View Full Version : welding a cracked control arm?
we went out to the sand pits today, lots of hills, lots of goodies, but its catered to dirt bikes. about 5 minutes into our 2 hour run i hit a hill that got rear narrow half way up, and it has a rear low spot on the left side and the tires \started climbing up the right side almsot at the wall of this washout you can call it, and right near the top the quad caught something that kicked it hard left and right toward a tree, hit the brakes but the twist throttle is sticking on my quad and braking steering and then clutching i just couldnt get away from it, was going too fast and it was too loose and just couldnt get away and the quad ended up hitting the tree with the bumper. now im not sure if i jumped off just before hitting the tree or what the hell happened, im thinking i dove off a foot or so before it because i landed and felt the quad smack me in the back as the back wheels landed. backs a little tender right now but itll be fine.
so like a man i got up got back on brushed myself off and continued to ride. but i noticed that the steering was out, didnt think much of it figured id bend back whatever got bent. rode for the next couple hours after that. got it onto the trailer and took it home, as im unloading it i noticed a small crack in the side hand side control arm right in one of the welds. it almost looks like a weld may have popped off and theres a small gap in less than half of one of the tube. the alignment ill sort out im not worried about it, but can i just use my flux core welder and weld that seam up and call it a day?
aside form that, twist throttle is complete garbage on a quad. i didnt have a problem with it before with the trails we ran, even being al ittle sticky it was ok, but you get into the whoptys and stuff like that and that ***** was almost the death of me a few times.
holy ****, 330 views and no one has welded one up? lol.
jasonwayne222
11-08-2009, 04:58 PM
theyre steal so ya you can weld it but the question is will it hold, post a pic and i can give u advice on welding and bracing so that your not just welding over it. either way what do u have to lose, its already cracked, either u fix it or buy a new one so just try and put it through hell to test it,
but seriously post a pic so we know what and were its at so we can suggest a good fix.
Alright cool thanks. Ill get a pic up tomorrow.
slightlybent47
11-08-2009, 05:47 PM
I'll wait till the pic is posted before commenting on that but DUDE!!!
You are ridding a 400+lbs machine sometimes at speeds of 50 mph+ and maybe pushing it to the limits of what it can do and you ride with a sticky throttle!! Never ride a machine that is not mechanically sound. Ask your self this, would I have been able to correct my mistake and ride safely out of that same situation if the throttle was in good shape? Makes me wonder what else needs work on your bike. You said it your self you almost crashed several times because of it so do yourself a favor and go over your bike every time you get done ridding and fix it before you get back on. It may save your life one day.
We have enough lawyers after us and people that say atv’s are dangerous and kill people. When it’s really how you ride one and how well you keep it maintained. Sorry to come down on you so hard but think about it. Now post a pic of that crack and lets get you back on the trail safely.
I agree with you man. The throttle is the only thing that's sticking. And it just slow to go back when you turn it. Not like I can let off and its on cruise control but I let off and it takes a second or two to come back. Regardless its the twist throttle that's not safe on what we rode today its just that when I hurt a whopty or a bump I find I'm either rolling on or off the damn thing. It almost feels like there's less control than a thumb throttle. So I may go back to a thumb throttle just because I really enjoy how much more control I have on the 400.
Ill get pics tomorrow. I'm tired and sore. And the quad is mechanically sound other than the damn throttle. Everything else works perfectly :)
slightlybent47
11-08-2009, 06:16 PM
Ok that’s cool, glad to here that your bike is sound, sounds like the twisty is not for you. I had one at one time and liked it but i use a thumb now and a twist may feel weird to me now.
Yeah man I like the twist throttle. I love my street bikes twist throttle and if my quads was as nice I'm sure it wouldn't be bad. But I find that running through the woods its fine. No problems with it. But it was just the whoptys and other such things that cause me to roll on and off the throttle.
coryatver
11-08-2009, 06:31 PM
you can get a new a-arm for like 30 bucks from honda.
Sorry shoulda mentioned this is on my 04 pred. My hondas apart waiting for the new carrier.
A good weld will have NO issues holding together. It will probably be stronger than the arm itself.
Good to hear. My brothers a welder. Much better than me. Ill get him to weld it up. Just wondering if a flux core will have the penetrating power to give me a strong weld?
Originally posted by CJM
A good weld will have NO issues holding together. It will probably be stronger than the arm itself.
slightlybent47
11-08-2009, 07:02 PM
If it's just a cracked weld it should be easy to fix and should hold if done right.
