Are the Cannondales like this or are my stem bearings bad? What would cause this?Steering Ease
How easy is it to steer your atvs guys? Mine is absolutely killing me. I sat on a new yfz and I could move the front end with one hand and barely push. On my Cannondale, I have to really yank at the bars to get the wheels to turn. I rode the bike twice and I am having really bad back problems for 2-3 months now. The 2 days I rode it for almost 5-8 hours a day and I was completely worn out. My lower back is screwed up Are the Cannondales like this or are my stem bearings bad? What would cause this?
Are the Cannondales like this or are my stem bearings bad? What would cause this?You have something really messed up there, but without seeing the quad I couldn't tell you what. First thing I would do is raise the front end off the ground and try turning the bars. Is it still hard? That steering stem bearing or clamp bushing or whatever is in there could be the culprit. If it is easy to turn now, I would be looking more at castor angle problems or something wrong in your suspension set-up, i.e your toe in, castor and camber angles. It should be easy to turn as any other quad.
FROM:
LapTraffic Apr 18 2005, 06:35 PM Post #8
" Not having an angle finder I go completely by feel.
Start with the castor even on both sides. I do this by counting threads
Then I ride it around in first gear and turn the bars. Usually my first attempt will be outrageously fast in the front end. I believe this is negative or neutral castor setting where the top ball joint is right above the bottom or close to it.
Think of a shopping cart (caster wheel. A lot of negative castor makes it turn VERY easy but it becomes very unstable when you are running down the aisle being chased by the assistant manager of produce, night shift. (Its a long story)
Anyway, from there I make equal, but small (1/2 turn) adjustments to bring the top ball joint back.
Then I ride it some more. I keep making adjustments until it feels right at speed.
I find that I will sometimes have to take out or add a turn on very unique tracks. A desert race I run benefits from added castor, while a technical trail I practice on needs a few turns toward negative. Both are almost unrideable with a setting that benefits the other.
I notice that if done right you 'almost' dont need a steering dampner for the type of riding you do. I say almost because on the technical stuff you cans till have something hit the tire with enough force to rip the bars out of your hands and steering dampner limits that.
For me, the more I mess around with something, the better I understand how it works, the better I understand how it works, the better I will make the decisions that affect setup, and that makes me faster.
Good luck."
If you don't have castor adjustable a-arms, your problem is elsewhere.
LapTraffic Apr 18 2005, 06:35 PM Post #8
" Not having an angle finder I go completely by feel.
Start with the castor even on both sides. I do this by counting threads
Then I ride it around in first gear and turn the bars. Usually my first attempt will be outrageously fast in the front end. I believe this is negative or neutral castor setting where the top ball joint is right above the bottom or close to it.
Think of a shopping cart (caster wheel. A lot of negative castor makes it turn VERY easy but it becomes very unstable when you are running down the aisle being chased by the assistant manager of produce, night shift. (Its a long story)
Anyway, from there I make equal, but small (1/2 turn) adjustments to bring the top ball joint back.
Then I ride it some more. I keep making adjustments until it feels right at speed.
I find that I will sometimes have to take out or add a turn on very unique tracks. A desert race I run benefits from added castor, while a technical trail I practice on needs a few turns toward negative. Both are almost unrideable with a setting that benefits the other.
I notice that if done right you 'almost' dont need a steering dampner for the type of riding you do. I say almost because on the technical stuff you cans till have something hit the tire with enough force to rip the bars out of your hands and steering dampner limits that.
For me, the more I mess around with something, the better I understand how it works, the better I understand how it works, the better I will make the decisions that affect setup, and that makes me faster.
Good luck."
If you don't have castor adjustable a-arms, your problem is elsewhere.
I'm just gonna rip the front end apart. When I bought the quad, the motor was real good but almost every wear item needed replaced (as I found out after I bought it). I'm not too mad since I picked it up next to nothing though. Right now all the balljoints are shot and the tie rods have so much movement it scares me. I think the bearings just need looked at. I just can't ride with a steering like that. Thanks for the advice guys.
QUOTE (claas900 @ Dec 23 2006, 11:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
..Im willing to bet that it the rubber gourment(sp) on the stearing steem clamp.
Thats my guess as well. You need to take them apart and grease them. Spraying lube into them doesnt seem to work. And update your steering stem with the newer style . The older ones move the wheels much more but have less leverage . I shorten the steering plate and lower them for long travel at ther same time. They are way better after that.
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jesshamner
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