I'd like to know this. Before buying a lift kit, I had heard a lot about the sharp angles and extra stress that it puts on your cv joints, and all of the problems that could possibly occur as a result of installing a lift. Also heard several folks testify to problems that they had due to that same fact on the forums here, and even in the AC forum. Well, I said the hell with it and got the lift after a few months of debating.

The lift proved to be awesome. Really jacked up the clearance and all, then I tear up my front end. Ok, I can deal with that. I haven't spent a dime in parts on this bike since I got it 2 1/2 years ago, so thats not too bad. Well, I come on here and tell what happened and talk about the lift kit more than likely being the culprit and BANG!!! A gaggle of jackasses decide to fire right in and say "NO WAY, NOT THE LIFT KITS FAULT- LIFT KIT DOES NO WRONG!!!" Well hell, these same people must have changed their mind since the last time this topic was brought up, because they sure didn't sound this way a year ago. My guess is they have lifts as well, and want to ignore the fact. I guess they can't let that possibility in there that they too installed something on their quad that may damage it in the future.

Well, When mine gets fixed, I am leaving the lift on there. Too much advantage in the mud to take it off. I'll just run the risk again. Now we have Boner here. Nice name by the way. Fitting to say the least. Its hard to tell why my front end messing up affected him so much. Maybe he is the Highlifter poster boy now, and feels he needs to defend their product if anyone says that it might possibly do damage. I don't know. He's now gone as far as to suggest that an engine gasket problem might be the fault of his lift kit. Hmmm... Do you think you could have come up with a better one than that there pal? I forgot your education level though. Sorry Mr. Spelling Bee champ, my mistake.

So what gives here? Point being- IT was pretty much commonplace over the last 2 years that a lift kit can help to mess up your front end. Now its different? I guess only when others have a problem its the fault of the lift. If I tear something up, then the extra stress of the lift has nothing at all to do with it. Is that right?


Basically, it just didn't make sense to me why when I tear up the front end of my quad, all of a sudden I have a few people so quick to let me know that it wasn't because of the lift. And then of course trying to make fun of me because of it. But I can play that game too I guess. It just gets old. I've been called Andy Bashem before. No problem. Some of you all are going to keep #@$%ing around with me and turn me back to the old me.

 

Andy:
Up late? Me too-kinda sucks. First off though, I'd like to apologize if I sounded rude in your other post. I just signed on and noticed a few more responses to your other post, though haven't read it yet, so I don't know what's up there-yet, we'll see in a minute. As for the lift kit, yeah, I do know the damages that can be caused, the types of damage that will be done, etc, and the consequences there of. While I don't have a "lift kit" in terms of like what you and Boner have, I do have the spacers, which will also subject the joints to a steeper angle-though probably not as steep as the true "lift kit". I agree with you exactly with the great clearance gains provided by the lift kit, whether it be a true "lift kit" or even just the spacer trick. It's saved my butt time and time again, makes a real difference in actually getting through an area, or having to find an alternate route around.

Anyway, not quite sure what I'm getting at here, so back to your real question-why the negativity after you ended up breaking something: Well, I'm not a mechanic by any means, but I have worked on my 'Cat somewhat, try to fix whatever needs to be taken care off, stuff like that, just to "familiarize" myself with my machine. I like working on it, doing stuff to improve, etc. My old pickup, I built the hell out of it before I finally lost it in a wreck, but my point is (I'm not a mechanic now by any means) that I'm just a little confused as how the lift kit would affect the differential. Last I heard, we're still not positive that's what's wrong-again, I don't doubt you, but others have suggested something to do with the transmission (I don't quite understand that one either, but hey, what the hell, it's a possibility at this point). But hey it's a possiblity that could lead to helping get your 'Cat fixed and back in action which is the ultimate goal. I can definately see the lift kit being the cause of a cv joint failure, that's a no-brainer there, but the actual gears inside the diff. is more of a mystery to me. I guess though I'm more used to my pickup, with a strait axle front end-replace the springs, get the desired lift, change the steering arm, etc., you're good to go. Something breaks, it's probalby the u-joint or the steering arm ball assembly if not at the proper angle. Sorry, the diff just confuses me here.

Like I said though in your other post, I am curious to hear what actually broke, and what was done to fix it. I'm not going to get into the bashing, name calling, etc., there's no point for it. Fact is your 'Cat is down, I'd like to know what it takes to fix it. This forum was designed for that purpose, you can help us with your experiences should we have something like that occur in the future to us. Man, I sound like a damn broken record, so just disregard this post I guess.

Anyway, best of luck getting it fixed, hope you're out on the trails again soon!

Mike

 

For one the only one who can turn you into the old you is you.

