Little Disapointed with Arens!

[crap-banshee32]

well...about 2 1/2 weeks ago i made a call to arens...in search of a frame for my crf motor...and that would use all my 400ex components. John told me that he already had one made for someone then they decided they did not want the frame...so i told him that i would take it...along with there new radiators..
i asked him a few questions about the conversion and everything and he told me everything would bolt right up and be ready to go.
He told me it should be at my house in about a week and be ready to go....well a week went by...and no frame...and no frame..so i decided to call john back to see what the problem was.
He simply told me that he was making some sort of radiator bracket for the frame. Well...the first time i was on the phone with him he said the frame was p/c'ed and ready to be shipped.
I was wondering, shouldnt these brackets have already been made?It was tuesday when i called the second time...he said he would have the brackets made and have it shipped out wed.....and said i should have it by friday...b/c he is not that far away from me. well..didnt get the frame friday...or saturday. I called him again on monday.. and all i got was the answering machine. Then...after not hearing from him, tuesday when i got home from school....there was a large box sitting by my house. Sure enough it was my frame and radiator... I was very excited to put my quad together...so excited i pretty much forgot about the extra time i had to wait to get the frame....UNTILL...when i tried putting my nice crf motor into the frame...i noticed...that there were no motor mounts or spacers with the frame. So once again.. i made another call to john...asking him if the mounts and brackets and such came in the packaged deal(which i thought they did b/c we talked about that b4) He replyed yes and that he would send me everything i needed by tomorrow. At this point i was wondering...if i hadnt called him...would he have still send the mounts?....Well after being very disapointed that i could not put my motor in i decided to start putting some other components onto the frame....Started with a-arms first...and right away ran into this problem with the arms mounting up....when one side was lined up to go in, the other side was about 1/16th of an inch off....this happened with both sides...top and bottom. i double checked that i was trying to put it on the correct way...everything looked right....i just dont know why they wouldnt line up...these arms worked perfectly fine on my stock 400 frame..

and who know what other problems i might run into while doing this project....ill be making another call to john tomorrow...to try to get this worked out..

this being my first time dealing with arens...doesnt make them seem like a good company in my eyes...i just wonder if they are all like this..and this is a sign of the quality..or lack of quality..that u can expect from arens.

here are some pics...the frame looked great at first glance..but not so great after further inspection...I hope me and john can work something out with this...

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid104/p533712300c7948b5a1d51db9bc8aeaaf/f985a72d.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid104/p25b3c0fdea4f6aaa16a6249a7379ec9c/f985a728.jpg

well...wish me luck

Nick

[Atreyu]

You have nice hands...you should be in a watch catalog.:blah:

[seven]

We had major problems with stuff fitting on the houser yzf quad that was put togther also. Be prepared for lots of little things not fitting.

[crap-banshee32]

what did u to to make stuff work?

[Fred55]

one BFH!!

[JDiablo]

Originally posted by crap-banshee32
what did u to to make stuff work?

hammer,and if that don't work get a bigger hammer:D

[TRX300X]

You do realize that John reads and writes in tese forums dont you? Anyway after you get fixed up with everything let everyone know how Johnny got you fixed up. All too often people tell about their bad experiences with companys and never tell how the company's made it right with them. You at least owe them that much.

[crap-banshee32]

if john works with me adn works something out with me i will not be angry...i was just kinda angered that nothing was working right for me....

[250rpilot]

i also noticed you are using aftermarket a-arms.....try a stock 400 arm and see if it fits...i bet it will;)

[crap-banshee32]

why would a stock a-arm work....its all set up for a 400ex...i used those same arms with my stock frame, and they worked fine

[Tommy 17]

i know john does stand behind his products... and he is probably the most particular frame builder i know... i also wonder if the problem lies in ur a-arms bc i know herrmann doens't exactly built the best products... i saw one of their 450f/250rs and it was junk... nothing lined up...


give john a call... i'm sure he'll fix it if the problem is with his part...

