Feels like a cadillac... errr Mush.

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ToddW
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Feels like a cadillac... errr Mush.

Postby ToddW » Sun Nov 29, 2009 6:56 pm

So, recently my Sportsman 800 has started to feel like a cadillac, and then two weeks ago it got REALLY moooshy feeling. Started really pushing around corners, and I couldn't take corners near as fast as I could previously.

I put almost 40 miles on it Friday and I could barely keep up with everyone else, today I let my brother drive it and he put another 20 or so on it and right at the end he rolled it two or three times as it pushed him out of a turn and into some brush that caused it to flip. (Luckily he jumped off and stopped it from continuing to roll down the hill.) I then road it (after riding the sportsman 500 all day, with 1/2 the hours of mine) and I was AMAZED at the difference... I could slide the 500 around turns, hold corners amazingly (could get on 2 wheels/balance easily again) and really push it compared to my 800.

My thought... I had a bad shock and now I have two or more.

Anyone else experience this ???

I think I may want to upgrade to the heavier duty springs if that's possible too.

I ride at least a couple miles every day so it was never an "OMG" big change... but now it's gotten to the point where it is night and day difference between mine and others.

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Postby DAVE » Sun Nov 29, 2009 7:07 pm

how is your rear sway bar??
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ToddW
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Postby ToddW » Sun Nov 29, 2009 7:19 pm

DAVE wrote:how is your rear sway bar??
It's always been missing 1 bushing, so it's a little different than most 800s as it doesn't come right into play, but I've been used to that for years.

I`ll check and make sure I haven't lost any other bushings though too!

Thanks!

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Postby Kendo » Sun Nov 29, 2009 8:44 pm

You broke an A arm bolt......or two. Look especially at the one facing the rear at the bottom of the rear A arm.
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Postby ToddW » Sun Nov 29, 2009 9:51 pm

Kendo wrote:You broke an A arm bolt......or two. Look especially at the one facing the rear at the bottom of the rear A arm.
Thanks I`ll check!! Would be nice if that's it.
I believe I just tightened them recently though (month ago?).

This could also explain possibly why my front a-arm 'plastic thing' (in front) is in my CB boot ??? Maybe it's tweaked, hrmm!!

I`ll be seriously investigating tomorrow I want to get her handling perfect again :D

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ToddW
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Postby ToddW » Mon Nov 30, 2009 11:19 am

All A-Arm bolts are in place. Upper, lower, and bolts at the wheel side.

When I had one lose a nut it was worse than what it feels like now... could one still be broken in half yet not fallen out and (appear) snugged up tight still ??? If that was the case handling wouldn't be different though as the bolt would still be allowing everything to pivot normally, and I think it would have fallen out anyway.

Any other ideas ??

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Postby ToddW » Tue Dec 01, 2009 3:38 pm

Snugged up all the bolts found the following.

1 lower rear a-arm bolt was lose, and allowed the a-arm 1/2 travel. Which may mean the hole is ovalled out too. Tightened it up super tight. Will check after a good run and see if it's lose again.

The sway bar square shaft that goes left to right both sides were lose and allowed 1/4" play before engagement of sway-bar. I COMPLETELY lost a bushing on one side, and the same side is the one I have always been missing the majority of the other bushing. So, with the lose square bracket things, and the missing bushing my swaybar was not engaging until the very last second on a sharp turn, and probably never on any other turns. (This is probably the biggest issue for turning.)

One front tire also had 14psi in it while all the others had my normal 6.5
:roll: this probably didn't help griping in turns either! :roll:


Gonna go buy some new sway bar bushings, and then decide if I want new springs or not, the springs are really soft still.

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Postby Ken » Tue Dec 01, 2009 8:02 pm

Sounds like that's it.

6.5...wow. Bighorns, I never ride over 4.
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ToddW
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Postby ToddW » Tue Dec 01, 2009 11:38 pm

Ken wrote:Sounds like that's it.

6.5...wow. Bighorns, I never ride over 4.
I`ll go much less for rocky trails / speed <10mph.. but when I`m staying between 20 and 35mph the 6ish PSI prevents the tire to roll. In the rear they normally get much less and then down to 0 as I think I have a hole or two and/or something in the bead... the rear I've ridden at 0psi for 15+ miles w/no issue other than a slight roll but not near as noticeable as in the front when they are low!!

Glad I got it figured out mostly, I just wish someone would have new bushings in stock... Auburn, Placerville and Citrus Heights all out of swaybar bushings :roll: probably cost them $2 or less and they can't even keep them in stock!!!

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Postby ToddW » Tue Dec 22, 2009 1:54 pm

Looks like the cause for the mushy soft front springs is from plowing.
The plow alone causes the front to sag... but start plowing, and then winching the plow up and down with snow on it and it really uses the springs. I've bottomed it out now just driving around the house... after plowing for 8 hours from that last storm (total) it has gotten even more mush...

HD Springs are in my future.


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