Hello 440ex026 My 400ex pretty much is a sand toy. My riding ability is fair not the best but I know my machine for the most part. I still struggle on the trying too hit whoops at a steady pace I don't jump very well and I can do a wheelie but not for very far. I like my power in the bottom end I like the torque. Hill climbing is my thing I enjoy that quite a bit. so hpoefully this is enough info for you. thanks

 

Sandrider

Thats enough for now [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

To get where you want to be you honestly do not need a ton of mods, sure you can do them but you could also compromise and do some later on as well.

I know were talking engine here but remember that suspension is as much or more important to overall performance. If there is a reasonable amount of additonal cash avail for this current hop up consider just adding a cam (due to your set up, price, not needing hard rockers and little low end loss I would recomend a hot cam stage1) raising the compression on your current bore by just changing to thinner cometic gaskets (be sure to ask for .025 head and .012 base gaskets) and you can even gain more by using just honda bond as the base gasket, doing some allmost free mods like grinding out any welds that reduce flow in the head pipe, freeing up air flow into the air box, or removing the choke butterfly etc, and using the savings towards a pair of front shocks.

Now depeding on your budget you can do more and can even replace all three shocks to get a better overall gain, but with just the items mentioned above you will see a very nice gain. The cam will allow the engine to breathe much better than the stocker (If you go with a 416+ @ 11.2:1 actuall comp deff go with something like the stage2 as the longer duration lets it breathe better from mid to top and the comp makes up for lost bottom) the little mods and air box stuff will help remove any intake restrictions, the slight addition to compression will help the bottom end power (just catching up with the XR) and suspension mods will let you take full advantage of the new power plus allow you to ride that much faster in non perfectly flat conditions AKA whoops etc.

Deff get an outerware for the K&N or if you run without the air box cover get one for that or even both. I like the airbox cover as it keeps the air box clean and you dont have to mess with it but also run both for extra protection. My preference depends on the ride conditions, and dust from sand can get pretty small so think of both.

If you are considering taking it to the next level then consider the 416 or larger bore, FCR carb and some port work and you would have a whole new animal, but dont forget the suspension. The guy I purchased my quad from did and suspension was the best though most expensive mod I did, and my body thanks me after every ride.

 

Hey I really appreciate the advice so you are saying just put the cam and 10.5:1 JE piston. For now I will be happy I'am sure I will be. You kinda lost me on the gaskets mabey you can explain that too me a little more so I don't make a mistake. See i get a little ahead of myself sometimes ya know getting excited over new parts it happens sometimes. I forgot about the little things like gaskets, are the ones you mentioned reliable they appear to be a little thin but what do I know. I do want to do some handling things I first and foremost want to widen my rear axle but I'am a cheap a$$ and won't fork out the 300.00 plus bucks for a LoneStar I also want to lengthen the swingarm and I've seen a extension for the swingarm which makes it a little longer do you recommend anything that I can do inexpensivley to widen my rear axle and make my swingarm longer but something that is reliable or proven to work. Thanks

 

The gaskets are thinner and the head gasket is the same thickness as the XR400 so you could get that from Honda and use the bond on the base gasket to raise the comp.

If you do this you wont need to do the piston unless either its bad or you want to increase the bore. If you do decide the increase the bore etc I recomend you install the jug/cyl and piston and get a measurement how much in the hole or below the very top of the cyl the piston is and put this measurement and a few others into one of the many avail comp calculators and figure what gaskets you would need to get the comp you want.

I am not 100% sure on what advertised comp pistons JE offers in the bore your thinking about etc but I thought they were either 10.8 or 11.2 but what I am really getting at is if you want to run straight 93 pump gas unleaded or if mixing race fuel is an option. If mixed fuel doesnt bother you (its expensive) then think about the higher comp piston plus the thinner gasket(s) as compression = power.

I know sand or dunes are different than what we have here in the east but if it would be enough till you give in to the LSR axle you can gain 2" in the rear by getting a pair of new wheels with a 6x3 offset. The stockers are only 5x4 so you pick up approx 1" per side. I did this with the stock axle and its really close to the Houser LT +1 front end that I know is +1.375 per side and it works very well.

