I am putting rear spacers on my son's 99 Blaster to stablize it and make it not so "tippy."

Is it "OK" to turn the front wheels around so the front end width is increased to match the back?

This should make the Blaster extremely stable unless I am missing something.

 

i have heard of doing this but i wouldn't if i were you.i hear it can result in bent spindles.i wouldn't take the chance.

 

Depending on how he rides and his weight will determin if you want to flip the wheels around. I had a blaster once and flipped the wheels around. I had it like this for 2 years with no problems. Then is old the bike. I would not reccommend spacers i just dont trust them they will make you axle weak and can crack the axle. Change the rear tires to a flatter profile tires like a turf tammer or holeshot. The stock tires on alot of bikes are oval shapped and cause the bike not to lean well into turns

 

I have done it before on my Blaster. It does help stability somewhat, but makes bumpsteer very bad.
I was looking through an old ATV magazine the other day. There was an article on Japanese racing. I looked at a pic of a race, and all the Blasters in the pics had flipped wheels.

You will be amazed how much the wheel spacers will help the stability themselves, without flipping the fronts. If you got graphlite (plasic) spacers, they won't last very long. Aluminum are stronger, but the axle will bend in a crash, or if he clips a tree or something solid. (happened to me...)
Should be great though if he doesn't ride it too hard.

 

Great info that is very much appreciated!

Yes, my rear spacers are aluminum. They really seemed to widen the rear.

Anyone else have opinions or experience with turning the front tires around?

 

turning the front wheels around will make it more stable but it will make the spindles more prone to bending or breaking at a bad time. i ran my wife's blaster like that for two years without a problem, but she rides somewhat slower than i. same with the rear, the spacers will weaken an allready weak axle. if you want it wider, do it the right way and buy the wider axle and a-arms. it's safer and might not be that much more expensive when you consider the price of new oem parts. turning the front wheels around is not the same as wider a-arms. the wider a-arms make the blaster handle much better. night and day difference. it's really nice to see a family enjoying the outdoors on their atv's.

 

My firend had a Blaster and he put spacers in the back and fliped the wheels around in the front. I rod it and it didn't 2 wheel nearly as easy (it was mine before I sold it to him). Not long after he fliped it down a good sized hill and wasted a front .125? (blue) wheel and the spindel was fine. I would say give it a try. He also added a 4" alluminum swing arm extinsion he made and he really liked it to. but it added so much leverage that the shock bottemed out real easy and he went to a KX250. Blasters are smaller and it is hard to change it with little mods.

 

would get wider off set front wheels I have them on my 250r and it worked great. when I had my blastetr I turned the front wheels inside out and never had a problem. I didn't have rear wheels spacer's but i did have some holehshots and they help alot in the 2 wheeling deptartment hope thois helps.oh yea the holeshots were 18/11/8 on stock wheels.

 

I had the fronts flipped around once. But the bump steer is really bad. Hit a rock and about snapped my wrist. It also made it even more twitchy at high speed. After I bent a spindle, I switched back and was never happier.
I now have LoneStar +2" a-arms on my Blaster and love 'em. That and the Works shocks, made even bad landings feel smooth. Highly recommend.

Douglas rear rims for the Blaster are offset +1 (for a total of +2"). Combine them with flat 20" rear tires, equals much batter stability in the rear. I am not impressed with how wheel spacers hold up. I have a DuraBlue +4" axle. (for a total of +6" extra width in the rear) This Blaster is so stable you won't believe it. It's about as wide as a 250R so It still get's down the trails as speeds that will get your heart pumping.

If your boy is not heavy, and does not do a lot of jumping, AND does not ride in rocks, then flipping the front rims should be OK. However, even if you do, save up for longer a-arms. Flipping the rims in not a substitute. I would also look into a longer axle. Or at the least, check the spacers after every ride.

YFS200