Just venting out loud here really..... I know the best solution is extended a-arms/axles...jada, jadda, jadda, but for those of us on limited budgets what are the easier things/handyman tricks that help to make these thing more stable in the corners? I've gone to 20"ers up front, and have been toying with the idea of going to 18"(20" currently) in the rear. My biggest worry with doing that is that I'm going to bash my glide plate to pieces in the woods/rocks. Do the 18" tires really help that much? I already hear more "thunks" than I like in the woods as it is. I know wheel spacers are an option, but I've heard enough stories of guys snapping a-arms, and bending axles to where I really don't want to try it. So have I left any stones unturned guys, or am I just whinning and the only way I'm gonna get it to handle better is shelling out dough for axles and a-arms? As always all responses are appreciated. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Just charge the axle and a-arms on a credit card and pay it off. Or shell out the cash if you have it. Thats what you sound like you want. Go for it and be happy. You know you won't be satisfied with wheel spacers.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

Have you flipped your front wheels around yet? You do need extra short valve stems, and then like 2 washers as "spacers" on the studs, but then it should work. That'll give you maybe 3" wider front for cheap, enough to make a difference.

 

Does that really work good? I never would have thought about that, good one!

 

Yeah, did that to both kid's Blasters. (drum brakes) Did it on the Raptor and got about 100 yards before both front tires were flat. The valve stems came around and hit the brakes. But shorter stems will fix that. Yes, it was wider, looked better, and took away a bit of the tippiness.

 

Rather than shorter valve stems and having to take off the wheels to air the tires, dismount your tires from the rims. Drill another hole for a valve stem on what was the side facing the bike. Install a valve stem through this hole and install another backwards through the stock hole. Remount your tires. This puts a valve stem to the outside when the wheels are flipped and no extra washers are required to made the stock stem miss the brake rotor.

~HoundDog

 

It can't get much cheaper or easier than that. Do you still ruun the raptor like that?

 

Don't be afraid to put wheel spacers on the back. Yes, your chance of bending or breaking the axle is higher, but the stock axle is so weak that whatever you do to break it with spacers you probably would have done it without. I've been using 2 1/2 inch spacers on the back of my Raptor for over a year and the axle is still fine.

 

Shady are they any weaker with this mod? You know the whole leverage thing?

 

Also are any of you guys running the 18" rears? Thats the big thing I'm toying with right now. The new holeshot mxr's come in a 18x10x9 sizing and I thought that might help, but like I said I'm concerned about bottoming out, and hitting rocks and what not.