A arm bushings/sleeves and steering stem bearing

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jesshamner · #1 Post by **jesshamner** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 4:22 am

Today I went out to the garage to address the slop in the front end. It seems that my home made shock bushings, and my a arm bushings were worn. I dig into the shipment from Blackwidow to get the a arm bushings first. When I pull out the hold ones, they were hardly worn. I replaced them anyway and bolted the a arms back on. There was still some play. It seems that the sleeves that go through the bushings are the culprit. Is this unusual or do most people replace the bushings and the sleeves at the same time?

Then I tried to install a new steering stem bearing from Canniboomer. I have never done this on any machine. I couldn't figure out any way to get that bearing off of the stem while still in the frame. Is this possible? If so, what is the trick?

Next will be a new chain buffer. I have done this a couple different ways but couldn't remember which way was the best to get to the buffer. What are your suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

kdeal · #2 Post by **kdeal** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 2:31 pm

Jess,

You let the bushings wear so much that the sleeves are worn too. This is not unusual where the bushing is worn pretty good. As for the steering stem bearing, yes I just did one in the frame this last Saturday on Fabian's bike. Do the work with the bike up on it's grab bar. Remove the lower nut and cotter pin (leave the two little bolts/nuts in place), remove the inner tie rods fron the stem, now you can take a blunt punch (I used a long 1/2 inch extension bar) and start driving the stem out. Two words of caution here: first, the clutch handle assembly will probably need to be removed from the bars to let the stem slide far enough out and two, buy yourself a couple of 3/4" flat washers in case you have the lower bearing with a protruding collar, as the replacement bearing from BW does not. Once the stem has cleared the bearing, remove the two small carriage bolts and replace the assembly. If you need the washers, they will go on after the bearing but before the last nut.

jesshamner · #3 Post by **jesshamner** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 3:42 pm

Thanks Ken. As soon as I posted this last night, I thought about it for a minute and realized that I needed to try exactly what you said. I was in a hurry when I was working on it and I just didn't think about it.

The bearing isn't from BW. Its from Canniboomer and it is exactly the same as the bearing that is on the stem. I don't think I'll need any washers.

As for the a arm bushings...they really weren't worn that bad. The new bushings fit in snug and some of the old ones could be pulled out. So not much outer wear. The inside where the bushing comes in contact with the sleeve was not worn very much either. There was hardly any play in them. The slop was coming from inside diamter of the sleeve and the diameter of the bolt. There's probably about 1/8" of play when lift the front of the quad. It seems to me that the wear is inside the sleeve. Should I replace those metal sleeves too?

Derno24 · #4 Post by **Derno24** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 4:21 pm

Jess from all the times I switched the bushings I noticed the metal sleeves go first. I have actually just switched the sleeve and continued on.

jesshamner · #5 Post by **jesshamner** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 4:53 pm

Thanks Derno. That's the answer I was looking for. I guess I'll give Brad another call. My old bushings seemed to be in decent shape still.

Canniboomer · #6 Post by **Canniboomer** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 6:13 pm

Jess, keep in mind that the steel sleeves are intended to be pinched TIGHT between the frame ears, and should NOT rotate at all when riding. If the frame bolts have loosened, then the steel sleeves may start to rack up and down and cause wear on the bolts, and also rotate up/down With the A-arms (giving no wear to the black bushings, but instead wearing at the ID of the T-sleeves and OD of the bolts!). In a proper tight installation, there should only be movement between the black bushings and the fixed T-sleeves.

If you have an FX400 frame, the sleeves are not T-flanged. But they still need to be pinched tightly between HARD outer spacer-washers (that don't compress).

jesshamner · #7 Post by **jesshamner** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 6:36 pm

That must have been the problem then. I had not touched the a arms since new until about 4 or 5 months ago. I'm sure they have worked loose over time and have worn. Thanks for the info Dave!

Canniboomer · #8 Post by **Canniboomer** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 7:08 pm

Call or email for a new bolt/nut set (harder steel and finer pitch, and my outboard camlock washers), which will combine to cure that problem. I think you have touched on a chronic issue, as Derno's hard riding also indicates. Even without loosening of the nuts, the too-soft 8.8 bolts (SAE grade 5 equivalent) are likely stretching over time, and allowing "shimmy" to take over.

Derno24 · #9 Post by **Derno24** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 8:48 pm

Ummm not to be a buzz killer, but the sleeves are supposed to turn maybe we aren't talking about the same thing. From the factory they shipped them cranked down and the arms were binding. The top hat style of the spacer is supposed to help make it smooth. I loosen up the bolts holding the a arms with no shocks on till they travel freely and you don't feel any binding. Quad rides 10 times better and alot better shock travel.

jesshamner · #10 Post by **jesshamner** » Mon Mar 05, 2007 9:11 pm

I was wondering about that. I noticed when I put the arms back on that they did bind a little but I figured that it would loosen up after a little while.