I bent the lower a arm on my 850 on a buried T bar so i have one ordered 85 bucks (cheap lesson had worse) my question is do ya think it's a simple install or should i pay?? i don't have very much mechanical experience but i like doing small stuff (no engine rebuilds in my future)

Thanks in advance for any help or advise [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img]

I forgot to add initially that it was a 0.8 hr job 68 bucks..........

 

Well, changing that out should be easy, but if you are weary you could have the dealer do it, it won't take more than a hour to do.

Once you jack the front end up the strut should be topped out so the bolt for that should not have a load on it. A couple of other bolts and it should be out. I have never worked on a XP's newer style front end so I can only guess, but it should be easy.

 

that stinks
I'd go for it, I don't think it's be that hard

 

Its not hard, but I think even a dealership would not charge that much to do it for you, if you do not want to deal with it.

I would take a crack at it. If I got frustrated and gave up midway through the job, I would just put all the loose parts in a bucket and haul the whole mess do the dealer and get them to finish up.

Might even get a discount since you did half the work.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

There are no struts on the XP.

I would pay, but that's just me. I can make more money in that time I waste doing it, than what it cost. The part that bothers me is wasting the time taking it in. It's up to you.

 

You said you like doing "small stuff". For me, this would qualify. I would go ahead and do it if I were you. It should be fairly easy... about as hard a putting a bicycle seat and handlebars on if I had to compare it to something... and not a lot that can go wrong as long as you work safely. You will be jacking it up and getting in its fall-path, so common safety measures should be applied. If you are worried at all about screwing it up, just take pictures (or take notes) as you go so you can be sure to get everything back together the same way it came apart. I do stuff like that all the time... no problem. Like TLC said, if you get into trouble, you can always load it in the back of the truck and haul it to the shop, but I haven't had mine to the shop yet, and I've done a bunch if "DIY" repairs, including replacing tie rods, which is in the same area as what you are about to do. Took me less than an hour the first time, and I could do it again in 10 minutes now that I've done it once. I haven't done anything with the A-Arms, but they look extemely simple to me (moreso than the tie rods), at least on the older models.

I just lifted the front end using the winch and a beam in the basement ceiling until it was almost standing straight up, and it was cake.

 

i had to replace my front a-arm and strut on my old 2000 335 sportsman. since in the summer of 03 the neighbor kids decided to go though the ditch and hit a culvet. they broke the strut, pulled the front axel out of the wheel side cv joint, bent the mount where the a-arm mounts to. so i had to fix the a-arm mounts. put the axel back in, replace the strut, and get a new a-arm rod. it wasent to bad to fix. but i was pissed.

 

oh and all that hold the a-arm on it 2 bolts by the frame, and the ball joint. just lift the front end, remove the bolts, and the plastic cv guard. id say total time 1/2hr or so. but its always fun to learn new things.

 

Okay sounds like i should stop being a BUTTERCUP and just get er done one question thou should i remove the wheel??and should i use lock tight on the nuts when i put it back??OKAY I KNOW THAT WAS 2 QUESTIONS lol

 

yes. use blue lock tight on the 2 a-arm bolts. the ball joint nut should have a pin though it. and yes id take the wheel off. easyier access to the ball joint, and less weight.