The shoe string project!

[KKiowaTJ]

Well, All my parts finally showed up and ready to go in and on. Still need to install clutch and get that adjusted and running good before teardown.

Gonna start with the rear axle are and work forward. Reason being, I have the correct wrenches and have done it a million times and all I 'need' to reall do is grease the new axle and swap the sprocket nuts around. Should have gotten new but oh well, If the are work, red Loctite.

Chain and front sprocket, Then to the nerfs. I want new and straight ones if I need a reference point(s). Then to the a arms and front end. I ordered the cheaper kit, But when I mentioned why a machine/fab shop couldn't make me some DOM 2"+/- extended rods, They up graded everything, Even the heim spindle end, But declined. Full lifetime on everything so pretty happy so far with ASR.
I also bought the full SS speed brake lines to be safe so that will be easy and a good time to add new pads I have somewhere. Didn't get clamps for the lines, But ill fab something up that is similar.

Ill take some pic's of when it goes in stockish and comes out with +2/+1's and a tusk/Gforce +4 IIRC axle. Not going to run 'that', But want to get it on and ride able to check it over and then tune it in. Ill most likely run the mx/woods set up in the instructions, But are the same at 4.5. I think im going to go with 4 which is middle of the road for dune/fast trail riding.
Should be a blast to ride after install, Downside is my set up person/father has two bad wrists and has to have more stints added lol. They cant do anything for the one wrist and stints soon. But I can do the clutch alone and the rear, Just need a second person for adjustments. Time for mom and 40lbs of added weight lmao. Either way, Cant wait to get it all on and in a race able condition.

[Stickman400]

Sounds like you're getting ready for the fun part...

[KKiowaTJ]

Oh yeah.... The more I waited and stockpiled for the year and held back, The better it will/should be. The only thing stock will be the chassis/motor/stem/plastic and header. Im supposed to get a used swinger, But ive herd that a couple times and still no swinger. The most ill struggle with is the front end getting caster/camber/toe set correct. But I got the time and want it spot on for all the measurements I want to try.
Got it out today and running like a beast, Ready for a car wash and then teardown and parts.

[KKiowaTJ]

Nothing has changed in over a week again. Fuel pump took a chit on the truck so I cant take it this weekend like planned to do it. But here comes the real 'kicker'.

I know how to do the rear axle/chain/sprockets no problem. All my friends offered and said they knew how to. But now when I called them to do it, They said they really didn't know too much and paid to have theirs done . That's sex stick, Now the general directions mean even more WTF to me lol.

Only one can help and he is in NC right now and wont be home anytime soon, OTR truck driver. I have no idea about spindle camber or anything past installation, Hopefully that! Wheel bearings in the front hubs I can maybe get my pop to do, He used to do that type of work.
But for the vast part growing up, When I had arms, I didn't have to touch it plus young and didn't care to learn.

Now it bit me and im lost! Is there any write ups or how to for aftermarket arms? I tried a search and netted nothing. But im sure there has to be some and if you know any, Please post!
PS, The more dumbed down it is, Less questions ill ask lmao. Thanks

[MtnEX]

Hold up...

What is it you are asking help with?

Front hubs, just remove hub from spindle, knock old bearings out. Push new back in with press or same size socket and tap in.

Chain, usually has a master link you remove and put new on. Sprocket just unbolts.

Now if it is rear axle bearings, bit more of a job but not horrible. Don't wanna explain that one unless it is what you are asking about.

[KKiowaTJ]

Should have been more clear, The rear I can do easy along with the clutch after reading many write ups. The BS I was told, Was how to set up +2+1 a arms, Caster/camber/toe etc. They 'all knew' until I bought and said show me how! Then it was uh, Well.... I had so n so set mine up.

The front wheel bearings should be easy too, But I have never done them on a 400. Not looking at a big problem there. But to get spindle camber and what not set up is something I have never done.

[MtnEX]

OK, so I can help with front end setup.

What arms do you have though because that makes it significantly different and more or less difficult to set up.

[KKiowaTJ]

They are the American star racing +2+1 with auto ball joints and heims chassis side. They came with generic where to start instructions.

[MtnEX]

Gonna just say up front... to me, heims are a pain pain pain. So go ahead and order a supply of patients before starting.

The reason is... the heims serve both as the adjustment for camber and caster and obviously doing both with the hiems, one effects the other. You can very easily set your camber off a concrete floor and a large square. But the camber on the other hand, well you have to get a spec somewhere for the 400 with forward arms.

Then as you adjust the caster to move the upper ball joint forward or back it is going to move the camber a little. So it's going to take some fiddling or some settling for close enough.

All the above is why JD Performance and others use a simple thrust washer shim stack at the chassis side to move the whole upper arm and ball joint forward or back for caster and a thru design on the ball joint for adjustment of camber. Companies like Houser and Teixeira Tech have taken it a step farther and moved all the adjustment to the ball joint. These use a thru design for the ball joint and camber adjustment, but the actual hole is in a offset cam much like the rear carrier for forward or back caster (Houser) or bite teeth lock (Teixeira). All these make it much easier to set up and way easier to try different settings.

Anyways, what are the instructions telling you for a where to start?

[KKiowaTJ]

That's just it, They go on about 'descriptions' of caster and camber more than they do on 'how to install'. Yeah, I know heims are either good/close enough, Never spot on! Im just going to attempt to set it up for a general all around use. They call for 4.5 degrees for mx and cross country, 2-4 for sand and desert. I want to go 4 degrees to split the difference.

Any who, It says prior to installing, Thread rod ends all the way in all the way on the uppers, Leave the front rod alone and back the rear one out 3 full turns. 'This is a good starting point they say'.

Then it says install them and make sure everything is tight. Use straight edge on agains the side edge of the upper and lower BJ threads/front side of bike, Be sure the straight edge is touching the same section of thread on both upper and lower BJ's.

If the top of the straight edge leans towards the rear of quad, You have positive caster! This is what you want. Rest angle finder on straight edge and will tell you exact caster setting. Adjust rod ends in or out to obtain desired caster setting.

No mention of camber except a description unless caster sets it and they didn't include that in the instructions. So do I screw all BJ's and rod's in to start? Do I use the ball joint's to adjust anything?

They really don't help you out after spending the money and expect you to know. Maybe I should know 'more' of what I am doing, But I just want to plug and play per say. But the generic instructions leaves you with here is all your parts, But only tell you to adjust one rod end.

Either its too vague or im reading into it too much and getting stupid on myself, It happens often. I tried to order patients but there is a back order and im SOL lol. But I know this is a PITA so ill keep my intemperate disposition as calm as possible.