TRXRacer1
11-08-2009, 07:34 PM
The weld will hold but the steel around it will become brittle. Depending where is it you'll need sleeve or gusset it or it will break easier then when it was new. Those tubes rely on a certain amount of flexibility.
Where's that pic?
Originally posted by TRXRacer1
The weld will hold but the steel around it will become brittle. Depending where is it you'll need sleeve or gusset it or it will break easier then when it was new. Those tubes rely on a certain amount of flexibility.
Where's that pic?
Quite possible, if it were me I would take some 1/8 flatbar and go to town if it doesnt hold.
Its night time here and my backs pretty sore so I'm gonna snap a pic after work. I was thinking the same. Welding up some gussets just to be safe. Or even getting some same inner diameter tube and welding it into over top. I'd buy a new control arm but damnit no one near me deals with polaris.
TRXRacer1
11-08-2009, 08:47 PM
Originally posted by uchi
I'd buy a new control arm but damnit no one near me deals with polaris. I stopped buying local for OEM a long time ago. They all want full list around here. Cheapcycleparts dot com kicks *** on prices. Check them out some time.
Perfect thanks ill check it out. My only issue is that I'm in canada and usually between shipping and duty I don't save much
Originally posted by TRXRacer1
I stopped buying local for OEM a long time ago. They all want full list around here. Cheapcycleparts dot com kicks *** on prices. Check them out some time.
honda400ex2003
11-08-2009, 08:55 PM
Originally posted by TRXRacer1
I stopped buying local for OEM a long time ago. They all want full list around here. Cheapcycleparts dot com kicks *** on prices. Check them out some time.
agreed i have not bought stock stuff from a dealer in a long time. It sounds like you would like the thumb throttle better than the twist for the whoops and stuff. it is definitely better to control the machine with the thumb. i know a few people who like them on the dirtbikes and stuff, put them on the fourwheelers then take them off again. they say the same thing as you are, that it is hard to control when you are riding in bumps where you are on and off of it. just another opinion on it though. steve
Yeah man I like it on my 400. The thumb is nice but for long constant speed trips the thumb throttle starts cramping my thumb whereas the twist doesn't. I'm gonna see if I can find a cheap thumb setup for the pred on ebay I think. Make it one of my winter projects. Thanks for all the info guys. And steve pm returned
TRXRacer1
11-09-2009, 05:07 PM
Originally posted by honda400ex2003
It sounds like you would like the thumb throttle better than the twist for the whoops and stuff. it is definitely better to control the machine with the thumb. i know a few people who like them on the dirtbikes and stuff, put them on the fourwheelers then take them off again. they say the same thing as you are, that it is hard to control when you are riding in bumps where you are on and off of it. just another opinion on it though. steve Agreed. I've been a dirt biker for decades and when I put a twist on my trx400 I quickly removed it. On a quad you put way more pressure on the bars then on a bike. You barely even turn the bars on a bike. Thumb throttles are just smart on a quad. I think the only production atv/atc with a twist was the Tecate 3 and I don't even think all years had them.
agreed. definatly going back to thumb with this thing before i crash it again, lol
here are some shots. sorry for the quality its dark in my garage, i just got in and its 730 and black out, but you get a good idea. thinking the welding might be a bandaid fix and it might need to be replaced or maybe somehow straightened first and then welded.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v96/turbocav/IMG_4175.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v96/turbocav/IMG_4177.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v96/turbocav/IMG_4178.jpg
i thought i hit it with the bumper but looking at the last pic it looks like when i bailed/got tossed the quad may have changed paths and hit the tree with the control arm.
katch26
11-09-2009, 05:38 PM
I may have some lowers but ebay you can find them pretty cheap.......
beaten to death but I cant get used to the twist on quads BUT if you like it but want to be able to switch back and forth terrycable (I think Moose too) makes a dual throttle and you can switch back and forth. My 400 maybe be able to get away with a twist but the power delivery on my pred seems too violent JMO
Originally posted by katch26
I may have some lowers but ebay you can find them pretty cheap.......
