shannonrxwarrior
Veteran
I have a 2004 warrior with pioneers ski widening kit when i replaced the bushings in the front suspension i noticed the nut was missing on the lower a arm bolt that goes thru the spindle i purchased the bolt kit when i purchased the new bushings put maybe five hundred miles on new install was checking things over one day before a ride and noticed nut had loosened up on same bolt as before i tightened it back up went on a ride wich put about 70 miles on total didnt check it went out next day30 miles into ride the nut fell off and bolt came out there i was boltless ski dangling off from upper control arm luckily for me i had dropped my helmet earlier at a restaruant and broke the shield so it ended up getting duck taped on there was a few yamis riding with me i took the screw driver blades out of the tool kit and inserted them threw lower control arm and spindle then took some sticks and broke them up stuffed them in the area around and in front of the screw driver blades so they would not vibrate around and poke a hole in my ducktape i wrapped around the opening in the a arm oh yea were did i get the duck tape from i had put enough duck tape on helmet were i could remove some and use it on my a arms needless to say i goy it home thirty miles back at speeds of 20 miles an hour my plan is now to got to a machine shop and have a axle tube and top hat bushings made up to install thru arms and spindles to take the strain off the bolt that loosens up the bolt will not be used to support the weight of the sled as in the case with these aftermarket a arms it will just be used to pinch the top hat bushings into the spindle axle similiar to how cat uses the on there inboard a rams to frame mounts
LazyBastard
TY 4 Stroke God
You probably should have put loctite on the bolt.
shannonrxwarrior
Veteran
loctite
i posted this so people who have these a-arms would be aware of the bolts loosening up and maybe falling out wich could be catastrophic for the sled and individual not so much as to bitch about the inferior design of the arms themselves i also posted the way i plan on fixing this issue so maybe some one else could use the idea loctite will keep the nut from backing off and the bolt from falling out but the first bolt i removed was pretty bent up as the weight of the sled comes to bare on the bolt wich goes thru 1/16 steel at arm if you are familiar with these arms i believe you would agree
i posted this so people who have these a-arms would be aware of the bolts loosening up and maybe falling out wich could be catastrophic for the sled and individual not so much as to bitch about the inferior design of the arms themselves i also posted the way i plan on fixing this issue so maybe some one else could use the idea loctite will keep the nut from backing off and the bolt from falling out but the first bolt i removed was pretty bent up as the weight of the sled comes to bare on the bolt wich goes thru 1/16 steel at arm if you are familiar with these arms i believe you would agree
Blue loctite doesn't hold them for long.... at least on rough trails. These arms are for smooth fast trails, or gusset the heck out them and check the bolts frequently. Fit and finish is excellent.
Indy
TY 4 Stroke God
I have the stock axle tubes and bushings in mine. Just re-did them. If you dont have axle tubes, then they were installed wrong. I had the same problem with the throttle side lower also, I just use a new lock nut and red loctite, no problems. I also added grease zerts @ each mounting location on the steering knuckle (idea stolen from Rock).
I have 2 sleds with these and have never had this problem, but I used red loctite. I have however bent several lower outer a-arm bolts. Not by hitting anything, just hard, fast riding. Turns the bolts into a Z shape that is a PIA to get out. I now keep extras!!
BTW...Pioneer puts this wide kit package using Mountain Performance A-Arms.
BTW...Pioneer puts this wide kit package using Mountain Performance A-Arms.
shannonrxwarrior
Veteran
me too
my bolt had bent too i think the design of these a ams at the spindle are built cheesy the axle that goes thru the spindle should protrude into the a arm at least half way and bushings should be installed in the arms that are drilled to accept the tube this way the weight of the sled is on the tube and the bushings the bolt that would go thru the assembly would not be supporting the weight of the sled only holding the bushings and axle tube assembly together there would be no bent bolts or loose bolts i am in the process of having them made now loctite is good and it keeps things from loosening up but it is not a problem solver and when a problem arrise that there is a benmt bolt or a fastener lossens up there is usually an explanation of why it loosened up its kind of like when you blow your engine up you dont just rebuild it there is a reason it blew up and if you dont find the cause you will be rebiulding it again
my bolt had bent too i think the design of these a ams at the spindle are built cheesy the axle that goes thru the spindle should protrude into the a arm at least half way and bushings should be installed in the arms that are drilled to accept the tube this way the weight of the sled is on the tube and the bushings the bolt that would go thru the assembly would not be supporting the weight of the sled only holding the bushings and axle tube assembly together there would be no bent bolts or loose bolts i am in the process of having them made now loctite is good and it keeps things from loosening up but it is not a problem solver and when a problem arrise that there is a benmt bolt or a fastener lossens up there is usually an explanation of why it loosened up its kind of like when you blow your engine up you dont just rebuild it there is a reason it blew up and if you dont find the cause you will be rebiulding it again
kinger
VIP Member
I think the increased leverage of the arms really stresses things, its not the first time I have heard of them bending.
Indy
TY 4 Stroke God
Re: loctite
I agree with you that they could be built a little heavier on the end tubes.
Thanks for bringing this up, I just re-did mine, but someone else will see this and go check out there bolts.
shannonrxwarrior said:
I agree with you that they could be built a little heavier on the end tubes.
Thanks for bringing this up, I just re-did mine, but someone else will see this and go check out there bolts.
shannonrxwarrior
Veteran
bushings
yes i am having bushings made that will be installed in the arms with a steel sleeve same diameter as the one that goes thru the spindle except the new one will extend into the bushings 20mm or so the bolt head and nut will be exposed like the stock ones but i would take that over not being able to trust the way it is out together now
yes i am having bushings made that will be installed in the arms with a steel sleeve same diameter as the one that goes thru the spindle except the new one will extend into the bushings 20mm or so the bolt head and nut will be exposed like the stock ones but i would take that over not being able to trust the way it is out together now
There is an issue with placing the bushings out in the arm, and that is the pinch between the both ends of the arm and the steel sleeve will be lost... this eliminates an important part of the a-arm's structure of tying both outer ends of the upper arm together. The stress is being moved from the bolt to each arm end which must now float all alone... A small tube connecting the front tube of the upper arm to rear tube out by the spindle would fix this.
I am getting ready to install a kit on my apex - reading all of this has meade me drag my feet a little. Any advice on what to do? I was also looking for a set of Oilite Bushings for this kit, any out there? I emailed Bruce and he said MPI is working on a new bolt for the spindle!
shannonrxwarrior
Veteran
bjowett
that is my plans for this yhese bushings i am having made thae steel tube is going to extend into the bushings
that is my plans for this yhese bushings i am having made thae steel tube is going to extend into the bushings
shannonrxwarrior
Veteran
ITS FIXED
received parts from machine shop wed. installed thurs road friday nite everything went well worked like a dreami would definitly recomend this fix for anyone who has these arms only problem is the bolts are not hidden anymore
received parts from machine shop wed. installed thurs road friday nite everything went well worked like a dreami would definitly recomend this fix for anyone who has these arms only problem is the bolts are not hidden anymore
Indy
TY 4 Stroke God
pics please
