

[mc_racer]

I don't have personal experience with them, but I'd think you would be better off with balljoints for xc racing. A couple hours of constant mud and dirt would be pretty hard on the heims.

i got a set of em right now for mx .. dont really have a problem with them.

[yfzrider310]

Is there a reason why you want +2 for racing xc. I had mine for about two races before they broke from a close trail.

if your doing XC I would not recomend +2 a-arms. Heck i wont even put +2 on my 400ex. I myself dont want to go much past the 46" mark.

[represent618]

I may go + 1, nt sure yet. I am 6'3", so when I hang off the side, I get top heavy quicker than the shorter guys. I have not yet decided, ASR also has a +1, just not too sure abou the heim joints.




Originally posted by yfzrider310
Is there a reason why you want +2 for racing xc. I had mine for about two races before they broke from a close trail.

[represent618]

do you have any experience to base this on, or is this your opinion? No offense, Just curious.


Originally posted by hondarider11
If you like junk buy them. If you dont get houser mgc + .5 i believe they are with fox dsc shocks for xc.

[Honda5]

I have only have 1 set of them on one of my bikes and thats the only ones I have ridden on and they are very nice. I also have a walsh bike, a laeger bike, a lonestar bike and 2 houser bikes and other then the walsh they are all close in comparison except the price. and the housers cost the most to replace the balljoints.

[Sjorge450R]

call ASR because I think you can upgrade to real ball joints. I remember talking to that guy when i was gonna put arms on my 300.

Originally posted by Honda5
I have only have 1 set of them on one of my bikes and thats the only ones I have ridden on and they are very nice. I also have a walsh bike, a laeger bike, a lonestar bike and 2 houser bikes and other then the walsh they are all close in comparison except the price. and the housers cost the most to replace the balljoints.

wow i wouldnt know which one to choose to ride if I had that many lol

[jteeter1]

Why dont you try ATV FOUR PLAY MGC for stock shocks i have a pair and had my shocks done saved big money and they are worth the few extra dollars over Houser . Good for XC cause the bottom arms are thicker and can handle the trees!!

[upyours]

im 6'5 and i run stock a arms i can stay on the gas threw corners and that way when i break them its cheap replacement i just put shocks on, +2 is too wide youll be playing ping pong off of the trees if i was gonna use after market a arms i would go plus 1 with 4-1 back spaced wheels keep it skinny for xc dude you loose some in the corners but you dont hit as many trees and for god sakes if your gonna spend the bucks on a arms dude buy something that is worth buying those a star things look like junk i wouldnt waste the money

Originally posted by upyours
im 6'5 and i run stock a arms i can stay on the gas threw corners and that way when i break them its cheap replacement

i'm 6'2" on a 400ex I dont have problems in turns or anything or getting top heavy and I agree this is exactly how I feel if you leave the a-arms stock its cheap to replace if you break or bend them. If you want it a little bit wider get like 3:2 offset wheels for the front.

[ohioEX]

I have a set of ASR +2" Regular Travels that came on my 450 when I bought it. I would stay away from them personally. My set has bent and the lower right A-Arm is starting to gull-wing. The right front tire comes off the ground about 2" before the left.

Just my two cents.

[represent618]

thanks guys for the feedback. (I just wanted to know if you had any knowledge of the arms, I know how to ride and how I like my bikes lol)

I am not a fan of the narrow front end, and I do not like using the offest wheels that leave my brakes exposed....I prefer to get my width out of the arms personally.

I am faster on a wider bike, my riding style is throwing my weight off the bike very hard and far, I don`t spend much time sitting up straight on bikes or quads, so the width accomidates my style.

My cannondale was +2 front and rear and fit me like a glove.

[upyours]

on my old quads when i did run after market a arms i used either roll design or laeger houser dont look bad i just have never used them if i was to get a arms for standard length shocks i would get the atv 4 play mgc 's they look like they could take a pretty hellatious *** kickin and i have a friend that runs them with stock length elkas and they have proven pretty reliable i usually just hang elkas and dual linkage a plus 2 stem and a dampener and i came in 3rd in my class last season but atv four play mgc's in my opinion have the strongest build appearance of any standard length shock a arm on the market and ive seen them go into trees my boy is a magnet for that type of thing and all he has done to them is scratched the powder coat so thats my opinion

[300ex mxracer]

I ran them for 2 years on my 300 and never had any problems, even through some gnarly crashes

[WOLFPACK]

If you'll remember back awhie you could open a Dirt Wheels magazine and ASR arms were sold by just about everyone on there. I was a dealer for them back then as well. There is probably good reason why all those dealers dropped them!

The arm itself wasn't the issue when you considered the price. The problems we ran into with the arms were they bent easier than other arms as they are built out of mild steel and not Chromoly. The geometry is not consistant and that is the reason for the hiem joint. The hiem joint would squeek terribly. It was almost embarrassing.

The problem we had with the company was they were selling out the front door and the back. The person of ebay "quadpartsguy" is the owners son and was selling them at dealer cost to the public. The second issue was getting stuff warranteed. They never gave me a problem replacing the stuff it was just getting them to send the replacement part back. They would either deny receipt of the damaged product or they would be out of stock on the replacement part. I would have to call constintly to get them to follow through.

In the end we figured the old saying was true "You get what you pay for". Hind sight says to buy quality to start with!