does anyone know a easy way to allign the front end of the ds, any help would be greatful!!

 

You should set you toe with rider on bike and your toe setting at 0-1/8" toe out. It is easier to get someone to help you out while you are on the bike.

 

how and what do you measure to determine the "toe"

 

I use a long flat edge on the outside of the tires in front.

 

Toe Adjustment

To set this adjustment, all you will need is a tape measure. Make sure the handlebars are straight, then make sure both tires are pointing straight forward. To do this, measure from the inside of one tire to a point on the chassis. Make a note of the distance. Repeat this measurement for the other front tire. The reference points on the frame need to be equal distance from the centerline of the vehicle. The measured distances needs to be the same to verify that the tie rod initial settings are equal. Adjust the tie rod ends as needed. Now you may start your toe adjustments. On the leading edge of the front tire about half way up, place one end of the tape measure on the center tread of the tire and take a measurement from the same point on the other tire. Record this measurement. Then repeat this measuring procedure for the rear of the front tire the same height from the ground as you did for the front measurement. Record this measurement. The front measurement needs to be at least ¼ of an inch less than the rear measurement. Always make equal adjustments to both tie rods. More toe-in will decrease the speed and accuracy of your steering input but will increase stability upon deceleration.

 

oldman's directions are perfect, well written. you must be sure to measure the toe with rider on the seat, as toe changes dramatically during suspension travel.

how much toe-in or toe-out depends on personal preference as well as where you ride. more toe-in (front measurement less than rear) makes steering faster more sensetive and more repsonsive and tighter turning radius in tight trails. but the DS has less caster angle than alot of other quads out there (caster is non-adjustable with stock a-arms), and less caster makes for more sensetive steering, and less stability at high speed in loose stuff. to help combat this lack of caster lots of people, myself included, prefer neutral toe to 1/8" toe-out (front measurement more than rear). this makes for a wider turning radius and slower steering, but the trade-off is stabiilty at speed in loose stuff. but still, some people prefer 1/4" toe-in like is standard on most other quads. it just depends on the rider and his needs and desires. so play with different settings and pick the one that suits you.

aftermarket upper a-arms that provide adjustable caster angle can be set to the desired 7 or 8 degrees of caster apposed to the 5 degrees they come stock, which then allows for 1/4" toe-in to perform as well as it does on other quads for the best all around handling from track to trail to dunes in my opinion.