A lot of people have had problems with the stockers. I run Tree Shots and Idiot Hole out at the dunes. I have bounced off and forced my way around hundreds of trees. In 4 years I have bent one tie rod. My wife has bent 2 of them on her KFX400.

There is a line of thinking here on Kawasaki's part. If you have the choice of bending an $11 part or tearing an A-Arm or Spindle off the quad, which would you rather do?

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: RPM




There is a line of thinking here on Kawasaki's part. If you have the choice of bending an $11 part or tearing an A-Arm or Spindle off the quad, which would you rather do?</end quote></div>

That may be true to a point, but there's no way they should bend when you barely hit a tree, that's just plain old weakness.

 

I've had mine since 04 and have only bent one. Tried to fit between two tree's......I hit the tee on the right first, hard enough to cause the quad to pinwheel into the other tree. Only bent the right tie rod. I honestly believe if the tie rod didn't give it "would have" (not could have) been much more expensive.

A ride ready V is pushing 600lb. That kind of weight in motion can easily bend rims, A-rms or or worst of all the frame. I keep two spare tie rods in my tool box just in case. Like RPM said a tie is a small price to pay for a straight A-arm or frame after a trail boo-boo.