Well, I got myself a Zilla project today. Now I just need your guys opinion on some stuff for building it up and also best place to get parts. First, I was thinking Ohlins front shocks and then revalve the rear for my weight. I don't know what do do abou the swingarm, but I don't have one and I priced a stocker and WOW $650.38 I am thinking NO! I was wondering if I should get a lonestar or if you know of anything better let me know. I need a complete engine, even a non running will work so if you know of one let me know PLEASE. Oh yeah, anyone know an estimate to get my frame powder coated?

 

yes, the rear swing arm is very expensive. Why do you want to purchase one? The machine is already long enough to hold down serious horsepower..dont worry about the length, the factory one is fine. I purchased a used swing arm at an atv salvage yard for $40. Thats unfortunate you didnt get your quad with a motor. I would keep a look out for an entire machine. I paid $900 for mine a few years back. I saw in the RV traider two of them for $1500. There are some very expensive ones out there also. maybe you could find one in poor shape cheap with a motor and use the best parts of both quads to make a good one. a blown quadzilla motor will require ALOT of money to fix. Alot of times the cases get wasted and wont hold the crank bushings in place. Thats usually what happens when they blow up. I would find a running one and throw a top end on it if it blows under 140psi. Purchase a aftermarket pipe and silencer, reeds and porting. You cant get diffenent heads for the 87 motor anymore. They had head problems. 88-90 were the best motors for reliability. I've had to rebuild mine every season of riding. I believe my K@N has been sucking sand becuase its many years old and the material was thin in spots. I do alot of sand riding. The porting and the exhaust are very important along with a top end with adleast 140psi. You will have a very fast machine...its worth the work and the money.

 

Congratulations on your purchase.

I have a +2 laeger swingarm. The chain adjustment is perfect everytime and it doesn't crack like the junk suzuki one. Beware of LT500 engine builders. Anyone with a diegrinder can port a cylinder, but only a few guys can do it right. There is a topic right now in the Performance section about Tudor's performance and their shady motor work. You may want to check it out.

I had ohlins on my LT250r and they were great. If I could afford them I would have them on my 500. My rear shock body cracked, so I ended up buying a Works Ultracross. It is junk and has been rebuilt twice in two years.

Grease every pivot bearing on the quad. Don't question this piece of advice, just spend the weekend it will take you and grease everything.

 

A completely stock '88-'90 LT500R has only around 125 psi compression (The '87 may be a little higher). The stock compression of a Quadzilla is lower than most other racer two-strokes (Honda 250R = 140 psi; LT250R = 170 psi; etc.). The force you feel against your foot when you kickstart it is due to the much larger volume of air not the pressure of that air. If anyone gets a reading of 140+ from an '88-'90 'Zilla, there has been some motorwork done or the gauge isn't properly calibrated. I just wanted to set Itracerx straight so that he doesn' turn down a perfectly good motor with under 140 psi.

 

I planned on a stock lenght swingarm, dominator. I don't want it any longer cause I bolted up the A-Arms yesterday just to see how it looked, put the plastic and seat on and the A-Arms seem a mile ahead of you! I found another basket case that I am gonna try getting without the frame since mine is in good shape, but the swingarm for it is basically craked in half, the guy said he would fix it for me if I wanted him to but I am going to be questioning the durability of it. I read about the Tudors perforamnce thing the other day, also. Still looking for soem good engine builders, think LRD can do it? I know someone who works there so I can get a deal on it but... I'm still trying to find a powder coater but was wondering if you guys could give me an estimate of the price to get it powder coated? I can't wait to get it together!

 

Thinking about the compression, I think I worded myself poorly. As I remember now, when I first put my top end together and broke it in it had around 140psi. 140psi would be a fresh motor for a 87. Possibly the 87 is different and compression goes up a small amount every time you bore the cylinder and retain the same cc head size.

I do know that when mine drops to a little over 100psi it starts very hard and thats when I rebuild. Sorry about my earlier message. I hope I didnt point someone in the wrong direction of rebuilding a still functional motor.

The stock swingarm is prone to cracking. Its good for quite a few years if its mint condition. But if there is a crack starting, it will be junk very soon. I took my old one to a welder for repair and it only lasted a season.