03 Mountain front suspension problems

[mrosenow]

I have a late 2003 Mountain. I trail ride it. I broke a spindle a few weeks ago, just below the lower control arm. I replaced it with a spindle I had from a parts sled. hit a RR track about 20MPH tonight and broke the new one. From the looks of things, the mountain control arms are not as sturdy as the regular RX1, nor are they as wide. The upper control arm does not have any support and allows the spindle to flex back, bending the bolts that hold the spindle to the control arm and in my case, allowing the spindle to crack. I would like to replace the control arms with the wider, more ridged regular RX-1 control arms. Main reason is that I want more stability in the corners...and I don't want to bend another spindle. This will mean replacing the tie rods, for the longer ones???? The other question I have is about the shock and spring. Is it the same or do I need a shock from a regular RX1 with the wider front end?
I have two pairs of RX-1 Mountain control arms in good condition if anyone wanted to trade for a wider nonmountain pair.

 

[motorman]

rx1 front end

i put the wide barkbuster in my apex and absolutly love it.pump the floats up to 80-90 psi and holds up the sled in a fast corner,very little roll,and very light.Pricey,but worth it in my opinion.

 

[Frostbite]

Yup, you're right. I didn't have 200miles on my sled when I bent my first spindle housing at less than 10 mph. Yamaha was kind enough to warranty it for me but, I kept bending them. I have straightended them a couple times in my press.

Several guys have gone to the wider front end of a short track RX-1. It does take the use of the short track shocks and of course A arms and control arms to do so.

I don't know what to tell you. The spindles are just the glass jaw of an otherwise stout machine.

Frosty