Did something today that I havent done since Dec. 1990. Rolled a quad. Up in the woods near the head of a big draw in a big mess of rocks. I was up there with my cousin in law (on a big bear 400) and took the wrong line through a sidehill mess of rocks. Got the tires in a bad spot and over it went, totally upside down. No damage really. Just had to bend the handlebars back up. Nothing other than some scratches to the racks, but it was sort of an adventure seeing that I have never flipped this quad. It did suck though seeing as I laid the sucker over right in front of a Yamaha. I guess it all comes out in the end though cause I had to winch him out of some mud that didn't even phase the AC (though its lifted now and has 27" claws and his is stock). We turned it over and went on through and eventually down what had to be the steepest hill I have ever decended. All together, it wasn't too bad of a ride.

 

Call HL up and ask them for info on there new Billet aluminum spacers that are gonna be out forsale in a few months(I think). They bolt to the hub and have THERE OWN BUILT IN STUDS in them. YOu know what that means, now our lug stud hub's will now have real studs so we will not have to right with wheel installation anymore. It will also give us a 2-3" wider stance(1" or 1.5" ber side). I have not found out if they will make them in the 4/115 bolt patter yet, but I sure hope they do.

 

I would like to have the studs, but I don't care for the extra width. I already have spots that I can't go between that that big bear can. 2-3 inches would really make it hard. As far as stability, I would have flipped in that same spot even without the lift. I checked a lot of old sideways places just to see what the lift did to the stability, and you couldn't tell much. Mainly just that you were sitting higher up, and it was a longer ways down to the ground. It sure makes the ride stiffer. Lift and tires compared the stock 454 of my cousin's is night and day. Like a cadillac and a f-450 flatbed. Still, it rides a lot better than the old honda does.

 

Yea going up steep hills on that thing will scare you to death. My 454 is a lot different than his without the tires and lift kit. It's a whole new ballgame getting off mine and on to his. Still the stability seems to be about the same. Just like he said "looks a lot farther to the ground".

 

It doesn't feel as stable, because it feels different. On sidehills, it doesn't squat over as much, so you know the giving point. Without the lift, it was hard to find that point, but I had it in a lot of places that I got off and rocked the bike just to see. It was extremely stable. Probably not as stable now, but you can tell when it is going to go easier. I pretty much knew the other day that it was going over.

 

Andy-
How are you and the 'Cat faring these days? Hope both of you made it out OK and nobody got hurt, flipping is no fun at all. So overall, are you fairly happy with the lift???

Best of luck,

Mike

 

Yeah, the only downside so far is that it makes the ride stiff. Thats about it. Right now, I'm dealing with bent handlebars. Not much, but you notice it at higher speeds. I still wonder about the alignment too, but that will pass.

 

Andy,
I put some spacers on mine after I put the lift on it and it sure made a world of difference. After I took the lift off I left the spacers on and I really like the extra stability it gave the machine. I think the spacers was money well spent, especially for somebody that rides in the mountains or hills.

 

Sounds sweet. Spacers on the front might be a good idea. The back seems out ok, but the front just looks like its in too much for the height. I got Polaris fever for 30 mins. today. Looked at the sportsman again at lunch, and it has about the same clearance stock as my 500 has with 27" claws and a lift. I got home and saw mine on a hill from a distance and came to the same conclusion as I always do. Don't fix it it ain't broke. If I snap a cv joint, I might consider trading again, but unitil then, I will be content with moderate speed, 4wd ability, and bad *** construction. With the AC, at least I know where I stand. Its not going to break down, and I have climbed, or descended the same tough hills with the lift that I could without it. No problems with stability.

Damn Arctic Cat makes a good machine. Its a pity it didnt have a diff. lock or a little more speed and takeoff.