FRONT SUSPENSION, TOO SOFT/TIPPY Options

[AC400VP]

I have a 06 400 vp manual and am looking to stiffin up the front end. When I come into corners it wants to roll into the corner and feels as though I'm going to tip over, I have to slow down to nothing. Does anyone have any ideas how to make it so I can move alittle faster around corners. I'd like to stiffin up the front end its way to soft and I also need new tires so any ideas let me know. I can't find any aftermarket parts for this machine.

[flushot70]

you can adjust your spring preload settings to a stiffer setting. how much air pressure are you running in the tires? maybe increase the air pressure a little. look into a radial tire when you go to upgrade that will help a bunch. if your springs are really saggy you can also look into the hockey puck mod.

[AC400VP]

yeah I already have them set to the stiffest setting in the front and lowerd the back to see if that would help. I usually run about 5psi in my tires but I'll look into the radial tires when I get new ones and also look into this hocky puck mod, never heard of it but need to do something, thanks.

[sceptre74]

Here's the link http://www.arcticchat.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=91436

[walkingcrow]

Stiffen up the rear suspension to prevent the rolling in the corners you are talking about. I run the rear full stiff and the fronts around the middle.

[Indiana Mudcat]

the vp is a straight axle rear, so it should be decently stable with decent tires. the stock 4 ply suck and roll under. some good 6ply should fix the problem. what type of riding do you do, or what tires do you like?

[Sanny651]

Plain and simple the stock tires stink. If you were to watch someone drive your quad then have them turn, you'd see the side of the tire just buckle. Putting in 8psi or so will help with this to some degree, but not fully. If you get a good set of aftermarket tires, you'll be AMAZED at how much better it steers. Amazed.

[TopCat]

Sanny hit it on the head. When I first got my TRV I was SO disappointed in the roll over of the front tires when I would turn. I tried everything and it just sucked. I eventually got new tires (Outlaw MST in my case) and BAM. 1000% better. You won't believe it when people tell you to just switch the stock tires but when you do you will wish you had done it sooner.

TC

[Plowboy]

Yes what these guys said. Get some 6 ply tires and you will be amazed to the point that when you buy a new quad the first thing you will do is get rid of the stockers.

[Wyo_H1_Cat]

In the pinned section (link below) there is a thread on suspension tuning and the science behind it where it explains that one should soften the front and stiffen the preload on the rear shocks. If you do not have adjustable preload shocks, perhaps a hockey puck mod on the rear would help. The whole idea of why this works is because of the positrack rear end will try to always push you straight ahead in a corner. The trick to getting a cat to turn is to unload the weight off the rear and transfer it to the front in a corner. This allows the rear to slide through the corner and the extra weight transferred to the front allows it to grab and pull the machine through the corner. Stiffer tires or a lot more pressure in the front tires helps as well. Yes this is completely backwards to common belief but with some testing I've convinced myself that it does work and work well.

http://www.arcticchat.com/forums/index.php...st&p=538060

[AC400VP]

THANKS, I' m looking at the ITP mudlite XTR's but the only thing is they dont make them for the rear in my size (25x10-12), will the 25x11-12 fit that rim? Any other ideas on tires. I do a lot of trail riding

[flushot70]

i have a set of xtr's on mine, but i dont have a lot of ride time on them. the 25-11-12 will fit just fine on your rim. my trail tires are a set of terracross xd's. terras are a good all around tire. if your mainly doing trail riding also look into big horns.
my terracross tires really cut down the turning radius and really helped the over all handling of the quad. when i got the xtr's i noticed i didnt turn as tight as the terras but still seem to be a good tire.

[TopCat]

OUTLAW MSTs. I have the 26X9-12 on the front and 26X11-12 on the rear. They are 6-ply and tough as nails, give me great traction in mud and over wet rocks. They are also smooth as silk on our gravel trails down here. I run with about 4 psi in each tire.

TC

[hazelcad]

The link that Wyo Cat sent is some great advice.
If you think about it the whole thing makes sense.
Start with the things that don't cost anything like shock adjustment
and tire pressures. Then move onto the single best investment,
good tires. Stiffer side walls on your tires (6 ply), increased air pressure in front tires, etc.

A rear swaybar link will definately help too although theres a trade off with
some loss or rear articulation when traveling over large objects which will result
in a loss of traction to the opposite tire.

Hazcad