Lower rear A-arm bolts?

[blueironranger]

Are they REALLY that easy to snap? I was out breaking trail on a marked trail. It had not been groomed this year year but since we got 10-12" of fresh snow so I went for a ride. I happen to drop my right ski down in a frozen rut from a logging truck at a slight angle and came out the other side and noticed my skies were toed in pretty bad. SO I stopped and noticed the lower rear A-arm bolt SHEARED off on the nut end and and my a Arm tweaked right at that bushing since the rest of the bolt was still intact. It really wasn't a hard hit as I didn't even come close to getting thrown off. I know its ALOT better/cheaper than tweaking the sub frame but I've taken MANY Mediocre hits like that on my SX-R and never bent a radius arm. If I had not noticed the skies toed in I probably wouldn't have even though about having an issue, its not like I clipped a rock or buried stump at a 45* angle.

 

[UP bushman]

If your refering to the front lower a arm on suspension were shock bolts. I hit a tree boondocking last year and the same thing happened. It was in powder and when it came down it hit like you were tipping sled on it's side and was right at spindle square as a hit as could be. It broke the bolt and bent the a arm, heated a arm and bent back new bolt good as new. Check your spindle angle with the other side to see if there is any more tweekage.

 

[blueironranger]

If your refering to the front lower a arm on suspension were shock bolts. I hit a tree boondocking last year and the same thing happened. It was in powder and when it came down it hit like you were tipping sled on it's side and was right at spindle square as a hit as could be. It broke the bolt and bent the a arm, heated a arm and bent back new bolt good as new. Check your spindle angle with the other side to see if there is any more tweekage.

Yep, exactly. I got the bend into shape and had to do a little welding on a crack where the arm and rear bushing are welded together. The caster is still a touch off but this side had less caster to begin with from the factory, and the arm was pretty tweaked at the rear bushing tube. I pulled some plastic and the whole sub frame looks good and none of the lower arm mounting holes got ripped or egged out. It seems to ride and handle fine so I'm just going to ride it until I come across a set of short track arms for a good price.

 

[QUADSCRIB]

Yep those F-ERS break!!! I have broke two of them...scares the crap outta me because the sled is uncontrollable and its ruined 2 a -arms for me.....the second one broke at literally 5MPH!!! and I hit sticks (literally) under the snow when carving. I have noticed that its the same as YFZ450 lower a-arm bolts and Ive raced two of them for the last 5 years hardcore and NEVER had one break and were talking MX and XC racing.

 

[blueironranger]

The stock bolt looked like a Low grade bolt, maybe they make them like that for a reason, kinda like a Fuse. I replaced it with a 10x100mm 8.8 bolt from the hardware store since the local dealer didn't have one in stock and I wanted to ride. If it happens again I'm going to add some 1/8" steel plates to each side for frame support and run some 10.9 grade bolts in the lower arm bolts. I actually think the Yamaha race kit has parts included in it to do the same thing. Dang arm is so spendy from yamaha, around 200$. Timbersled makes a arm kit but its keeps the front skinny. I also found arms made by a company called "SPI" for 89$ each without ball joints but I haven't found any reviews. I'd love to purchase a "lightweight performance" set if someone made them.

 

[woolyviper]

Hey Blue,

I have a lower right side arm if you need one.

 

[QUADSCRIB]

The stock bolt looked like a Low grade bolt, maybe they make them like that for a reason, kinda like a Fuse.
also found arms made by a company called "SPI" for 89$ each without ball joints but I haven't found any reviews. I'd love to purchase a "lightweight performance" set if someone made them.

I considered that as well as the bolt breaking the first time definatly saved my frame but the idea of the occuring at speed between the trees really rules out that idea. The second time it took ALOT of effort to ride the sled back even at 5-10 MPH...if I even sat level on the sled it about shot right off the trail. I had to hang off the left side considerable to half a$$ go strait.


I found those SPI ones as well but same as you had NO reveiws (ebay I bet) and one of the two sellers had no idea about them when I inquired...also says 1-3 weeks delivery time if I remember correctly...
I also ran a grade 8 bolt from a hardware store (I was up north and lucky that even the auto parts store was open) and am now afraid to run anything else. I also had to heat and straiten my a-arm and again feel lucky that the part store (that had a shop) was open and let me use their torches...I literally rode for 15-20 minutes ... THANX CAR QUEST IN KALKASKA!!!!!!