Steering dampner

[300exQuadracer]

who runs a steering dapner on their race quads?? i have a 250r with +2+1 a-arms and it feels like every time i am on a jump face it wants to turn right before i leave the face which cause me to case a double this weekend perty bad, an it seems that the front end is a lot squirly on the jump face, what kind of dampners do you run and will they relly help me with this prob

[cdalejef]

sounds like you have a castor or toein problem. Dampner's are great but it won't help with the problem your having.

[tdsongster]

I have a scotts dampner and it works wonderfully. Mine is a handle bar mounted unit, they are pretty expensive, but in my humble opinion well worth it.

i never really understood how they worked..:confused: is it like power steering in a car?

[cdalejef]

Its like a shock absorber on your car, it slows down the action of the steering when you hit an object.

[300EXrider02]

I always called the bars jabbing into your stomach "bumpsteer"....and that is what the dampener does, makes every jab or bump, no so harsh or radical

so they are worth the money? should i get that pep rebulidable one that guy always puts on ebay for like $125?

[RIjon]

http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=78413

As jeff Said..... it's a Bandaid for various actions

They do help a LOT ..but not a FIX

[cdalejef]

PEP and Denton are very good for the price.

Originally posted by Jeff@QuadShop
sounds like you have a castor or toein problem. Dampner's are great but it won't help with the problem your having.

[300exQuadracer]

i have measured the toe in/out and my wheels are straight it is the same distance in front as it is rear

explain castor, the angle the wheels set at?

[cdalejef]

That could be your problem, try setting your toe in at 1/2". Castor is the vertical position of your wheels.

[300exQuadracer]

why would you want them toed in? wouldnt that cause drag?

sorry i may sound dumb but i`m not to informed on the toe in/out castor part of things

my dad set up the castor at his shop

[cdalejef]

No, there won't be any drag! Its a normal setup.

[300exQuadracer]

thanx jeff you`ve been a real help, i`ll look into doing that tomarrow

[cdalejef]

Let me know how it goes.

[300exQuadracer]

alright will do, maybe this thread should go to the faq forums

[JOEX]

Excuse me while I butt in....

How do you measure and adjust castor?

Joe

[rs169300]

Originally posted by Jeff@QuadShop
PEP and Denton are very good for the price.

I have been racing gncc's for the last 4 years. I know jeff is a better rider then me but i would not buy a PEP. I had one for 3 years on the quad then swiched this year to a GPR. The GPR cost alot, but it made the quad alot more friendly. Also you can adjust the GPR on the move, which is nice to dial it in to the track. the problem I had with the PEP, which would be the same on the Denton, is that it had more pressure when the rod went in but less when it was pulled out. the GPR gives an even flow the whole time.

[boogiechile]

Excuse me while I butt in....

Caster can only be adjusted if you have a arms that have heim joints at the frame end. Caster can not be adjusted at the ball joint end.

You can measure it with a angle finger and a straight edge by placing the straight edge against the frt or rear of the top and bottom ball joints or spindle boss at the ball joint, whichever potrudes out farther. then measure the angle of the straight edge with the angle finder. You can buy a cheap magnetic base angle finder at sears. If the straight edge leans back toward the rear of the quad at the top you have positive caster. Leaning forward is negative and straight up at 0 degrees is no caster. For mx it is best to have about 4 degrees positive. If your arms are adjustable you can play with the adjustment. more positive makes it track straighter and hold a line better but less positive meakes it steer quicker.

[Woodsrider]

Originally posted by JOEX
Excuse me while I butt in....

How do you measure and adjust castor?

Joe


I don't think the Caster is adjustable with stock a arms, and I may be wrong but I don't think there is any way to adjust it on a/m set up either. :ermm:

Camber, on the other hand is adjustable with a/m a arms.

I guess the best way to describe caster is the rake of the forks on a motorcycle. I ain't articulate enough to explain it well:confused2

[Woodsrider]

But Boogiechile is:D Thanks for the class
;)

[RIjon]

Bo0gie knows his chit :muscle:

[JOEX]

Thanks for the info boogiechile :) and you too soggyrider;) I know what you mean.

I didn't think there wasn't any caster adjustment on most setups, just wanted to make sure.

I think Jeff ment to say camber?

I bought a cheaper angle finder at Home Depot a few days ago, not magnetic though, to set the camber. I hope it works:p

Joe

[cdalejef]

Originally posted by JOEX


I think Jeff ment to say camber?

Ya, my bad! :o

[bradley300]

if your pulling to one side, could it be your air pressure is a little low on that side?

[300exQuadracer]

Originally posted by bradley300
if your pulling to one side, could it be your air pressure is a little low on that side?

yea it could be that but i know they are both the same and it steers both directions on the jump face, just plain squirly, i am gonna go try and fix it right now

i love gettin out of school at 12:45 everyday :D

[boogiechile]

Caster is not adjustable on stock and most aftermarket a arms. It is adjustable if the a arms have threaded in heims at the frame mounts. screwing in the rear heim or out on the frt one will add positive caster and visa versa.(for top arm, reverse this for bottom adjustable arms like walsh) Your sig list Burgard arms. Burgard standard arms are not caster adjustable but their premium arms have heims on the upper arm frame end and are caster adjustable.

as for your problem you need to make sure the toe is set correct and get the camber set the same on both sides. If the camber is different it will pull to one side but almost always to the same side. You mentioned the word squirly and caster is the frt end setting that has the most profound effect on squirly. If it darts to both sides and feels squirly after you have the camber and toe set then i would believe caster to be the problem. If your arms are not adjustable the caster should be built in at about 4 degrees positive. Check it to see. If it is more negative than 4 it may be that your frt is sagging more than the rear. Check the frame height at the area under the foot pegs and at the frt just behind where it turns up. If the frt is lower than the back then you caster has just become more negative than it should be. This happens a lot when aftermarket shocks are on the frt with a stocker on the rear or a redone stocker with not enough sag to match the frt. Do whatever you have to get the frame level or slightly higher in the frt if it is off now. You will then notice more positive caster when you measure it and should get an improvement to the darty situation. if it helps but not quite enough rake the frame a little higher in ethe frt and try again, just dont go crazy different on the heights.

[redroost85]

About the dampners, I bought a used PEP rebuildable off of KandK952 here for $65 shipped and it is only 4 months old. All I got to say is night and day is the difference with the dampner. I can't go back now!:D