bearings rarely fail just from load...usually it's mud & water that got in

 

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote>Originally posted by: STRAIGHTUPDAHILL

bearings rarely fail just from load...usually it's mud & water that got in</end quote></div>
I agree it is an isolated case and likely the bearing failure was from something else since so many here have put on spacers and can not recollect any messages that bearings started failing.

It's just it is so damn expensive, at least to me. 200 bucks per ATV to add a few inches of track width is a lot of $$, even knowing the benefits.

 

It's just it is so damn expensive..

Thats why i just flip the wheels...strongest way to go...you just have to plug the valve stem hole and drill another on the other side if the stem will hit something going around..some quads it is clear..on a warrior it's not...(i weld up the holes);-)

 

Flipping the rims does work well! Its the cheapest way to get some extra width. Just make you are not a shmuck like me and put the new valve stem in front of a lug nut!!! LOL

 

LOL...

 

So G.I. have you noticed bumpsteer? Do you guys think going with 1" billet style all around would create it? Anyone with a 06 or newer Wolverine out there with spacers?

 

Bump steer will increase... Noticably??? That's up to you and your setup. Most of the stress will affect the balljoints and a-arm bearings. Wheel bearings are usually pretty beefy beasts, but stress is increased there too. I've turned my rims around for an extra 1.5 inches or so and noticed its harder to turn. Therefore extra stress on tierods and all the bearings all the way up to the handlebars.

As far as the issue on front vs rear width... I went from 42 front and rear to 47 front and 42 rear. I was a night n day difference. Then, I went to 45 or so in the back and couldn't tell I did a thing (except now I'm more likely to clip a tree with my back wheel). Of course, I have the crappiest rear tires you could possibly imagine for cornering. I'm thinking of going another 3 inches in the back, but my gut is telling me I'm wasting my money and just adding rotating weight.

 

I noticed when i had spacers on mine, that the thing would have real bad understeer. It used to steer like it was on rails, and after dding the 1.5 spacers on each side, the understeer was very noticable.
I also agree with the bump steer..hitting a stump or rock, would just about rip the handlebars out of my hands.

 

With spacers on the front usually you will understeer because it increases the turning radius of the quad. If I was going to do it on my wolvy I would just space out the back end to help stabilize everything. But then again why not just spend the amount of buying both front and back spacers(good ones) and buy a new set of wheels with a different offset so it would be like adding the wheel spacers.

derrelw how do you like the elka shocks on the wolvy?

 

What is the goal? Looks, cornering, off camber situations, etc?

If you order wood or shingles and they deliver it, they will probably use one of those 3 wheeled fork lift machines to unload it. Those things are really wide in the front and have only one wheel in the back and they are incredibly stable with tons of weight high in the air on the forks. Something to think about.