Handling/stability

[rolfs_7]

Just picked up an 02 white bros edition 400ex for my GF to ride and was looking into making it more stable. We were doing some woods riding with some fast tight turns. After breaking in the trails with my R I got behind her to put some heat on her and noticed she wasn't really sliding through the turn all that well which I thought was odd. I told her she needs to practice getting used to sliding or drifting around turns and jumped on her 400 to show her how it's done. Lol well after riding on 2 wheels through each turn I started to understand why she wasn't sliding. It seems narrow and I want some more stability but was wondering if maybe its lacking power. My 250 has plenty of low end grunt but still revs to the moon. After riding this 4 poke :D it feels like it has no power! What do you guys recommend I do with out dumping a ton of money in it. I know a-arms will help but wondering about lowering and widening kits. Thx for any help guys

[CJM]

You can modify some yfz front shocks to fit, gotta grind down the top shock eye a bit. It lowers the quad and makes it handle better.

Stock a 400ex isnt very fast, best thing to do is put a sparks timing key in, a cam and see what happens. The sparks key should give you the lowend grunt.

[400man]

if she doesnt weigh over 140lbs then id get a GT Thunder xc rear linkage for it. It will lower the ride height about 2 inchs and make the rear shock feel more plush and have a little more useable wheel travel and get rid of the buck when you hit sharp bumps. if you dont want to buy a wider axle then gforce makes some wheel hubs that will widen the rear end. and some +2 a-arms would be fine for the front. I can still fit through all my tight trails with my full flight +2 arms.

[400exrider707]

I'd look for a quality set of +2 arms for the front, but buy used if you're on a budget.

Suspension is one of those things you're going to want to just save the money and do it the right way the first time. +2 arms, coupled with 4:1 wheels, a good set of shocks front and rear and an axle and you'll be in business.

I hate wheel spacers/lowering kits. The only way you should be lowering is with proper suspension/linkage setups.

Just my $0.02

[rolfs_7]

CJM I will look for some yfz shocks. I was looking at the sparks key and or a cdi but heard mixed things about a diff cdi. Wasn't sure how much the key would give me but kinda sounds like a good idea. I might throw a cam in it this winter if I feel that it needs a rering.

400man She weighs between 80-90lbs Idk for sure tho. She weighs a little less than my dog lol. I found that shock link and was considering buying one but didn't find much info about them and how well they worked. I will most likely will space out the rear wheels.

400exrider707 I agree with you but unless I race it this or next summer in some hare scramble type races I don't plan on dumping to much in the front end.


Also guys it has a K&N that is really soiled and picked up a notoil but I'm thinkin something is missing. The notoil has a hole in the end like a rod goes through it or something? thx again

[rolfs_7]

O ya and BTW my 250 is def not finished just got the front plastics painted and I'm awaiting my seat cover so I can finish my rear plastics.

[CJM]

Some of the foam filters have some kinda rod in them, guess to keep the shape?

[rolfs_7]

http://img814.imageshack.us/img814/9673/55792425.jpg

Anyone elses look similar to this? cuz i dont have that bracket?!

[CJM]

Mine doesnt either, I wouldnt worry about it.

[rolfs_7]

Well that bracket is what the hole is for. I don't really want to just plug that hole. I'm done with that k&n and will not buy another I've ran UNI on my 250 since I bought it and will never go back from a foam to a k&n.

[400exrider707]

Originally posted by rolfs_7
I know a-arms will help but wondering about lowering and widening kits. Thx for any help guys


Originally posted by rolfs_7
400exrider707 I agree with you but unless I race it this or next summer in some hare scramble type races I don't plan on dumping to much in the front end.


The title of your thread is handling/stability. Adding a widening kit is going to reduce handling, so I don't think you're going to get the answer you're fishing for here.

Bottom line, do it right or don't do it. If you have to resort to flipping rims, running wheel spacers or putting a junk widening kit on, just leave it stock.

JMO:D

[rolfs_7]

Any useful info giving explanation would be helpful. So making my quad wider will not help it at all? Simply saying "do it right" doesn't really answer any questions.

[CJM]

Personally If you want the front to handle better Id suggest a-arms and a good set of shocks. Wider it is, more stable it will be in turns. Now, +2 is the MAX you can really go if its going to be ridden in the woods imho-anything more and its probably gonna be too wide.

You want to keep it cheap you could try just adding better shocks to the front.

[Longdong]

How much toe-in do you have? I would get a set of 450 shocks. I would revavle them and run about 4 to 5 inches of sag. This will lower your ride height. Low ride height IMO is just like widing it with a smoother ride. You could probably get a xc link and be fine on the stock shock. The link with the front shocks will lower your seat height by 3 or 4 inches which will make it handle 100% better.

[400exrider707]

Originally posted by rolfs_7
Any useful info giving explanation would be helpful. So making my quad wider will not help it at all? Simply saying "do it right" doesn't really answer any questions.

Sure, the information is in a sticky at the top of the page in the steering/handling section...

http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=300433

I didn't say making it wider wouldn't help, just there are good ways of widening and bad ways. Read through the first 2 or 3 pages of that thread and if you have any more questions ask here and I'll gladly answer what I can.

Without spending a TON of money, a good set of aftermarket shocks with ZPS will lower your quad, make it a little wider and help the overall stability by getting the center of gravity lower.