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Frame strengthening mod..

17K views 27 replies 13 participants last post by  Rider1  
#1 ·
Regarding an '09 800RX...Where does one go to have this frame mod done? I live in Las Vegas, NV. And total cost? Is it a deal breaker? I'm thinking yes.

I haven't bought the unit yet mainly because I'm VERY CONCERNED about this frame bending. Some of my riding is in rocky areas and I like to be somewhat agressive.

Any other constructive input is appreciated regarding should I buy the '09 800RX ?

Thanks,

Dave
 
#3 ·
As a structural engineer and an occasional crasher :), I doubt you will be riding much more aggressive than I do on rocky mountain trails. These bikes will only go just so fast and still stay on the trail, and nobody passes me.

I don't have the mod you are overly concerned about imo. If you hit on either of the front quarters hard, you will have suspension and frame damage.

If you can control your bike while riding it hard, it will hold up for you. I have 3200 rocky road miles with some rollovers, and my frame is fine. I've never hit a tree or any other type immovable object with it though. I make damn sure to miss +4" trees and I don't do jumps with a 1000 lb gvw bike!

If doing the mod makes you more comfortable, then by all means do it. Don't let this frame bending talk change your mind from getting what you want though. :2cent:

PM John Cannon and some of the other racers on here (Voodoo knows who they are) about your concerns, John races these bikes and is our racing guru for the forum. I know the trailing torsion bar arms are beefed up on racing bikes.

Get what you want and don't ride over your head, out of control, you and your bike will be fine. Have a great time, I really hope you enjoy your bike! :)
 
#5 ·
MtnOuty wrote:
As a structural engineer and an occasional crasher :), I doubt you will be riding much more aggressive than I do on rocky mountain trails. These bikes will only go just so fast and still stay on the trail, and nobody passes me.

I don't have the mod you are overly concerned about imo. If you hit on either of the front quarters hard, you will have suspension and frame damage.

If you can control your bike while riding it hard, it will hold up for you. I have 3200 rocky road miles with some rollovers, and my frame is fine. I've never hit a tree or any other type immovable object with it though. I make damn sure to miss +4" trees and I don't do jumps with a 1000 lb gvw bike!

If doing the mod makes you more comfortable, then by all means do it. Don't let this frame bending talk change your mind from getting what you want though. :2cent:

PM John Cannon and some of the other racers on here (Voodoo knows who they are) about your concerns, John races these bikes and is our racing guru for the forum. I know the trailing torsion bar arms are beefed up on racing bikes.

Get what you want and don't ride over your head, out of control, you and your bike will be fine. Have a great time, I really hope you enjoy your bike! :)
Thank you for your insight. I'm leaning towards buying the sport quad just like doing research and getting experiencedopinion's first.

Dave
 
#7 ·
I forgot to :wel: you Rider1. You have found the best atv forum in the galaxy:), and we're glad to have you with us.

Watch some racing videos, talk to people who ride as hard or harder than you do, I think you will be comfortable with your new bike.

:2cent: , don't overthink possible problems, and avoid trying to get your new bike at the lowest possible price in the country. You'll wind up sitting on your hands instead of riding this great country of ours with the great people who make up the atv riding population. Anybody can get hit by a truck anytime, get out there and enjoy life while you can. :cents:
 
#9 ·
Buy the bike and throw a full set of Ricochet skidplates on there. They are solid!
 
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#11 ·
Factory skidplates are a far cry from the Ricochet's.
 
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#12 ·
Agreed. The factory skid do not offer you the same support and strenght the Ricochets offer. The good news is that the X comes with a lot of the parts beefed up from the factory. I would look into some fairly cheap frame mods in the areas that needs the most help. I would do the lower frame mod which is putting 3 1 1/4 square tubing into the lower frame. This will give you more protection from bending the lower frame. I would weld some flat plates to the upper front shock mounts (or the front wings). These can bind if you jump a lot. I have found a way to brace up the lower a-arm mounts and are having the braces made. These will reduce the risk of having the lower a-arms ripped off the frame if you hit a tree.
 
