Nova is on to something,on cars to reduce body roll and increase handling you install a stronger sway bar.among other things.

 

Thanks for the input sor far folks. I guess most of you aint quite moved by my chain idea. Though the suggestion about changing to strap instead of chain will be applied if I go that route, thanks. I know it's dead effective on a dirt oval stock car. NovaKaw650...it wouldn't negate the IRS due to the flex of the strap/chain. The wheels would be free to move "up" independent of each other just wouldn't drop down much. Each wheel would be tied to the chassis, not to each other. I do appreciate your comments about the swaybar change. If the C wheels and Dirt Devils don't fix it and the strap experiment doesn't pan out I'll look to that next...it's an expense thing [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] Grizzkiller, as far as why I didn't buy a Prarie...The dealer I bought from sold me a BF750 for $1200 less than I could get it for at home but they didn't carry P700's, the only other option was the BF650. Most of my riding will be hunting, exploring, technical stuff and snow plowing where the ground clearance and articulation of the IRS will be a real bonus. I do love the Prarie and would really like to have one of 'em in my corral but my wallet and wife don't allow me to have THAT many toys [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] I love to tweak on stuff and improve things and figured (and am pretty sure) that there is a way to get this thing to handle more like a Prarie for that 10% of the time I do get to scream through the trails on it. It aint gonna be EXACTLY like a P700 in the turns obviously but I need to give it a whirl...it's just my nature.

I don't know what offset the C wheels have...I'm buying used at a great deal (thanks MarylandATV). I'll give them a go and see how she feels after that. They just might do the trick...we'll see!

God bless and Merry Christmas,

-BunnMan

 

In trail situations the downward sag is nearly as important as the upward suspension motion. Strap up the suspension, hit the trail hard, and as soon as you come to the first 4" hole or sudden drop-off you will see what I mean, and it won't sound or feel pretty at all. When that strap comes tight and the entire machine, rather than just one wheel, lurches into a hole you will understand. On a flat stock car track you can do this because it's smooth.

JESUS CHRIST --> so powerful the liberals are pushing for an eight day waiting period....... Well said, BunnMan

 

what is the dia. of the sway bar?

 

Nova I do agree with the sway bar improvement.THATS what keeps body roll down.Making it have a wider stance will mask it some but the body still pivots basically on a fulcrum.No matter how far you stick the tires out there the body will roll.I have restored a few older Mustangs and on them went to the larger sway bar 3/4 inch to 1 1/4 and the diff in cornering is unreal so I am sure this would also apply to a quad.Now......if only someone would make an aftermarket one all would be well.Maybe there is a business venture there????[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]
02 650 camo

 

Out West some of the guys cheat a similar sway bar on uderneath the original.(trucks,4X4)They cut off the ends a few inches back,fab up some mounts and clamp it on, they claim it works.

Just a suggestion,take a second BF sway bar and clamp it on, WTH.

Could be an easy test.M/M

 

NovaKaw650,

Ahhhhhhh....now I get it. Thanks for the walk through. Total oversight on my part, glad you turned on the light before the trail did!

If the wheels and tires don't fix it enough I'll focus on the sway bar.



Thanks and Merry Christmas,

-BunnMan

 

C-Series wheels and 26” Dirt Devil tires (making the quad 3 ½ inches wider than stock) made a major improvement in the handling of my Grizzly, and that is with my anti sway bar OFF! With the anti sway bar off you get better independent suspension articulation and if you think about it that is what is really important for trail riding. Now I tend to trail ride faster than your average ATV enthusiast (although I’m not trying to break any speed records nor do I race GNCC or any other form of competition) and I have no complaints about the way my machine handles (it will go fast enough for my needs).

The Brute Force handles better than the Grizzly from the get go so adding C-Series wheels and Dirt Devil tires (which are a lot stiffer than the stock tires) will certainly help in the handling department. I’m currently running 26” Gators on stock wheels on my Brute and the handling is noticeably better (thanks to the stiffer tire).

IMO Dirt Devils are the perfect tire for the Grizzly enthusiast that wants to ride fast. They are great for general trail riding conditions and the machine is easy to power slide with them. However I’m not sure if it’s the right combination for the Brute Force as the extra power of the Brute may result in excessive wheel spin and as a result lack of traction may become an issue at times...

 

i was not bashing, if you think i was i apologize. i just think that if one wants to go fast on the trails then the prairie is the way to go. if you want a comfortable ride and occasional outburst of speed[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] then the brute is the choice. as far as the swaybar goes i believe the shape plays a large roll, just look at the polaris and the king quad, 2 totally differnt shapes or designs compare to the brute. they look like they may take advantage of a twisting motion as compare to a flexing motion that the brute has. i think a better shock and wider a-arms are the only way. but then its a totally different animal. then you are back where you started[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

Here's an idea, if you are willing to risk a little money if it doesn't work. Find a piece of steel pipe the same inside diameter as the o.d. of the center section of the sway bar (the straight section of the sway bar that actually twists torsionally and provides the stabilizing effect), or have the piece made at a machine shop. Now this is where the educated guessing comes in - decide how much of the sway bar that you want to make rigid. Example- if the straight section of the sway bar is 16" long (I don't have a BF in front of me, so I'm only guessing), you may want to try removing the flex from 4" of the 16" total. Cut a piece of pipe 4" long, and split it down its length with a band saw. Put the 2 halves of the pipe around the exact center of the sway bar. Tack the pipe back together with a MIG welder. MIG weld the ends of the pipe to the sway bar itself, without over heating the sway bar, you may have to keep dousing it with water to keep the temps down as you don't want to heat the sway bar too much and change the metallurgy. Now ream the center sway bar bushing out to the o.d. of the pipe sleeve you have wrapped around the sway bar. Polish the pipe where it goes through the bushing so it doesn't bind. You now have a stiffer sway bar with more resistance to body roll. The risk? It might break where the pipe is welded to the sway bar. It's Sunday so I couldn't check on the price of a new sway bar.
Now the question is- does anyone else think this would work, and who's willing to give it a try?