Why didn't someone tell me TT was a stupid idea?

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Happyboy · #1 Post by **Happyboy** » Sat Jun 26, 2004 2:14 am

OK, TT looks very cool and I thought I would try it out. Not having a good setup with the stock arms and ohlins I figured I would experiment. Off a suggestion I put some housers +3+1 LT on there and I don't have the 19" yet. I put on the 16.5" ohlins and it was about 3" off the ground. Hey, thats not too bad as long as it doesn't dip and it doesn't.

So, I took it out to the oval track for some practice and take it around a couple of times. Man, it felt freaky. It was very jerky and sometimes it seems to dart either direction. If I didn't power through the turns it would shimmy really bad. OK, maybe I just need to get used to it. I took it out again and it just doesn't feel right. So after the last turn I straightened out and hit my rear break. :eek: BAD IDEA!!! The front jerked one way and the rear came flying around. :wow Needless to say, The quad came up off the ground. I went flying off, I tihnk I pushed away from it so I didn't get squished. It came over 3/4 turn and rolled back hard on the bars and seat. I continued to roll.

After a few minutes and cussing my newly bent handle bars and crack rear silver plastic my buddy took it for a ride and got off after 1 lap. He said the same thing. Something is bad wrong. I took it for a short trip through the center with a bunch or curves and noticed something was catching. FREAKING TIRE ROD where the bolts are to adjust was catching the frame!!! Ah man, that sucks. It kinda explains the jerkyness but I am going to do some more experimenting. Just at much slower speeds.

Now at home, with a bruised knee, hip, and shoulders with road rash I sit, waiting for the moto shocks and chest protector to come in trying to explain to the wife that it was no big deal. Next time, someone slap me and tell me to stick to the woods!

BruisedBoy

haydug · #2 Post by **haydug** » Sat Jun 26, 2004 2:59 am

Make SURE you have mounted your outside tie-rod ends correctly!!! They go into the spindle from the bottom with nuts on top. I got a call from a dealer in TX, had a customer put houser LT setup on and went out and wrecked it and claimed it wouldn't steer correctly, so they called me. After looking at pictures, I picked up on that, which fixed the problem.

Also, with a houser stem, or 03 stem, the inner tie-rods shouldn't hit the frame, but they will hit it with an 02 stem.

Happyboy · #3 Post by **Happyboy** » Sat Jun 26, 2004 3:21 am

******, go test it first. Man, this thing freaks me out. I am sure its the shocks and the stearing rods messing with me so we will see.

Haydug, I got that part set up right. And go figure, I have an 02!!! Ah man, that sucks. I noticed it catching on me towards the end of my adventure. Maybe if I just take a hammer to it to lower the inner tie rods.

Happyboy · #4 Post by **Happyboy** » Sat Jun 26, 2004 4:50 am

Shoot, I will try anything. Let me know.

cdalepilot · #5 Post by **cdalepilot** » Sat Jun 26, 2004 5:11 pm

happyboy, you never mentioned what type of tires you were using or if you were using a swaybar or not. by the sound of it you probably wasn't ? :eek:

NRath · #6 Post by **NRath** » Sat Jun 26, 2004 5:18 pm

The darty-ness that you described is probably because of the change from toe-in to toe-out when you dropped the front end. You'll need to realign the front end with it lowered. That should solve alot of the darting feeling your having.

TT does look like fun, but to be competitive, it's expensive to set up. Especially just for playing. Not much TT action around here. Not enough to justify the expense, anyway.

Happyboy · #7 Post by **Happyboy** » Sat Jun 26, 2004 5:22 pm

No sway bar but I didn't get the slightest pull going around the turns. As for the toe in and toe out, I used a completely different set of hubs and tie rods. The flat track tires leaned inward just a hair and / rather than / and were set to toe in just a little bit. 16" shock with those +3 LT must have just been a bad idea. That tie rod rubbing didn't help at all either.

BOBBY · #8 Post by **BOBBY** » Sat Jun 26, 2004 6:27 pm

TT Tumble Tumble :eek:

iceracer17 · #9 Post by **iceracer17** » Sat Jun 26, 2004 6:32 pm

I thought i told you to use the long travel shocks.No swaybar didn't help either because your shorter shocks are probably to soft when put on LT suspension which will transfer way too much to the right front.I too have the early 02' steering and have not had a problem.Better luck next time if there is one.

cannondale27 · #10 Post by **cannondale27** » Sat Jun 26, 2004 8:04 pm

It is also really important that the front and back are both lowered.If it isnt level or even a bit higher in the front too much weight transfers to front when braking and will cause bad handling.
Another thing to remember is that on TT track it is alot like being on a paved road.Lots of traction and it can be scary at first because the steering is so fast because of the incredible amounts of traction there is.Quads steering is designed to be quick and light because in most dirt the tires are actually slipping alot.When they dont (likeTT or pavement)it can be quite hairy!The feeling is kinda like comparing a F250 truck steering(slow and easy)to a Miata(hard and fast)like a go cart!You will get used to it.