I'm thinking about the last project I wanna do on my Tecate 4.
Anyway, it involves the chassis and suspension. I already have a PEP steering damper going in this week. I'd like to know what work you all have done to yours in terms widening and/or lengthening the wheelbase. I'm more concerned w/ the front end but rear mods may be a possiblity too. Keep in mind, I mainly trail-blaze...as fast as possible. Lotsa hills, bumps, rocks and small to medium jumps. I also do MX tracks for fun now and then. I'm considering just gaining an inch per side w/ offset rims and leaving the rear end alone. But I'm also considering +1 LONGER wheel base. In which case I would need new a-arms. What do you all think?

Here are the big thoughts and questions on my mind. These are kinda Tecate-specific:

How do the stock shocks work w/ the changes? better off changing them? Or do they actually work better w/ mods and worth keeping like I might suspect?

do you find that widening the front an inch (each side) improves handling that much or is the change minimal?
Is lengthening the wheel base like w/ +1 longer A-arms more important than widening it?

How about widening the front +1 (each side) w/out widening the rear axle? good idea? bad? doesn't matter?

And hey, does your KXF REALLY handle that much better to justify the cost? I'm not cheap. But I just don't wanna spend all this money on A-arms and stuff if I'll barely appreciate the difference.

also...

Do I get anything special out of +1 A-arms that I won't get out of offset rims?

Are wheelspecers as I bad as I hear?

 

Sense trail riding is what you normaly do +1 is as far as you want to go. The difference with +1 per side is realy awsome. The stabillity is rite there.

Wheel spacer have come a long way these days, although I'm not sure about full time MX but I say they would easily last in any type riding we do. Now thats 1" spacers I'm talking about, those 2 1/2" rear spacers I believe would help bend a axle pretty easy.

O-ya, scrap the high dallor A-arm idea.

 

Go with wider A-Arms and stock offset wheels. The problem with turning the wheel around or spacers (same thing) is the steering geometry is changed. This change is noticable when carving turns on smooth trails. You should also upgrade the shocks as well, the stock ones are gone by now and where no good 14 years ago. You will see a real improvement in the handling and control with wider A-Arms and better shocks. As for the rear I built my quad to mimic the old school desert racer style of wider in the front and narrow in the rear. This gives you quicker handling and a little less stability on high speed corners. I believe the narrow rear also helps in the rough since you have less leverage on the torsional axis of the swing arm. I would also have the rear shock rebuilt at the same time you do the front end, to keep both ends balanced. Good luck on your quest for info.

 

(I am 2stroke4ever)

Bruce, you say wider a-arms and offset rims?? That's more than an inch per side isn't it?

 

No, I said use wider A-Arms and stock offset rims. You want the centerline of the tire to be between the bearings on the spindle. You should never use ofset rims to increase track width. This only adds stress to your spindles and messes up your steering geometry. The only time it is ok to change the offset is when you have a wider wheel, then Ideally you would want to increase the offset by 1/2 the delta of the two wheels. This would keep your tire centerline in between your spindle bearings. This is common on sand front tires with wider wheels.

I know it's confusing having two first names, but please call me Ben. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img]

 

Now I AM confused. you say "stock offset rims" only. What's the difference between aftermarket offsets or stock? By stock offset, I'm assuming you mean turning the stock rims inside out, right? My stock rims are currently on the shelf. I have douglas wheels on my T4 right now. I'm thinking of putting the stocks back on inside out to gain an inch.

But you say that that won't alone won't be a good idea? and that wider a-arms are needed as well? If that's the case I would the leave the rims as is and just by a-arms.

 

there you go splitting hairs again.when he says stock offset he means wether it's an aftermarket wheel or a stock wheel,you should try to use the stock measurements for the offset.that means if your stock wheels are 10x5 then you probably have a 2+3 offset.thats the stock measurement.then if you turned the same wheel around you would have a 3+2 offset.and the same would go for aftermarket wheels.
i myself for play and trail riding would just turn around the stock rims,put on a good set of works shocks.rebuild the rear shock and possibly spend the loot on a wider rear axle.you will notice a huge handling difference and ride quality.i promise you that.

 

Thanks JB! Just trying to be thorough. But thanks for explaining that whole stock rim thing. I really didn't understand exactly what that meant. That's probably what I will do though. I'm not sure about widening the rear just yet though. By the way, what were those measurements you recommended for front tires?

 

well the stock whhels have a 2+3 offset just turn them around so the deep dish is facing out.and that'll make a big difference.and the offset won't be enough to do any damage to anything,like spindles and bearings,you'll just be trail riding and such.so i wouldn't worry about it.and with your steering damper you shouldn't feel any ill effects of extra bumpsteer from the offset wheels.
you've seen how wide my front end is and the offset that i have and i have a steering damper and no bumpsteer at all/.

 

Killer Kx is correct that for play riding different offset whells will get you what you need. Just dont try this with you stock wheels because you will rip the valve stems off the fist revolution of the wheel. You aftermarket wheels probably look cooler any way. New shocks would make the bet improvment to the front for your money.

Good luck.

Ben