Cannondaleriders

I have heard that one of the variations of stock a-arms were better than the other can anyone enlighten as to which is which?

One style is rounded at the ball joints and the other is shaped like an A at the ball joints.

Its been said the late ones which is A shaped the end balljoint is pressed in can be distorted causing early balljoint wear.Can easily be fixed.On plus side they are lighter.

We know of several of the sharp A-frame 2003 sets to spit out balljoints! -- that is confirmed as per J.Delaney and the Burch Bros out in Oregon, for 3 lucky survivors in just one small local area!...It's not a rumor. I have a set here with a thrown joint that you can have for the shipping cost. I should weigh them for a comparison to the other style -- they can't be so much different in weight, but it's worth verifying. The balljoints are a royal pain to replace on the newer style, and it can hardly be done without mangling the powdercoat. If you have the 2003 arms, it is actually practical to switch back to the rounded 2002's. The 2003's will hold standing water, sand, and heavy mud in the trapped corner of the lower brace, and they rust quickly there. They also rub too close to any ShockWears -- they are really not worth putting new balljoints into!, as you would usually have to include some machining expense to risk it, to make sure the joint pockets are not ovaled from common welding distortion there. That same money can be used to re-coat a set of used 2002's, which are available for dirt cheap.

Or if you are interested in a New 2002 set with New Later balljoints and New bushings, I have several sets here for $200 shipped, fresh from Europe. BlackwidowATV and ATK would have the balljoint press tools for the 2002's, but no such tool was made for the 2003 arms.

I have a set of the rounded style that is going to be my front end on my XC conversion that I just bought the balljoints for. I just didn't know which was which. If I had the crappy ones I was going to replace them.

Thanks guys.

What's the problem that the balljoints come out of the newer style?

The hole the balljoint is pressed into isnt round so it makes balljoint wear extremely fast.

Can the hole be made round?

Yes.Milling machine,Big Lathe or even a reamer would do the job.