Or was my son just going too fast when the tree jumped out in front of him. The other night I spent several hours tig welding tube scabs over the bent/cut out a-arms to make it rideable this weekend and after assembly noticed the wheel still sat farther back on that side. One look down the front of the frame told me why, both longitudinal lower tubes bent to the side app. 3/4 of an inch. DOH!!! Anybody ever have to straighten a frame bent this way? I will have to soon but He'll be riding it that way this weekend @ Winchester Bay (sand).

 

Honeslty, I don't think it is a question of are Raptor frames this weak, more or less, should your son be allowed to ride.

If it is bent that badly, scrap the frame and purchase a new one, I would never feel safe running on a rigged up frame.

 

Just be glad it's the quad that needs to be put back together and not your son!

 

Bent mine in the same spot a year ago, **** happens, a wash jumped out in front of me and tacoed the rim, bent the pitman arm, steering stem, lower ball joint, which oblonged the hole in the spindle. All the force hit on the right wheel which pushed it back. About 1/2 inch difference from right to left side. Ran it with a bent frame for awhile. It was really twitchy in the sand, and step downhills at the dunes, would slap the steering stops coming down. Eventually replaced the frame, couldnt find anyone to straighten it.
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If you dont wreck every once in awhile you arent riding hard enough and whats the fun in that.

 

raptor frames really arent that durable, especially when slamming them into trees.

 

where did y'all buy your new frames?

 

Raptors look tough...But when you crash them, they cry like little girls.

It doesn't take much to do major damage. Been there done that...I had mine straightened professionally as opposed to replaced. I figured it would never be the same if I tore it all down.

 

Mastor Raptor, where did you take your frame to get it straightened? My frame is bent all up and was wondering about getting it straightened. Also, how much did it cost?

 

Welcome to the forums jdmj23!!!!!! My frames been bent for a while.. I still ride with it. I figured that in order to straighten it you have to heat it some.. and i figure when you heat metal it looses its hardness so im just going to buy a new one. Its 600- that i can put into a-arms or shocks but id rither put New products on a new frame.. if you know what i mean. You wouldn't have to know how much a raptor frame costs do ya?

And if your wondering aftermarket.. no company whats so ever makes raptor frames!!!!!!Grrrrr[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/img]

 

Raptorboy, hey thanks for the welcoming. I still ride my raptor once in a while to or my buddies. (Now have a YFZ450, vroooomm) I want to get the frame straightened cause my rear brakes keep locking up. I just picked it up from the 2nd dealer so far for the 5th time total to fix this problem. I've replaced everything in the rear brake system except for the rear caliper itself. I replaced the 3 seals in their also and after about 10-15 minutes of riding, boom locks up to where I can't even move it. So I'm starting to wonder if it's because of the frame being bent. No dealer has seen it being bent, only the dealer I tried to trade it into and they didn't notice the bend, but gave me some new news of a crack that they wouldn't take it because of the hairline crack in a weld, which now looking at it looks like the paint that is cracked. Anyways, when I checked back in March it was like high 600s for the frame and about 400 for the subframe directly from Yamaha. The aftermarket frame, I'm gonna have to look for again cause about 3 months ago I swear I seen one when I was searching for it. I'll have to get back with you on that. I know RPM makes a aftermarket subrame for sure though.