thanks for the quick response. a couple more questions.

does the chain tensioner come stock on the qs230? if not i will make one or order one. how much extra weight can this little 230 handle after rider weight (165) before performance is noticably effected? i want to make a-arm protectors, skid plate, and a swingarm protector. but if its too much weight i will just do the swing arm, my only major concern will be the rotor, chain and sprocket. i also have to pick up a repair manual for torque specs and what not. any one know where to get one cheap?

 

I got my manual from repairmanual.com. I got the factory repair manual. Everybody said clymer sucked, so I didn't take a chance. You should definitely get some kinda repair manual though. There is lots of stuff you wouldn't just know from a small engine background.

The big thing about these quads is the weight. They weigh 309 for the early ones and about 20 lbs more for the later yrs. You have an early one and it should weigh about 315 with a tank of gas. Why would you want to add all that weight? I'm trying to get more weight off mine. One day I'd like to do an aluminum frame and get the weight down in the 250 area. You don't really need a-arm protectors n that. Just the rotor n sprocket guard.... And that needs to be beefy! Mine is made from 3/16 steel and its been bent before being smashed on rocks all the time. My a-arms have barely a scratch on them. The swingarm never sees many rocks either.

My girlfriend and I went for a ride double in the mountains one time. It will still haul ***, but the problem is my arms wear out so fast from holding hers and my weight on the quad. The quad really doesn't care that much. I'd say together we had about 320 lbs on it. The problem with weight is not the engine, but handling. I can almost bunny hop it. If I could get another 50 lbs off I probably could. Most other quads of similar size weigh in around 400lbs. So, the 230's main advantage is being so light. I'd run with that advantage if I were you. I'd also consider getting the lightest chain and rims you can. I have the .160 rims on mine. Everybody else likes the .190, but I can't imagine the force it would take to bend a .160 as it is. In hindsight, I wish I would have gotten the even thinner ones. The light chain makes it accelerate faster.

See this thread about the tensioner http://forums.atvconnection.co...tid/12/threadid/540864

 

sounds like the sprocket and rotor gaurd is the way to go then. i was gonna use 1/8 inch steel but if you've bent 3/16 then i shouldnt go thinner than that. i can get an extra made if need be. lighter rims and chain will be in the future, but for now i will do the bearings and ride the thing. the brakes would be nice to have but i know as soon as i get bearings done i will say forget the brakes for now [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif[/img]. thanks for the link. good info.

 

I ran without back brakes for a year so far.... Mines all torn apart now so I still haven't had a chance to hook them up. All I know is front brakes. Even when I get on someone else's quad, I still don't use them. It has so much compression, just down shifting will drag the tires sometimes. But thanks to my buddy PoolGod, I'll be checking out what its like to drag my rear without down shifting. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

I ride in an area that is littered with big rocks on the trail. I slam into the rocks in 3rd n 4th gear pretty hard. The back end just bounces all over. I guess if I can beat the chain guard with a good size hammer and not hurt it, that should hold up. 3/16 is about minimal for me. I think I have some pics somewhere.....

 

This is what I rigged up. Where the bolts are is where I was having a lot of problems. The perches under the bolt heads were trying to come thru the steel. They had stretched the hole and almost came thru after only one ride. So, I doubled up the steel. At the time, I didn't have back brakes is why there is no rotor guard here.

 

Might as well repost the others.... These were taken after that last hard ride in the mountain trails. The bearings were new.

 

back in the day i rode my warrior with no back brakes for a year, so it wont be needed right away. i've also been riding street bikes for the last 5 years and rarely touch the back brakes (all but useless on sport bikes anyway). i think i'd have to retrain my right foot if i had rear brakes.

thanks for the pics of the gaurd. my uncle is a faricator/welder for 30 years, so i'll get one made up for free.

cant wait to get this thing and start ripping up the trails behind my house.

edit: i wont be getting the serice manual until after i get the quad and bearings. leaving it alone until i get one will be a problem for me (i'm like a kid with candy when get new things). is there a post or something with torque specs and tips of things i should be careful of?

 

I can give you the specs for anything you need. You just need to be sure n ask before you go doing something you aren't 100% on. Nothing comes to mind right now about the swingarm. Just don't tighten the long bolt too much. I ripped the head right off on one before. That was a chore rewelding a new head on it. This is the main 230 post. Everything is in here somewhere. "Where"... is the problem. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

Since your uncle is a welder, maybe you can hit him up to weld your a-arms longer. I'd add about 4.5 inches to each one. On mine, I put 3.25 extra on each and that put me about 46.5 to 47 inches wide. Pretty nice! But now I'd like to flip my rims back around like stock ones. So, I would have to add another 1.5 inches to each a-arm.... Which I'm planning to do one of these days.

 

a buddy of mine has a 85 lt230s in his kitchen (insert redneck joke here) that hes looking to rebuild for a friend of his. his friend might not put the money into it. so i might get a parts quad for cheap. if i do the swing arm and a-arms are the first to come off. of course theres no rear brake caliper on it at all.

thanks again for the help and quick responses.

 

California has great chinease food, and a dentist on every corner. No wonder you folks make fun of us "toothless rednecks" But the girls are cute. Not much personality, but cute........... They just "LOVE to hear a sothern boy talk" I guess PG got the last of the good one's out here. Can't wait to get home to DIXIE.


Do you think Delta would frown on a check bag that looks like a 230 fram.......................................