The only thing I would be concerned about is the extra stress it would put on the axle when landing those larger jumps out there, but if you do bend it you would have a stronger LSR because you wouldnt need to run it at max width and could then put less stress on the new one etc.

I am not in favor of the longer swing arm unless you are going to be doing a bunch of other mods and then I only think it really has an advantage with +1 forward a-arms and still only in the desert style racing. If you only do the swing then you push the center of gravity forward and make the front end seem more heavy and I believe mess of the feel of the quad. If you want that then go for it.

If your more concerned with keeping the front end on the ground then think even more about suspension because that can be one of the benefits too if set up for it.

 

hey thanks alot 440ex026. So if I go with a larger wheel diameter in the rear, That will take care of the width on the rear axle for hill climbing. Also if I upgrade the front suspension thats gonna help all around. My next question is whats the largest JE piston ratio I can go with on a stock bore. Oh and if I go with a thinner gasket on the new piston will that also help with the ratio and how reliable is the thinner gasket. Oh I got a sweet offer today from a buddy at work I can get a 350 stock Banshee with paddles that runs good but from what he told me is a little ugly but plastics are good and a 300 warrior in the same condition for under 4500.00 bucks what do you think.

 

By the way 440ex026. I run super with octane booster thats good enough for me. If had too race gas would be no problem I should be able to get a discount on it from a buddy.

 

440EX026, Great posts! You really know the 400. Reminds me of the old Gabe posts, that guy knew everything!

 

Its the wheel offset of the width that will make it slightly wider.

Stay away from the oct boost as I have not heard much good about it for our use. Some even claim it can cause problems, but I have not seen any etc. Since I never used it I honestly dont know for sure from first hand experience, but I allways thought it was nothing but a fancy carb/FI cleaner anyway.

The only additive I have used is a lead replacement to help cushion the valves.

A note on octane is to be carefull running too little as it will cause engine "knock" and too much as it will rob the engine of power. So just enough seems to be what works [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

The whole idea behind the thinner gaskets to get raise the comp. It seems that 13:1 is the limit with the normal head gaskets, but this level will also put additional stress on the rod and main bearing too so its adviseable to try and stay below 12.5:1 unless you are seriously needing that extra power for racing and still you should upgrade the rod. Compression between 11 and 12:1 is a good range that will be on the border of needing race fuel or not. The lower end of the range will not and the higher most likely will.

Remember extra power puts extra stresses on the engine and its componets.

I am pretty sure JE offers comp ratios above 12:1 on the 400 overbores, but this is their rating and what "actual" comp you will get depends on many different things like mentiond earlier.

As far as those other quads go I dont think your stealing anything plus your not done with the current project.


Thanks to all for the kind words and yes Gabe is very knowledgable and a good rider from what I hear too. Does he get on these forums? Dont remember seeing him here.

Are any of you members of his email group?

 

I was reading this and just had to tell you. I have had the 416 JE piston with the WB cam and just the valve springs,dmc pipe,p&p and the WBrev kit and the only bad thing I can tell you about the bike is that
I had a hard time cold starting. I would have a friend tow me around in the morning to warm up and it was fine all day.. If you want to smoke stock raptors and still be reliable with the stock oil cooling equiptment thats what I would do!!!!!!!!!!!!! Its pretty fast......................

 

So basically you have the same setup I do. I'am not gonna do the 416 kit. I will stay with the stock bore. I'am gonna be running a higher compression JE piston with the WhiteBrothers all around cam, also R/D chromolly valve springs to help the cam. I have dicussed the WhiteBrothers RevBox with guys in the forum and with WhiteBrothers them selves and the best solution is to keep your stock box with you. put it in to start the quad and when it is warmed up pop the WhiteBrother box back in. but I'am also gonna have some other goodies installed when I go get the cam and piston done I'am haveing a Mtoforce intake kit installed and a K&N filter. to help the breathing I just want to keep up with a 416 or 440 on a stock bore if I keep at it and find some tricks I will accomplish my goal it can happen.