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85 to 88 Suzuki LT230S Quadsport help.

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  #12191  
Old 04-29-2013, 02:05 PM
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Originally Posted by j_mauld
I like this setup a little bit better than what I have seen with using the LT250S arms. Those arms do not have replaceable lower balljoints and these do. These arms will require some adjustment of the shock mounts though.

I'm finding that on my LT250S about the lower A-Arms. So the LT250R A-Arms work on these frames as well? Looks like I'll be trying to find a front end from the LT250R and fit it to my LT250s.


D
 
  #12192  
Old 04-29-2013, 02:08 PM
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Here's some negative camber for you.

 
  #12193  
Old 04-29-2013, 02:19 PM
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Thanks for the pic, but if I get the whole front end for a LT250R....hmmm
 
  #12194  
Old 04-29-2013, 03:02 PM
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If you were going to grab the whole front end from another quad, get z400 parts...
 
  #12195  
Old 04-29-2013, 05:20 PM
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That camber looks better that way than the other lol

Actually, the "right" way to lengthen a quadsport is to make the front longer, not make the swingarm longer (keep the engine weight closer to the back wheels). So cutting off the whole front of a quad and welding it onto the frame would be a good idea. The problem is the plastic won't line up.

 
  #12196  
Old 04-29-2013, 06:02 PM
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Originally Posted by Valder
Thanks for the pic, but if I get the whole front end for a LT250R....hmmm
Just to give more info. The lower lt250r will bolt on just by trimming some material off of the bearing support.

The upper lt250r arm will require that you move the mounts on the chassis. Also the lt250r may be about 1/4" longer than the lt250s upper arm. Its difficult to measure for certain with one arm on the quad, but they are very close in length.

IMO the easiest setup, for those who do not trust their welding ability is to go with the lt250r lower arm and lt250s upper arm. The only tool you need to make them work is a cheap angle grinder. I don't think there is any meaningful difference between the lt250r and lt230s from hub/spindle so pick either one that you have available. I have only seen the lt250s spindles in pictures, but they look like they would give you negative camber which you do want. If someone wants to send me a set I will check. . Edit: I forgot, that you do need to move the lower shock mount forward by 1/4-1/2", but you should be able to get a welding shop to that for you.


The z400 has a much better suspension then any of these old quads. The lower arm will fit just by grinding some material away. The upper arm will require the chassis mounts to be modified. They need to be closer together front to rear and need to be further apart if looking from the front of the quad. From the side, the front upper mount should be level with the lower mount.

The z400 uses aluminum hubs, and higher offset wheels which will put less stress on the bearing surfaces.
 
  #12197  
Old 04-29-2013, 06:24 PM
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Originally Posted by JustRandy
That camber looks better that way than the other lol

Actually, the "right" way to lengthen a quadsport is to make the front longer, not make the swingarm longer (keep the engine weight closer to the back wheels). So cutting off the whole front of a quad and welding it onto the frame would be a good idea. The problem is the plastic won't line up.
I agree. It's just a lot easier to move the rear wheels back, plus a longer swingarm should theoretically make the chain less likely to come off and smash the engine.

There is room on the front of the chassis to move the a-arms forward an inch or two. The problem is that you will be adding a lot of angle to the tie-rods, which will cause issues with the steering. There's no real easy fix for that.
 
  #12198  
Old 04-29-2013, 07:40 PM
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Here it is with the lower ball joint spaced out by about 5mm. It doesn't take much to fix the camber issue. Sorry for the blurry picture, I need more light in my garage.



I kind of like the ride height as it is. I may just run the OE shocks for a while.
 
  #12199  
Old 04-29-2013, 10:31 PM
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Randy, the way that I cut these arms, I gained about .75" of wheelbase, by moving the bottom of the hub forward relative to the chassis.

I also did some measuring and I think I'm going to chop off the upper shock mount and replace it with one that sits on top of the bars, instead of sitting below the chassis bars. There's enough room to move the shocks up into the bodywork another 1.5-2". Might as well take advantage of that space.
 
  #12200  
Old 04-29-2013, 11:07 PM
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Originally Posted by j_mauld
Randy, the way that I cut these arms, I gained about .75" of wheelbase, by moving the bottom of the hub forward relative to the chassis.
That sounds like a lot of caster.

I also did some measuring and I think I'm going to chop off the upper shock mount and replace it with one that sits on top of the bars, instead of sitting below the chassis bars. There's enough room to move the shocks up into the bodywork another 1.5-2". Might as well take advantage of that space.
How come?
 


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