[seven]

On the houser quad there was a lot of grinding parts, Making new parts fit, and bending. Quick example, he was told to use 400ex Pro pegs. The cross tube in the frame was not in the right spot. So he had to bend the new nerfs to fit. Another is, he was told to use the rear maste cylinder from a 2001 yzf dirt bike. Nothing fit right. He had to make a bracket to hold the master cylinder, then bolt that to the frame. Then the bolt that connects it to the peddle was to short so he made a adapter for that. Lots of little stuff! But here is the quad when it was done.http://idahomx.home.mindspring.com/DSCN0920.JPG

[crap-banshee32]

i plan on calling him tomorroow.





grrrr,,,i wish everything would just go together
:(

[redroost85]

Rats Nick!:(

I know how much you were looking forward to your new gear. Doesn't stuff not fitting suck? Man, that ticks me off too.

Hope things get straightened out in the next few days for you Nick.

[cgmxer115]

John make quality stuff , i bet the arms are the problem.:rolleyes:

[INFANTRY RACING]

i bet it's his frame



















































































he also forgot the mount on a 250r i did and he had it powdercoated the ugliest blue ever....:D

[crap-banshee32]

if it was my arms i dont c how my arms would fit on my stock frame then....
so idk..

im calling john after school today and hope to get things worked out

Nick

[jcv400ex]

Very rarely does a custom bike got together smoothly. Especially A-Arms. The tolerances are wide-open. Just get a rubber mallet and pound the A-arms in place, you should be fine.

[brandonpeake]

i had been wandering about this particualr issue w/ the crf conversion, keep us updated, i had been thinking about doing this sameconversion also
brandon

[KYmxracer52]

On my 250R I raced a couple years ago, I had a stock, gusseted frame, and used Laeger +2 A-arms. I had to use a rubber hammer to persuade them to fit. Actually had to take a steel hammer and bend the mounts outwards a little. I think all aftermarket a-arms will give a little fitting troubles. You know when you weld something up, it causes the metal to 'draw' up. Even though the part is in a jig, it can still move a little. That little movement can get the tolerances off to cause a tight fit in the a-arm mounts. Or it just might be the frame. I know everyone of them are not exactly alike. I'd say Arens will take care of you. They've been in business for a while. It might take a little while, but I'm sure they're make it right with you.

[lil400exman]

ever think of this. I know you race MX and we all never land paerfect. I have seen this alot. WHen you land it can bend peices around.Not much just a lil amount so when u look at it u dont even really notice. Your frames conforms to this along with the a-arms and when you get your new frame with perfect mounting tabs you dont have the matching bend for it to fit in place..........i have seen it happen man............if it bothers ya that much just torch it a lil:rolleyes:

[brandonpeake]

thats a good point, i hope this guy does a follow up, b/c i know john makes amazing products and i would find it hard to believe he wold adverise it as working w/ the 400ex stock parts and it not wrking so this thread really caught my attention

[Guy400]

It wasn't off by quite that much but I had to trim down a lower pivot and the bushing on a set of Burgard a-arms to get them to fit in my stock EX frame. I tried the rubber mallet approach but it was off just enough to not quite go in. I shaved about 1/32 off with a chop saw and they fit perfect. I'm not making excuses nor am I bashing any aftermarket parts maker. Sometimes parts get distorted a hair during manufacturing and sometimes tolerances across an entire product line differ. I'd be willing to bet that if you took a handful of measurements on a 400EX frame (or any frame for that matter) and measured on several other 400EX frames you'd find minute differences.

I would go find a set of stock 400EX a-arms and make sure they mount on your stock 400EX chassis. If they do take them over to your Arens frame and see if they fit. If they don't tell John that neither your stock a-arms nor your Hermann arms line up but they both fit on your stock frame. It's possible that something shifted in the jig when your frame was being welded up. John is a good guy and he'll make it right for you.

[Pappy]

i'd be suspect of the bushings in your a arms. they are wider or thicker then stock and alot of aftermarket bushings ive seen. its pure speculation ofcourse, but the picture you posted does shos the a arm itself to be wider then the mount. (pictures can not tell the whole story tho)

im certain arens will tell you what the trouble is.