beaten to death but I cant get used to the twist on quads BUT if you like it but want to be able to switch back and forth terrycable (I think Moose too) makes a dual throttle and you can switch back and forth. My 400 maybe be able to get away with a twist but the power delivery on my pred seems too violent JMO
yeah man and consider that mines been bored and stroked, the power is something else. i was breaking 4th gear loose on the gravel yesterday, 3rd gear in thick almost clay like sand if i stabbed the throttle hard, lol. but nothing beats hill climbs in second gear :D
ill look into it see what its worth, the twist like i said is fine or the trails we run but getting out to those sandpits the twist is just a nightmare and its the exact reason why a thumb is better on a quad.
ill see what i can dig up on ebay, theres a local guy who has a pred 500 that makes like 90 whp, he builds and tunes quads, i just found out about his pred today so i may give him a shout and see if he has an old stock lower kicking around. thanks
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2005-Polaris-Predator-500-Front-Right-Lower-Control-Arm_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem1c0d886ca0QQitemZ12 0486128800QQptZMotorsQ5fATVQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories
alot cheaper than i expected, wonder what shipping to canada is worth. gonna check locally first and leave ebay as a last resort
honda400ex2003
11-09-2009, 05:53 PM
if it matters to you i have heard quite a few good things about the dual gasser setups with the lever and twist. that arm is pretty messed up man, i would look for one locally or on ebay. the one you found looked like a pretty good deal. steve
yeah itlooks bent to me too now that i look at it more. damn you trees. i need a wider bumper like on my 400, lol. whats one of the dual setups worth?
honda400ex2003
11-09-2009, 06:06 PM
http://www.dirtwheelsmag.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=news&mod=News&mid=9A02E3B96F2A415ABC72CB5F516B4C10&tier=3&nid=A52ACEFE54D6477B813C305EF94A699A
heres an article on it i will keep searching to find some prices, the one that they tested was about 150 bucks. steve
honda400ex2003
11-09-2009, 06:07 PM
heres one on ebay also for about 140
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/TerryCable-Dual-Gasser-Throttle-Assembly-ATV-Red_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem3a532c0d1dQQitemZ25 0503499037QQptZMotorsQ5fATVQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories
steve
good stuff thanks steve.
the only thing im concerned with is that unless theres a way to lock out the twist if i hit a bump or something and roll back a bit and want to left off the thumb i still risk pulling the twist, although it wouldnt be nearly as bad as whats on there now. i like it :D
katch26
11-09-2009, 06:33 PM
theres a pin that locks the twist in
prefect, i was trying to find it in the info but wasnt seeing it. thanks :D
jasonwayne222
11-10-2009, 10:07 AM
weld it up and put a good triangle shaped gusset and call it good. if it brakes then get a new one. just dont go jumpin some whips before u test it.
I probably will for the time being till I find a cheap used one locally. But its gotta be replaced its bent and has put my steering out of wack
well i adjusted the suspension a bit the other day, havent ridden it yet havent had the time. might go for a short ride today. backed the dial off 2 clicks on the rear and backed the the nut up the collar about an inch on the front. got her jacked up hoping that the springs come back to life a little and that they arent permanently compressed like that.
also while looking i noticed the right hand side wheel is pushed in like 2 inches from where the other one sits. so i think its a pretty safe bet i bent something good, lol.
slightlybent47
11-13-2009, 09:13 AM
I think it's time for an upgread to a + 2. You can weld the old one but that a arm can kill you if it breakes at the wrong time.
Look for some used +2's, I picked up a set of +2 jd arms for $100.00 and love them.
That's a prettry good price. Do I need both uppers and lowers or just wider lowers?
katch26
11-13-2009, 09:42 AM
the spindle is mounted to the top and bottom if you replaced either with JUST a wider arm you would end up like / or \. +2 on a pred is coming up on motocross width, not sure what you use it for.
katch26
11-13-2009, 09:56 AM
theres a guy on po mrbpred selling a set of aarms with fresh silver powder on the .
http://www.polarisriders.com/index.cfm?action=thread&catid=5&topid=13&thrid=63016&posthist=-48
I just run trails with it. Blast it on straights. Stuff like that. Don't really get into any competetive racing
katch26
11-13-2009, 10:41 AM
Originally posted by uchi
I just run trails with it. Blast it on straights. Stuff like that. Don't really get into any competetive racing
thats what I figured. Be careful with anything + width on the pred as its already pushing it for trail riding.
Originally posted by katch26
thats what I figured. Be careful with anything + width on the pred as its already pushing it for trail riding.
oh i know i tagged a tree with a wheel once, very lightly. come to think of it it could have very well started off that damn bend in the control arm, lol
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