Lowering your 400ex

[440ex. ehhh!!]

So durring the summer i have been talking around to people and looking at their machines in the pits before races and stuff. Soon after starting to race i wanted to lower it. Another member on here suggested i make a thread to show what i've done. front and back is plane and simple,
In the front i cut 4 pieces of steel with a torch, longer you make em, the lower the front will drop, all it does is make the shocks mount out closer to the tire.
http://i987.photobucket.com/albums/ae357/josh440ex/Quad%20work/sspx0200.jpg
Before
http://i987.photobucket.com/albums/ae357/josh440ex/ATVing/sspx0184.jpg
After
http://i987.photobucket.com/albums/ae357/josh440ex/ATVing/sspx0199.jpg
as you can see, the back end is still normal height.
For the back, its even easier, i got my dads used shock off his 84 250r
the only thing you have to modify is a bearing/bushing type thing that sticks out of the top mount, just grind it down and the shock bolts right up. then you find a place for the reservoir and your good to go.
http://i987.photobucket.com/albums/ae357/josh440ex/Quad%20work/sspx0207.jpg
I will take pictures comparing the shocks after this weekend because saturday is the final race. but it lowers the bike A LOT
http://i987.photobucket.com/albums/ae357/josh440ex/ATVing/sspx0206.jpg
http://i987.photobucket.com/albums/ae357/josh440ex/ATVing/sspx0208.jpg

let me know what you think.
Josh

[250ex_dan]

thats nice man!@#$%^&*(
is it possible to do that on a 250ex too.?
and will it make it wider....?



one more ?.
any tips on making it wider without spacers.?
thanks

[440ex. ehhh!!]

Originally posted by 250ex_dan
thats nice man!@#$%^&*(
is it possible to do that on a 250ex too.?
and will it make it wider....?



one more ?.
any tips on making it wider without spacers.?
thanks

im not sure about a 250ex, i used to have a 300ex and from what i can remembber it should work for the fronts, it just depends on how close the stock shock mounts are to the wheel. i know on the dvx 250 there is no chance you coul get away with it because the shock mounts right at the spindle almost.
oh and i forgot to mention that i had to grind off part of the upper aarm so the shock wouldn't hit.
im not sure about the rear shock, it also depends on if your upper and lower mount are the same as on a 400ex.

as for making it wider without spacers....for the front you can lower it like what i did, but that only pushes the front tires out a little bit. you could also put a smaller shock on the front, i have seen many people do that who i race with.
you could get extended a arms, but that would mean longer tie rods and probably brake lines.
for the back to make it wider you would have to get an extended axle.
offset rims also work for front and back.

[250ex_dan]

were can i get smaller shocks that fit without wasting much monry like elkas and works...trying to save for a car:)
offset=flipped rims..:?

[440ex. ehhh!!]

idk, any shop that sells parts for snowmobiles, if they have a hug stock then just bring your quad or a shock there and compare.
oh yea, i guess it depends on where you live. :p lmao im north of the border, so its not too far of a drive to where snowmobiles are like a way of life. :p
and they actually sell offset rims. look it up, yu wont get much wider by flipping your current rims.

[250ex_dan]

lol ma bad
we dont' have any snowmobiles down here in AZ,...trust me,unless your up in the moutains..
there was some guy talking about some shocks from pepboys..i might try it out..
im more into cosmetics and cheaper than the whole rip your engint up to bore and rebuils stuff yet

[coryatver]

might be fine for trail riding but that can't handle good at any speed. There is a reason the shock mount is where it is and they use a certain length rear shock! Doing what you did totally screws up the whole geometry. Do it right and get a rear shock linkage and front shocks with a preload spring. Makes 400ex handle awesome!

If you say you can't offord to do it right all I have to say is What you did just makes it worse you would be better off just leaving it stock

[440ex. ehhh!!]

no, it actually handles better at speed then on the trail.
Because when racing flat track, you don't need suspension travel.
And think about it, making constant left turns going as fast as you can and drifting around corners, do you want your centre of gravity higher or lower???
obviously lower.

Doing these 2 mods worked fantastic for me, its a lot better then being up on your side 2 wheels around every corner.

[250ex_dan]

i havent dont it yet....idk if i will now
thanks neway

[440ex. ehhh!!]

next time i reply to a post i guess i should wait a while to see if that person decides they want to edit what they just said.

And you would know that doing this makes it worse howw???
I guess you must have sneaked across the boarder and test rode my quad at the Paris Speedway race track to find this out. And in the meantime you must have seen the point standings of me being in first place ahead of a bunch of yfz's, predators, raptors and 450r's.
and also seen the date for the Fair Championships being this saturday.

[spark plug]

For flat track and ice, that would probably be ok, just keep an eye on things. Like cory said, changes the geometry and puts added stress at places that wernt designed to take the extra stress.
Wheel spacers are to blame for these.....
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q30/quadster250/Picture013-1.jpg
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q30/quadster250/Picture258.jpg
and 22 year old parts!!!LOL

[440ex. ehhh!!]

wow, that doesn't look too good. what kind of quad is that? 250r?

and yea, after this saturday is done with, its all coming off and the stock shock is going back in the rear.

Quads for sale btw.

[440ex. ehhh!!]

never mind. judging by that swing arm, arctic cat or suzuki. ???

[guenther]

That looks like a Macgyver special to me, LOL! ;) I wouldn't run it anywhere near a trail for fear that something would break. I'll tell you what though, if it works for you and you're happy with it then who am I to tell you it's wrong. Ride on my brother, just please be careful and invest in some new arms to lower it the right way if you get the cash.

[440ex. ehhh!!]

haha, i hear you. but im savin up for a truck. and im looking to sell the 440 anyway.
looking for ds650

[spark plug]

Suzuki 250/540 hybrid!!!