[popo]

I take it you have never had the pleasure of putting an LRD Alum frame together. :mad: :mad: :mad:

1. Their packaging sucks. The anodizing was scratched to hell.
2. After the second frame showed up, half was 250R and the other Z400
3. Bought a brand new Protect belly skid plate for a Z400. LRD obtw is has 250R skid plate mounts.

But with persistance and making new brackets. It went together.

[Brad]

i had to some bending on all of the acracing products ive bought. i cant speak when it comes to frames though

[Dave400ex]

This is the first I have heard of any problems. As John got you all the parts, I'm sure he will figure this out. I have talked to a few guys that have done this conversion, and have had no problems. I believe Smith on here did it. I'm sure it will work out, he stands behind his stuff!

[crap-banshee32]

well...after some heavy hammering...hehe;) i got the arms to line up and the shocks to go in the shock towers...it wasnt easly though, and i wish i woulndt oh had to do it.

ill get some pics soon..

and will keep everyone informed if i have any other problems

Nick

[crap-banshee32]

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid105/pe6d93cb438233321323c6b76accf98b9/f983adb5.jpg

[crap-banshee32]

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid105/p211ebbc532ca9881705e5947a2f9cb66/f983adb1.jpg

[ralph2]

nice selection of tools on the ground lol:p

[SRH]

ahh im glad i went production, ur quad looks like its gonan be pretty trick, more pics...more pics

[crap-banshee32]

Originally posted by ralph2
nice selection of tools on the ground lol:p


there were more...i tried to move them out of the picture......

didnt want anyone to c the HUGE hammer i was using:)

[brandonpeake]

did you ever talk to john about your problem , im curious to see what he said about it?

[Insider]

hammer:confused: for the money we pay for an aftermarket frame you shouldnt have to use a hammer to install parts. now that your arms are hammered in place, do they move freely or are they so bound up they wont preform correctly?

oh but not to worry arens will take care of you:rolleyes:

[crap-banshee32]

they move fine

[brandonpeake]

so have u talked with arens?
what did john say

[Dave400ex]

John can be hard to get a hold of, but if there was a serious problem, he would get it fixed! I have followed this frame project from all most day one, and he is very particular about how it turned out!

[crap-banshee32]

nope....havent talked to him....since everything else seems to be going together great....im just waiting on my motor and radiator mounts from him and my quad will be pretty much done:D


then i have to have baldwin make me a custom exhaust:) :blah:

Nick

[ralph2]

lets see some pics if its pretty much done lol :blah:

[crap-banshee32]

well...im waiting on my mounts...so the motor nor the radiator are in...and swinget is getting PC'ed...but everything else if on...ill get some pics soon

[TRX300X]

A little bird told me that Aren's might be making exhausts in the future. Might want to keep that in mind instead of a Baldwin exhaust,

[jlhughes750]

Originally posted by 250rpilot
i also noticed you are using aftermarket a-arms.....try a stock 400 arm and see if it fits...i bet it will;)

Sometimes using one a/m part on another a/m part turns into a finger pointing match.... I have had all brands of a/m parts and have run into this same problem with using Laegers on stk frames and Laegers on Arens frames. It is not uncommon to have to pursuade the arms in a lil. Did u make certain that both of your arms are the same, left to right???? They may have stressed or fatigued.
Chances are given the Arens reputation and the fact that everything is CAD generated and robotically welded, the frame is most likely fine. The tolerance between the frame builder and the guy that hand bent those arms is probably the answer your lookin for.;)

In short: It is not uncommon to have to break out the big hammer every once and a while, and remember to compare apples to apples, take one side off and throw on anyone else's Arms or stock arms, then make a statement about the frame.

later, J
BTW, I'm sure John will be on here in a matter of hours to straighten this out and offer some wisdom!!

[Tommy 17]

not anytime soon from what i been hearing... i think he will eventually do it but not right now... hes got alot of other projects...

[crap-banshee32]

well....everyone is working good now...im just waiting on my motor and radiator mounts from john.

[ralph2]

any mo pics?

[rippen400ex]

i had the same problem you had on mine but like you did all they need is a little tap......well kind of little....and they went in but everyhthing else for me went in nice....looks awsome to congrats