would longer a arms be worth putting on a 400ex? my suspention is kinda hard and the arms are so short that when i make sharp turns in packed sand, the 400ex turnes into a two wheeler on the side! are longer arms worth it? what kind of packages do arms come in? would i have to change my springs and shocks too?

steve

they would help with that a lot. you dont have to get new shocks. new shocks would make the ride smoother however. they will also help with the turning but just extended a arms w/o new shocks help a lot. also if you get a arms, look into a wider axle, that way they are even and even more stable. you can get all kinds of packages, some with shocks, some w/o. there are more things to them but i am really tired now and i am sure some one will explain more tomorrow.

Adding +2 a-arms will help stability for sure, and add more wheel travel. With the added leverage of the +2 a-arms you are going to need shocks set up for those a-arms. If you bolt on the stock shocks with +2 a-arms the suspension will be EXTREMELY SOFT. Unless you weigh 100lbs and plan on staying in 2nd gear....YOU WILL NEED SHOCKS SET UP FOR THE +2 A-ARMS. Replacing the shocks will also add more wheel travel. Not everyone needs the most exspensive shocks. Work within your budget to get the shocks and a-arms. You know how hard you ride and how much you need to spend. You can get shocks for as cheap as $350.00 that will work ALOT better then what you have now. You wont need an axle. You want the rear to be an inch or so more narrow then the front. Spend the money on shocks and a good set of a-arms. Later if you got the money buy an axle.


FUELATV

Could also try getting your ass off the seat in the turns.. help keeps the bike on all 4s, throttle management, then weight the outside peg to straighten the bike out and nail it!!!


Agreed, wider a-arms add stability. But you really need to add a wider rear axle also.
Instead of buying aftermarket shocks, you could just revalve the stock ones (if possible) for the added leverage.
Now dont get me wrong, but just adding aftermarket shocks could also cure your problem. Im running stock arms and rear axle with PEP shocks and the bike stays flat as a pancake in the turns.

Lots of ways to improve the ride and stay in a budget.
Longer arms will also require new brake lines in most cases.

PM Rivermobster, he's a distributer for several companies and has some good package deals.

Cycle Parts West in San Diego has a good started package for $800 with Elka's and epic +2 arms with new brake lines and clamps

No EPIC for me ..... those ball joints with no castle nut pins can REALLY ruin your day.


FUELATV

i had a warrior with +2 arms and stock shock and it rode great. it wasnt really soft or hard, it was great. we have +2 on my dads raptor with stock shocks and same thing. so with my experience you dont need to get new shocks, but it would make it even better if you upgrade them too.

Warriors are not very good bike sorry, but longer arms may be worth the investment on the ex 400 or raptor or just about anything else, mybrother in law couldn't give his warrior away--------good luck not to be mean but a warrior barely makes it up Olds O well

+2 a arms, better valved shocks and a +4 axle on a 400ex make a huge difference if you ride hard. I'm 6 ft./230 lbs and I can go into a turn hard without going on 2 wheels. The addition of Mohawk front sand tires makes the quad handle like it's on rails.

The ONLY downside is the cost...little spendy.

SS

i went anywhere and every where in the dunes. went up a lot of big dunes, raced up olds, beat 400ex's. i know they are no YFZ, but when i was about 9-14 years old, it kicked @$$. i even raced a stock banshee and beat him a couple times up olds. he beat me more but only by a bike length. my dad had his raptor when i had that and i could keep up with him untill he got into 4th.

either way, +2 arms w/new shocks, or w/o shocks you will notice a difference! get an axle too, we havent on my dads raptor, and it wonders all of the place. but you dont have get one, it will still help keep all 4 on the ground.

A-arms are one of the best upgrades. You can run the stock shocks and the longer arms, but if you are going to do any jumping you will bottom out easily. Also with the loinger arms and stock shocks when you make a hard turn the front will dive and your bike will still want to 2 wheel a litle. If you get some works shocks on there it will ride smooth and be stiff when you want it to be.

The +2 arms will have added leverage. Unless you weigh 120lbs or less you will need to get some shocks.


FUELATV

If you are on a budget and don't want to spend $700+ on new a-arms & shocks etc, you can go the route of wheel spacers. If you are having trouble with the bike high siding on you this can help and you can still keep your stock shocks.

If you are going to get a-arms I would suggest Wicked a-arms. You can buy them on Ebay with brakelines for $500.

If you want to go the route of wheel spacers I have a set I can sell you for $50. I used them and never had any troubles. From what it sounds like you are not an extreme rider or a racer so they should do you just fine.

Go to either Cycle parts west or Alba. They will set you up with a pair of epic or laeger AArms and Elka shocks for $900. Will make a world of difference on the bike.

burgard arms are only $450 and you can get alba's arms for $520 or so.

Wheel spacers are a bad idea, the geometry of your stock a arms is not designed for the extra leverage on the linkage. Better to pay a little extra and not find yourself upside down in the sand.

thanks for the offer asa400ex, but im not a big fan of spacers when it comes to anything, bad experiances you know. but i will check out the $500 arms+brake lines on ebay! that sounds good.

Well if you are going to go with a-arms try to get a set that has upper heims. The heims will give you a chance to adjust the spindle degree.

I have the Wicked a-arms with Works shocks on my wifes bike and like everything about them. If money wasn't an issue I would go with Roll design a-arms and Axis shocks, this is the setup I have on my bike and would never go back to anything else.