85 to 88 Suzuki LT230S Quadsport help.
May 20, 2009 | 01:15 PM
#7193
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Joined: Mar 2007
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They're all cut up and halfway to becoming +5 arms. Not exactly sure where all the parts are anymore. I'll dig around and see if I can find them and post some pics.
May 20, 2009 | 01:27 PM
#7194
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Joined: Mar 2007
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I may or may not be "secretly" working on some a-arms to sell. 
Still not sure what to charge. I've seen some sets that sell for $500 all the way up to $1200. But they're nice chromoly with powdercoat finishes and super-nice welding and adjustable caster/camber. Mine are just stock arms cut off and welded 5 inches longer with a $300 fluxcore welder (welds are strong, just don't look that pretty). So, if I sold them for $250, that works out to be $6/hr for me... not counting the cost of buying the stock arms to start with and the steel, welding wire, and electricity. Probably more like $5/hr if I count all that. Kinda cheap for THIS degree of custom welding! I suppose as time went on I could get faster, but how many could I sell? How many 230 owners are out there?
And that's just the arms... Those won't do anyone any good without longer tie rods, brake lines, and some kind of shock system. Now the labor and cost just went thru the roof! Stock shocks just won't work with +5 arms! There's just no way. I'm using the 250S shocks I found on ebay. Those are about right, but even they require both the bottom and top mounts to be moved. So, if I made a set to work with the 250 shocks, would I also have to sell 250 shocks??? Or expect them to figure the shocks out for themselves?
I'll get some pics up soon and you guys tell me what you think.
Still not sure what to charge. I've seen some sets that sell for $500 all the way up to $1200. But they're nice chromoly with powdercoat finishes and super-nice welding and adjustable caster/camber. Mine are just stock arms cut off and welded 5 inches longer with a $300 fluxcore welder (welds are strong, just don't look that pretty). So, if I sold them for $250, that works out to be $6/hr for me... not counting the cost of buying the stock arms to start with and the steel, welding wire, and electricity. Probably more like $5/hr if I count all that. Kinda cheap for THIS degree of custom welding! I suppose as time went on I could get faster, but how many could I sell? How many 230 owners are out there?
And that's just the arms... Those won't do anyone any good without longer tie rods, brake lines, and some kind of shock system. Now the labor and cost just went thru the roof! Stock shocks just won't work with +5 arms! There's just no way. I'm using the 250S shocks I found on ebay. Those are about right, but even they require both the bottom and top mounts to be moved. So, if I made a set to work with the 250 shocks, would I also have to sell 250 shocks??? Or expect them to figure the shocks out for themselves?
I'll get some pics up soon and you guys tell me what you think.
May 20, 2009 | 06:53 PM
#7196
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,111
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From: NJ
alright everybody, im in the process of reassembling my 230s head, and i cant quite figure out the valve stem seals.
i noticed that the original oem ones have different numbers on them, but i cant remember what valve each one belongs to. to add to the fun, my rebuild kit (wiseco) has totally different numbers on the seals. however, i noticed that one is tighter (smaller i.d.) than the other, but yet the valve stems are the exact same size. so, this seems pretty important. does anybody know what side each seal goes to?
i noticed that the original oem ones have different numbers on them, but i cant remember what valve each one belongs to. to add to the fun, my rebuild kit (wiseco) has totally different numbers on the seals. however, i noticed that one is tighter (smaller i.d.) than the other, but yet the valve stems are the exact same size. so, this seems pretty important. does anybody know what side each seal goes to?
May 20, 2009 | 07:17 PM
#7197
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Joined: Aug 2007
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From: Minnesota
I posted that back in aug 2008. Still wouldn't be sure what to charge and if it would be worth it. Since there is a new crop of posters here, what do you guys think a set of +3,4,5 arms would be worth? Not fancy with power-coat n all, just the kind of work a guy in a garage can do.
Would you keep buying all the a-arms you could, or just sell of these sets?
May 20, 2009 | 08:24 PM
#7199
Elite Pro Rider
Joined: Mar 2007
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alright everybody, im in the process of reassembling my 230s head, and i cant quite figure out the valve stem seals.
i noticed that the original oem ones have different numbers on them, but i cant remember what valve each one belongs to. to add to the fun, my rebuild kit (wiseco) has totally different numbers on the seals. however, i noticed that one is tighter (smaller i.d.) than the other, but yet the valve stems are the exact same size. so, this seems pretty important. does anybody know what side each seal goes to?
i noticed that the original oem ones have different numbers on them, but i cant remember what valve each one belongs to. to add to the fun, my rebuild kit (wiseco) has totally different numbers on the seals. however, i noticed that one is tighter (smaller i.d.) than the other, but yet the valve stems are the exact same size. so, this seems pretty important. does anybody know what side each seal goes to?
Also, make sure you put the springs in with the closer coils at the bottom.
May 20, 2009 | 08:32 PM
#7200
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,071
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From: Minnesota
Sorry guys, I just realized Google is doing some updates and it screwed a few things up on the site. I'm getting them patched up now...
If any of you want to see a sweet video, go to NASA - Home and watch the solid rocket booster camera views video. Its a camera attached to the solid rocket boosters on their most recent launch.
If any of you want to see a sweet video, go to NASA - Home and watch the solid rocket booster camera views video. Its a camera attached to the solid rocket boosters on their most recent launch.