Noticed the other day that I had an half an inch of play in the handlebars when I turn them. Can turn them left and right about half an inch before the wheels actually turn. Has anyone elso experienced this? Possible problem and solution suggetions?

 

Check the nut on the bottom of the steering stem! It comes loose and gives you play in the steering. Some people use loc-tite and some have been putting castle nuts on them. I tightened mine up once and it has stayed tight since.

 

Believe it or not i was just coming on the forum to ask the same question i just found that out on mine tonight also
thanks for the input i was gonna replace the tie rod ends
thanks again that is why this forum ROCKS

 

Had the same problem about 2 weeks after getting my Raptor. Used the blue Locktight and torqued to 65 lbs. I think this is correct but I would check if you have a manual since I was told this by the dealership over the phone.

 

i had the same problem with my DS.looks like we have one problem in common.

 

I had the same problem with mine and noticed the nut was a little loose. I tightened it, but for some reason I thought it made the steering harder. Does tightening that nut (or maybe over-tightening it) make the quad harder to steer or was that symptom just my imagination?

 

My service manual calls for 80 ft lbs (110Nm) for the nut on the bottom of the stem. I would not think that over tightening would cause it to steer harder, it would just eventually strip the threads(over tightening) cause it appears the pitman arm bottoms on the stem and not against anything on the frame.

 

yup just thought that i would chime in and say the same thing happened to me and also a friend of mines too. seems like it would have come from the factory with a castle nut. just one more thing for my honda riding buddys to crow about.

 

If the play is side to side, as in when you start to turn, but it takes a second for the wheels to follow the bars, Check your tierods, I had mine loosen off on my banshee and it did that.. I dont see the play being caused by the nut on the bottom of the stem. That just doesnt make sense.

 

It may seem hard to believe that loose nut causes play but I've experienced it myself. Once I tightened it up it hasnt caused any further problems. At least they put a pin at the bottom to keep the nut from falling off.