dissapointing ride yesterday

shop deals on amazon
Advertise with us
Shop deals on ebay
Yamaha Raptor 350 & Warrior Forum

Help Support Yamaha Raptor 350 & Warrior Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Gen1Pat

Gen1Pat

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2012
Messages
6,453
Reaction score
1
Location
Keysville, Va.
So the short story... 00' WO YA! beat me to the trails yesterday, so I was trying to catch him and is friends. 15 mins out and my upper a arm decides to call it quits. Had to limp back without ever meeting 00'. Tried to straighten it at my shop without success. Had to order a used one from ebay. You can see in the one pic there is a split in the tube, I'm betting that was a crack and it couldn't hold out. Either way I'm going to make a plate to double the thickness of the plate the ball joint mounts to (these are 87 arms) and will tie it into the tubing for added striength, on both sides.

0630021309.jpg



0630021134.jpg


0630021330.jpg




I know the topic has been brought up before, but I'm temped to make my own arms and getting 3 or 4" overall more width out of it. My delima is I don't know what heim joints to use, or, what automotive tie rod ends to use. I just got the works shocks, so making my own arms is best so I can put the lower shock mounts in the correct location, unless someone knows of an arm that'll work. The only place to get ball joints for these is from Yamaha (small fortune) or east coast atv. And I don't know how long their supplies will last, so better arms with a current, easy to find, ball joint is my priority. Any help is appreciated. Cutting, welding, and fabbing is no prob, materials choice is. I also don't want to go through this again.
 
Last edited:
YEASH. Old parts are gettin older. Glad u didn't hurt yourself thou.
 
It was the most fucked up thing. I took a few jumps and no probs. I was just riding it down the trail in 3rd and it started to get hard to steer. I was thinking that maybe I had a tire going flat or a bent tie rod. Big surprise when I got off to look at it.
 
damn Gen that sucks at least you weren't flying down the trail when it gave out.
It's those new shocks they are the culprit haha
 
Yea they are too strong for the old steel! lol. I'm thinking about getting the asr heims and making new beefier upper arms and just installing the heims on the stock lowers. The stock lowers are pretty heavy duty, but the uppers are little more then twigs. I'll prob pick up a little bit more width with the heims alone, because of the length of their shank in comparison to the stock ball joint location. Either way still much stronger and ample supply of ball joints.
 
Well I did some research on using the 400ex arms on the Gen1's.. If you use a +3 +1 set, it should give you about a +2.5 on a Gen1.

I had looked at the ASR arm's, and I phoned the company directly. They would make a set with the proper length tie rods, and the yamaha ball joints..
ASR is a wicked company to deal with. I would love to see someone try the 400ex arm swap. http://www.yfm350.com/forums/member.php?u=4143
Duneracerweston, and I had talked about it in an old thread. We figured out that they should fit just fine, but I don't have the money to try it..
 
I don't have the money for them either. Unless I found a used set of ex arms and got ex knuckles and spindles. 00' WO YA! has a set of 88 arms I'm gunna get from him and use them as templates to mod.
 
Just cruised ebay and I can get a set of ex arms for $300-$350. Not too shabby. But, then I wouldn't be able to use my new works shocks. Double edged sword. I'm thinking about stocking up on replacement ball joints for my 87 arms. They work fine for my needs, just need to reinforce them.
 
Gen1Pat said:
Just cruised ebay and I can get a set of ex arms for $300-$350. Not too shabby. But, then I wouldn't be able to use my new works shocks. Double edged sword. I'm thinking about stocking up on replacement ball joints for my 87 arms. They work fine for my needs, just need to reinforce them.
Click to expand...

Were those the ASR arms, or the fullflight?
Those guys at fullflight are assholes, they'll never get any of my business.

But one day I'll have the money to buy a set of ASR 400ex LT arms, and see what happens?
 
Full Flight. ASR wants over 500! I just can't justify that much for arms when all I do is trail ride. Like I said, the stockers with flipped rims work great for me. And the new works are the **** with em. I'm better off making my own arms so I can put the shock mounts where I want them to use my shocks.
 
Damn man that sucks! I got a nice set of custom a arms id sell ya?? 1st gen stuff is getting more hard to find for sure
 
Full set of stockers or extended? To be completely honest, I've been considering selling the old girl. The more comfortable I become on a sport quad again, the harder I ride. The harder I ride the more I'm pushing the chassis and suspension to it's limits. Something newer with better geometry is becoming more and more apparent to me. Hate to do it, but I can't be in pain half way through the ride. I have BAD knees, so it doesn't help.
 
Yeah my knees just need something a bit more new age. Will be selling all the parts I have for the stroker I was going to do.
 
I say keep the quad, and buy yourself a little dirtbike, that you can't kill yourself on.. lol
I'm looking to grab up a used (early 90's) YZ250.. Just to have a spare ride for friends, or something to use for a camp cruiser. You can find decent ones in good shape for around $1000 in this area.

I have bad knees to, but I can still ride bikes. I've had surgery on my left knee 3 times now. But find wearing knee braces, and good boots when I ride helps a lot..
I guess what I'm saying is, don't be scared of bike.
 
Last edited:
I've ridden dirtbikes a few times. Found it very similar to riding horse (been doing that my whole life). Just not my cup of tea. I'd hardly ever ride it. Atleast I have the rack on the warrior so it can be used around the farm, too. I've got a lead on an 07 or 08 yfz that I can probably get for a song. Guy bought it new, and it hasn't ran in several years. He thinks it has no spark, or may need a rebuild (he really doesn't have a clue). Bike was his son's and he doesn't ride anymore. He'll let me take it to my shop, diagnose the problem(s), and make him an offer. He'll also trade for a 250-350cc ute for the farm, and hunting. Soooo... we all know I can't get enought for my warrior even with what I've done to it, to even buy a nice low hours 05 400ex, but I can sell it for enough to buy a decent ute quad, come out money ahead, and trade for the yfz. Now, that being said, the yfz has no reverse, something I consider a necessity, so I may make it 100% and sell for something that does. But this is all in the planning stages.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top