For two the way you desribed the problem it sounded like it was in the differential and then it would probally of been a combination of deep mud, big tires, and a hard turn and quite possibbly happened regardless of the lift kit. Does'nt mean anyone who stated this is right. Does'nt mean lift kits are'nt tough on things like has been stated before on here.

Then you go on this big rampage which made me think," I guess this must be some 14 to 16 year old kid. Toughen up.

 

Andy,

Thanks for the complements, but I just wanted to correct you on something. I came close to winning a spelling bee one time, but I ended up misspelling "haapy." So I'm not realy a spelling bee champ after all.

Now I will be the first one to admit my response to your post was alittle big headed cause I don't think I ever mentioned that I could be wrong, but I was not fixing to appologize with your rude response.

And about people turning you in to the "old you", well I think most people will agree with me when I say that every now and then you seem to catch these little PMS stages were you just go off on people and then a about a week later you are a pretty nice guy like you normally are.

Now about why I responded to your post like I did. IT doesn't sound like the lift kit caused the front end breakage. Almost everyone aggrees on that. The only way I could see the lift kit doing the damage to intrenal parts on the differential is if your CV would ahve broke and locked up causeing internal damange. But it seems like the CVs are fine from your post.

Now you can go on and say we are affraid to admit that the lift kits cause damage or that we are all against you, it's a free country. But the matter of the fact is none of us know who is realy right untill you bring it to the shop and find out whats wrong.

Now about my little comments. Well I figured that since you are gonna be a royal **** anyway I would just give you a reason to do it. It's just my own personal way of telling you to go **** yourself.

Have a nice day.

 

Boner,

You spelled 'happy' wrong again.

 

Cowboy- thanks man. I think you understand me here. I never took anything negative from your replies. Didn't want you to think that by any means. As for when I said differential- I basically was meaning all parts to do with the front wheel drive system. Basically, I didn't know jack about the inside of the differential, but when I spoke of the front end and the stress put on by the lift, I was referring to the cv's and the things the shafts go into and all of that stuff. Just didn't really word it correctly I guess. Maybe I was thinking everyone would just understand that I was talking about parts that the sharp angles have an effect on. Either way, I'm ready to forget about that crap now. Its over, and nothing good is coming out of it if I keep replying to idiots. It would have been over the other day, but somebody had to chime in a parting shot. And of course, I'm never one to back away or turn the other cheek. Well, the front left shaft or whatever it is called, that piece that it hooks into coming out of the differential was stripped out. They took one off the salvage bike and replaced it. The guy also showed me how steep of an angle the cv's were at due to the lift, and showed me something that was just about to come off. He said that the cv's were still in real good shape though. I don't have it back yet, but at least I know its not going to cost me a lot.

 

Yeah some 14 - 16 year old PUNK kid with a big mouth and no sense.

 

Slayer- First of all again- you made the comment "He stays that way" meaning pissed off. Hell, you've posted like 20 something times here. How do you know anything about me? Or at least how do you know enough to post something like that? That was just gas on the fire pal. What else were you trying to accomplish other than starting an arguement? Toughen up? I can take critisism, but I don't sit down for blatant smart a$$ stuff. That was the first post you made in the whole thread, and it was nothing more than a cheap shot. 14 year old kid? 26 years old more like it, Over 1600 posts on this forum, and I've been on here since spring of 1998 when the old forums were still up. If you knew me enough to know I stayed pissed, then you would have known that already I guess.

 

Hmm... didn't catch that last word. You know, the one spelled ****. Was that supposed to be "kiss" or "love" or "home" or what? Oh well, whatever. I never knew what was wrong, just said that it sounded like something inside was stripping. Turns out it was that thing the left shaft goes into. That was stripped out. I don't know what its called but its about the size of half of a 12oz. can. The mechanic also showed me how the lift was putting stress on the cv's. There was a washer or something in there that he also had to replace because it was just about to pop off.

There is your answer. As for any other answers, you can get pissed on just as quick as you can get pissed off.

 

Andy:
OK yeah, I know what you mean now. Very glad to hear they were able to fix it so quickly and without costing you too much. Probably a good thing they checked out the rest of the stuff too, that way you won't have worry about anything else breaking for a while at least! Schools out here at the end of next week, I think I'm heading up to my property for a week or so, hopefully I'll put on a few miles on my 'Cat, it's been a while. I should break 1,000 miles pretty easily then, think I'll start tearing into stuff just to check on things, make sure I don't have anything wearing out or going bad. Probably change the front and rear diff. fluids too while I'm at it, just for good measure. Well better get going, trying to get to bed fairly early tonight!

Best of luck with the rest of the repairs, thanks for the info!

Mike