i have a '99 scrambler 400. i have noticed that the bushing, which is known to go bad, at the bottom of the post had some play in it.

i recently had the old tie rod ends replaced with the new ones. those were covered under warranty.

now...here is my problem, today i went out riding, and i noticed when climbing a hill, the steering post was really starting to move alot, seemed like alot more than usual. when i inspected it, i noticed that the entire column was moving up and down about a good half inch, maybe more.

its almost as if the nut on the bottom was loosen, but it wasn't becasue the cotterpin is still in it. my question is.. is there maybe a plastic spacer, or a bushing that might have cracked and fell right off the post causing this up and down movement? anybody else expirience this problem?

it was kind of dark outside, so i really didn't take a good look at it. i just wanted to get someones opinion on it. maybe its a common thing. i know the rivets come loose and the bushing wears. but never heard about this problem. like i said, the whole thing moves up and down, feels like its going to pull right out when you tug on the handebars. i love my scrambler, but that is a crappy design on that steering column. i think its time for a nice billet aluminum setup for in there.

bigdevil '99 scrambler 400 w/rcr stage 1

 

I was greasing my steering post the other day to get a pretty bad squeak out of it. Well that didnt stop the squeak and there is a little black rectangular braquet at the bottom with two round metal peices holding on and it has about 1/4" play in it. I think my warenty goes out this month so I am taking it in tomarrow.

 

Bigdevil.

I had the same problem. You were right, there is a plastic washer under the castle nut that wears out. The HPD bushing is the only way to go. I'm on my second steering post, only because I flipped my quad. I replaced the original steering post with a Polaris one, I think they hold up fine, along with the newer tie rod ends and the HPD bushing. I'm pretty hard on mine, and it has held up well.

 

bigdevil, had the same problem. Here the story, there's two issues with this. First one: there's a rubber washer underneith the nut along with washers. Second: where the colom attached to the frame.... it's attached by pop rivits. I went to the polaris dealer and got to washer to replace the rubber one and then I drilled out the right rivit and bolted it down. I didn't to it with the left because the steering stoper will get in the way. No more play in the colom. You can goto polarisindustries.com and download a parts manual for any polaris in pdf format. This helps out alot. Here's the website for this. http://www.polarisindustries.com/pro...ipType=manuals

Hope this helps.

 

how much was the polapis streering column, mine is bent bad and I would lke to replace it, the hots seat one is several hundred dollars, is the polaris alot cheaper?

 

I to have had this problem with my 98 Scrambler. My solution was to replace the stock plastic lower bushing with one of the nice aluminum and brass bushings. I also use a piece of 1/4 inch thick reinforced belt material cut to fit between 2 washers then tighten the nut down till it just begins to bind then loosen it. I have no up/down freeplay at all.

The tie rod ends everyone speaks of, are they the ones with the bolt thru the top and a black cover that is shaped like a donut?

Thanks

 

there's HSP TO.

 

Sweetcorn: the stock steering stem is $40, it's easy to replace.

Paulrn: the ends you describe are the newest style, they seem to hold up well.

 

I got quoted $189 from Hot Seat for their stem. Kinda makes $40.00 for the Polaris part look good!.

Replace the lower bush with one from HPD, and them toss the castle nut and replace it with a Nylock. Works much better

TheJoka
400Scram 4X4