Well, I for one want to thank you for "taking the point" on the "XP patrol". The info you have gathered on a bunch of XP stuff will be invaluable to current and "potential" (wink) owners.

Thanks again... now go clean that bike. LOL LOL (probably already clean) LOL LOL

 

Thanks Dave..
I'm always looking to tweak, improve or figure out a way..
I knew it would work,I just hadn't got around to getting the tires swapped to try it...


BTW the pics I took were before I actually rode it with the new set up(dirt was from riding before the swap lol)...I've taken it on 2 little rides through the rough stuff and post ride the static gap is wider after the suspension fully settled back into position...about the same as the stock gap IIRC, maybe a tad less...and NO rubbing at all..which doesn't suprise me..I don't think it could possibly rub..but yes I'll be checking to make sure it doesn't try to straighten back out...again,even if it did the chance of tire damage is minimal because I rolled the sharp edge in..

Also of note, the track is 48 1/2"..that is after the 2 short,but rough rides, so the suspension is fully settled..

 

This was my plan tomorrow after having rear tire catch a tree last weekend and swinging front around into another and bending front subframe but I was going to remove sway bar. All our riding is low speed anyway, so I don't think I'd miss it. If I'm not happy without bar this looks like the route to go.

 

mag150,

Sorry to hear about the bent frame. Hope you get it back to new.

Keep us posted on the removal of the sway bar.

 

I checked mine again this afternoon...so far it is not bending back at all...I think it is good and likely will stay where I put it...

I know a couple of guys are bending swaybars today,lol....
Which brought up a couple things I should mention...the bar does not bend easily...the strap needs to be as close to the ends as you can get it without it slipping off.and it has to be TIGHT...mine was compressed to about 24" at the widest point of the stamped steel with the strap in place...
I guess I should post a disclaimer.....use caution..I'm not responsible for injuries or damage to the machine of anyone trying to bend their swaybar!
Like I said...the hollow bar is tougher than you would think..it is hard..hence the reason you need to leave it under the tension for awhile...I guess there is a small possibility of breaking the swaybar if you got it too tight..so everyone should be aware of that also..
If you aren't prepared for something like that,spacers might be a better option...
No one that I know of has broken a swaybar or been injured...but I could see it as a possibility...

 

I was looking at mine today and was wondering if an electrical conduit bender would be the ticket to bend the sway bar. It looked like a 1 inch bender might just fit the radius. My trailer is 48 inches ID so I don't know if I have anything to gain. I figured it would be 481/2 inches wide also. If I got it in it would stay in one place for sure. Maybe I could sell my tie downs. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]
Take care,
Dave

 

HO,

I may have missed this in an earlier posting but just curious WHY you bent the
swaybar Vs. adding wheel spacers, was it for reasons similar to 600Grizzly that
you would be impacted with the added width? Trailer or some other reason?

Regards,

R'

 

Dave---you could try that but the sway bar material is ALOT harder than conduit...it is made to be flexed over and over and retain its shape...it does not bend easily..



R-Well a few reasons...1)I don't care for spacers 2)If I was going back to the stock wheels to make it narrower I might as well keep it as narrow as possible.3).I don't like the idea of the back being wider than the front...I ride in alot of tight trails and that would make it easy to hang the rear tires..4) For 20 minutes work(not including the time I let it sit compressed) it was a no brainer to me...5) And to show it can be done for others who don't want to run spacers..

You can't even tell it is bent by looking and it has no negative effect on the operation of the swaybar so WHY NOT?

 

HO,

I think you also mentioned that by going back to the stock wheels, and reducing the width also improved the ease of steering and reduced bump steer a bit... correct?

 

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

HO,



I think you also mentioned that by going back to the stock wheels, and reducing the width also improved the ease of steering and reduced bump steer a bit... correct?</end quote></div>

Yes it did..guys can enjoy that using spacers as well..since they aren't needed up front...I've just never been a big fan of using spacers..and I wanted to keep the front and rear track the same..it would get old barely squeezing the front between two trees only to hang up on the rear tires and have to back out and find another route..