I recently purchased a lift kit from highlifter.com and before I install it I'd like to know anyone's experiences with the lift kits, good or bad. I would prefer first hand experiences or information that has been obtained from a source experienced with lift kits, for example, if you've had a friend or someone you've ridden with give you the information, that's okay. I just don't want any posts that start out "I heard one time about this person..." Thanks in advance for your info.

 

I just put a kit on my 300 two weeks ago. I found that the front went on much easier than the rear. Putting on the front was a very straight forward process. The rear took a little speculation on my part. The instructions said to put a specific end of the bracket down, but what I thought was that side of the bracket would only fit if it was on the top. I contacted Greg, at Highlifter, who said that the bracket would only fit one way (I suppose I put it on correctly).

Just this week I installed a kit on a friends Bayou 300. This time just the opposite was true. The back went on easily, but the front was a booger. The front shocks on this quad are the strongest I've run into on a utility quad. I put my entire 250 pounds on top of the shock and it only compressed about 1/2 inch, if that.

Neither of us has had a chance to ride the quads in the rutted areas that we normally venture into yet. I have notice, however, that the steering on my locked 300 has lessened somewhat. I suppose it is because of the narrower stance of the front tires.

I hope this has helped. I will let you know about the increased ground clearance in the front end after we go riding again.

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Shane

'97 Honda 300 4X - Vamped, Locked, & Lifted

 

Correct me if I'm wrong but a lift kit only lifts the frame up right? The way I see it only bigger tires gives you more axel clearance. The lift kit allows mounting of bigger and taller tires but that is it right?

 

That is correct Matt. I think I could fit 27" on my AC 500 without a lift kit though. I think it would mainly just make the bike look neat and give it a taller and more undesirable seat height. Some bikes need the lift kit I guess so the bigger tires can clear the fenders though.

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Andy Bassham *(1999 Arctic Cat 500 4x4, 1989 Honda 300)*

 

Close, but not exactly correct. In the rear, yes. The kit only raises the rear of the frame. In the front though, it raises the frame (bash plate, skid plate, etc.) and causes the distance between the front tires to be reduced. This helps in two ways.

First, it helps to eliminate the major problem that I had with my 300, which is getting high centered when coming out of a rutted mud hole. By raising the skid plate up the front tires usually have a chance to bite before the skid hits the center of the rut.

Secondly, by narrowing the width between the tires, it aids in steering with the locker. The steering isn't unbearable without the lift kit, but it does help. Hope this helps.

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Shane

'97 Honda 300 4X - Vamped, Locked, & Lifted

 

If you're putting that liftkit on your Arctic Cat make shore you get an alinement or you will be taking it off very fast. When I went to buy my 500 there was a guy get a lift kit. After the first ride (in the parking lot) he had them take it off because he could not control it, but they where too lazy to do an alinement. (Good thing I didn't get my quad from them.) So when you put you liftkit on make shore you get it realined, unless you like the way it handles without a realinement.

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Arctic Cat 500, Not your average Kitty, The New King Of the Jungle

 

i talked to a guy with a sportsman 500 and he had a lift kit on it and he said that it made the rear suspension so stiff that he couldn't stand it. so he took the lift kit off. but the lift kits do make the suspension alot stiffer. Also do u think i could fit 27's under my grizzly?

 

I wouldn't see any reason why 27" tires wouldn't fit because I had 27" on a '98 AC 454 and they fit just fine without a lift kit.