View Full Version : tired of ill handling!
hotbo400ex
10-07-2008, 02:16 PM
hey guys been awhile since ive been on here.:rolleyes:
i have a 02 400ex stock suspension,stock tires still.it had very low hours
i put a k-n filter
dyno jet kit and a pipe tip for the stock pipe.not much money and improved it alot imo.
my main grip is this thing handles like crap imo.i dont like that it is a wheelie machine all the time.i like to play race alot with my friends and i have to fight it all the time to keep the front wheels on the ground.plus i climb alot of steep hills,we live in the quachita mountains.
my other grip is going down a dirt road this thing darts all over the place ive had my brother ride it also he grips about the same thing.
im 30 years old 6-1 240 pounds,ridden 3-wheelers growing up and then went to a 250 and a 500 quadzilla for about 10 years then didnt have a nice qaud for about 4 years.i like my 400ex just tell me how to fix this problem it sucks:mad: im sure im not the only one who grips about this???if so then somethings wrong,lol!!!!!thanks for any advice and help.
buy a smaller quad if you dont like wheelies. be fortunate that your front wheels will pull up. Get a longer swingarm maybe? Your a bit heavier so the weight on the back will make the front easier to come off the ground. Are you sitting in the bend of the seat?
hotbo400ex
10-07-2008, 02:27 PM
i dont want a smaller quad,lol!!!i like the power want more from it,but damn im tired of fighting it.
didnt mean to sound like i hated it i wanna fix it,im not a wheelie freak,yes im big,lmfao!!!
when i run my 500 quadzilla it was like a cadillac nothing stupid,thats what im remembering.plus it would kill my 400ex,but thats in the past and i like my ex
maybe a extended swingarm?i dont want to lose any ground clearance though,would i?we have alot of rocks and i get hung up alot anyway,lol!!!
just asking for advice on what maybe i can do.
i can lean all i want and it helps but dang this thing darts all over the place.getting on my nerves you shouldnt have to fight a properly setup quad like this.im not a novice rider so its frustrating!
if i need a swingarm change how much maybe 2 inches just throwing something out there,thanks travis
if anything i would go +1.25" i think thats what most are. They make it more stable. What about changing your rear ride height?
a gt thunder rear link and rear shock re-valve will help...as well as a longer swinger...
feather the clutch more on takeoffs...
different front and rear tires will help on the road gripe as will different front shocks...
what you want is to keep the power planted to the ground...a better suspension will do that...get your ride height to around 8" and you'll be good...at that height, even with an aftermarket link and longer swinger, you won't lose any ground clearance...
hotbo400ex
10-07-2008, 02:45 PM
okay thanks alot guys:D
yeah im thinking 1.25 over and a shock change.heck maybe a shock chnage alone would help the wheelie thing?
but why does it dart all over the place,lol!!!
are your tire pressures equal? same tire sizes wear and brand?
the tires are floating on you...the stock suspension is not that good on the 400ex...so the tires aren't staying planted because of the aerodynamic lift...
a better front tire will help also...the stock rears are some of the best...
and just a gt thunder re-valve and link WILL make the front end come up harder...
boosted3g
10-07-2008, 03:14 PM
lower it, the stock suspension makes the 400 look like a monster truck. Get different front shocks and lower the rears to match. I lowered mine about 2 inches and its perfect. On the GT Thunder there is some good info about how to set up you ride height. Youll need a buddy to help but it will handle better when you follow their directions. Dont worry about lowing it too far, you will never be lower than your rear axle.
01440ex
10-07-2008, 06:25 PM
lowering is the key i did it to mine front and rear...i was having problems in the woods with wheelies and flipping so i lowered it and have no problems now
I had the same issue coming from a suzuki 230, lean more forward on take off-after awhile its second nature.
when i lowered my quad I wheelie more often now because I get better traction. If i am in a turn and i am sittin a bit towards the back it will wheelie out of the turn even if i am on a hill.
Wheelie
10-07-2008, 08:48 PM
The +1 1/4 swinger does wonders for the over feel of the machine, without sacrificing ground clearance.
Better front shocks not only help the ride and handling, but they also make it harder to wheelie due to more travel/sag.
hotbo400ex
10-08-2008, 06:32 AM
okay thanks guys
no on the lowering thing.
were is the best place to get a extended swingarm?and not a fancy high dollar one,thanks travis
Wheelie
10-08-2008, 07:42 AM
When it comes to a swingarm, don't skimp. Buy a quality piece: Houser, Laegers, Roll Design are all quality pieces.
powermadd400ex
10-08-2008, 11:17 AM
Originally posted by Wheelie
When it comes to a swingarm, don't skimp. Buy a quality piece: Houser, Laegers, Roll Design are all quality pieces.
eyeball enginering, burgard, and lonestar makes great swingers to. and are decently cheap
CarGuy7a
10-08-2008, 11:26 AM
yeah the stock tires are real bouncy like said before. mine did the same thing with darting around on long dirt straights at high speed.
soo what i did was i got some Maxxis razrs 4ply fronts and 6ply rears and a set of ATV hi bend pro taper bars and it helped take care of some of the dartiness.
hotbo400ex
10-08-2008, 01:02 PM
well thanks guys but been outta the game for awhile all the names of the places you told me about i have no freakin clue who they are,lol!!!!where should i begin to look.
yeah on the razor tires mine are about shot on the back and i was liking the looks of the razors anyway.thanks travis
justin1022
10-08-2008, 05:32 PM
Originally posted by hotbo400ex
i dont like that it is a wheelie machine all the time.i have to fight it all the time to keep the front wheels on the ground.plus i climb alot of steep hills,.
going down a dirt road this thing darts all over the place
learn how to drive. there should be a fight YOUR in control IT only does WHAT YOU MAKE IT DO!!!!!
flauge
10-08-2008, 10:00 PM
Originally posted by speedyquad
and just a gt thunder re-valve and link WILL make the front end come up harder...
True. Mine takes a lot more effort to get the front up than before the link and revalve. The back will just squat instead of pointing the front tires to the sky..:p
hotbo400ex
10-09-2008, 07:28 AM
Originally posted by justin1022
learn how to drive. there should be a fight YOUR in control IT only does WHAT YOU MAKE IT DO!!!!!
i have no problem driving anything!
if a quad or anything for that matter is setup properly there should be no fight.;)
thats all im trying to do,thanks for the reply:D
hotbo400ex
10-09-2008, 07:33 AM
Originally posted by flauge
True. Mine takes a lot more effort to get the front up than before the link and revalve. The back will just squat instead of pointing the front tires to the sky..:p
what exactly does the link help do?
wow cant believe a swingarm is 600 plus bucks,thats crazy imo:eek2:
im not into big jumps or long wheelies,im to damn fat these days:ermm: lol!!!!just wanting to get this thing to handle like i think it should and so far you guys have been very helpful thank you.
i like to climb hills,and around here we live in the mountains and thats my mine thing is finding a nice long steep grade and busting it loose,i must say that this ex climbs very good,it will set there and lug on just about anything i ask it to:cool:
katch26
10-09-2008, 03:02 PM
dont have alot of experience in the 400 but on my predator I had some custom adjustable aarm tops made which allowed me to slow the steering down by adjusting the camber and now it tracks perfectly straight at WOT whereas it used to dart like my 400 does
this is taken(copy and pasted) from a site that is not allowed to be mentioned on here:
What is wrong with my 450R or 400EX rear end?
The stock linkage on these two bikes sets the travel of the shock too high in the chassis, thus making the rear end kick up very harsh when you hit a sharp object or come up just a hair short on a jump where the rear tires just clip the down side of the landing and you end up going over the bars. To solve this you can either raise the top shock mount on the frame by cutting and rewelding it or buy the GT Thunder linkage.
Do I gain any travel with this Linkage?
No, with this linkage you do not want to use a longer shock or you are defeating its purpose. What you are doing is lowering the shocks travel lower in the chassis. Although, I believe if you use an Axis shock on the rear end you may gain up to 1" more travel. Please let me know if you are planning on using this shock because there is a specific linkage for this shock too!
Why do I have to Revalve my rear shock for this linkage?
Because this linkage is repositioning the lower shock mount location it is changing the leverage ratio. When you change the leverage ratio at anytime your shock needs to be revalved. On the plus side, your shock will then be valved for YOUR specific weight, riding style, and application(MX, XC, or Recreation). And not for just the "average" rider like it was set at the factory. I will revalve both the compression and rebound shims according to your specific specifications.
What size of tires is this linkage made?
There are 2 linkages available for each maching. One for Cross Country using 20" Rear tires and one for Motorcross using 18" Rear tires. I need to know which you plan on using before you order yours.
What will this linkage do to my rear end ride height?
The linkage will lower the ride height of the rear of your quad right at 2" at the seat. This is a plus on MX and XC because you will be able to corner much faster with the lower center of gravity.
How strong is this linkage and do I have to worry about breaking it?
This linkage is made out of a solid peice of billet aluminum and will not break. It is much stronger than the stock linkage too because the stock linkage is made out of cast aluminum. This linkage is about 1 1/2" wide and is VERY beafed up.
MtnEX
10-10-2008, 10:40 PM
One thing no one has mentioned is....
Have you checked your TOE settings on your front end.
Making an adjustment to that may make a world of difference in how it tracks straightline at high speeds.
You might want to measure it and then have a buddy measure for you when you're on the quad.
Originally posted by MtnEX
One thing no one has mentioned is....
Have you checked your TOE settings on your front end.
Making an adjustment to that may make a world of difference in how it tracks straightline at high speeds.
You might want to measure it and then have a buddy measure for you when you're on the quad.
This is the first thing I thought of. If you are out of alignment it will be really twitchy at high speeds.
vAnS_77
10-11-2008, 06:16 AM
I mean, I think all your problem is, not buying all these parts to make it right. I ride my 400ex pretty hard, even when I had new elka's and leager +2 on my 400 it will wheelied when I wanted it to. I guess it's just something you acquire when riding a machine like that. I have zero problems when it comes to controlling the 400ex, the best geo of a quad ever made.
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