#14 ·
I saw the thread and had to chime in. I am the guy that did the write up on the frame mod with a step by step over 2yrs ago. I may have actually been the first to do it. In my opinion the frame mod is a no brainer. It is cheap, easy to do, and very effective on dent resistance and lower frame issues. I have herd of some frame failures, but have not herd of one that has had a frame problem with a frame mod installed.
Also I will add I also have not herd of a frame problem from normal riding only extremly aggresive riding or from a crash or wreck.
But I aggree with the others get the quad and you will not be disapointed. And deff dont let a few that want to bash the can am talk you out of a great quad.
 
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#15 ·
john cannon wrote:
........ I have found a way to brace up the lower a-arm mounts and are having the braces made. These will reduce the risk of having the lower a-arms ripped off the frame if you hit a tree.
I imagine these will these be a weld-on type thing, right?

Pics would be cool, (measurements would be an added bounus). :)




 
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#16 ·
weewane wrote:
I saw the thread and had to chime in. I am the guy that did the write up on the frame mod with a step by step over 2yrs ago. I may have actually been the first to do it. In my opinion the frame mod is a no brainer. It is cheap, easy to do, and very effective on dent resistance and lower frame issues. I have herd of some frame failures, but have not herd of one that has had a frame problem with a frame mod installed.
Also I will add I also have not herd of a frame problem from normal riding only extremly aggresive riding or from a crash or wreck.
But I aggree with the others get the quad and you will not be disapointed. And deff dont let a few that want to bash the can am talk you out of a great quad.
Thanks for your input and the great tutorial on your frame mod.

And thanks to everyone else that has contributed to my "concern".

I contacted a local welding shop and they said they would do the mod. Cost : between $200 and $300. I think that's fair especially since I don't have the tools/knowledge to perform the operation.

Dave
 
#17 ·
here is a link on how i repaired a frame, the mod would be much easier to do, but same idea. most frame mods are done from the back, but i think i would do one from the front, that would involve cutting a section out of the frame to slide the metal in, but it would mean you could use less steel, as you would only have to go back to the rear upright. http://aurorawheelers.com/forum5/13340.html
 
#18 ·
Rider1 wrote:
Thanks for your input and the great tutorial on your frame mod.

And thanks to everyone else that has contributed to my "concern".

I contacted a local welding shop and they said they would do the mod. Cost : between $200 and $300. I think that's fair especially since I don't have the tools/knowledge to perform the operation.

Dave
Rider1that's a bit pricey, but if you don't have to do anything it might be OK.

I ordered my material from McMaster-Carr, it was about $60 delivered to my door, I allready had the nuts and bolts, otherwise probably another $20 max, at Lowe's for some stainless stuff.

The hardest part I had is cutting out the back "flap", the rest is just drilling out some of the holes a bit bigger to allow a socket to get in there to tighten up the bolts. If you search that real long thread you'll see the material I used, it made it a "no weld" installation.:2cent:




 
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#19 ·
Rider1 wrote:
weewane wrote:
I saw the thread and had to chime in. I am the guy that did the write up on the frame mod with a step by step over 2yrs ago. I may have actually been the first to do it. In my opinion the frame mod is a no brainer. It is cheap, easy to do, and very effective on dent resistance and lower frame issues. I have herd of some frame failures, but have not herd of one that has had a frame problem with a frame mod installed.
Also I will add I also have not herd of a frame problem from normal riding only extremly aggresive riding or from a crash or wreck.
But I aggree with the others get the quad and you will not be disapointed. And deff dont let a few that want to bash the can am talk you out of a great quad.
Thanks for your input and the great tutorial on your frame mod.

And thanks to everyone else that has contributed to my "concern".

I contacted a local welding shop and they said they would do the mod. Cost : between $200 and $300. I think that's fair especially since I don't have the tools/knowledge to perform the operation.

Dave
that a freaking rip off!!!!!!!!!! i went to a steel place & got them to cut my 3 pieces to length. a friend welded it for me. i painted it & put it in. Ive got no more than $30 in mine. if you don't have a sawzall or jig saw or something to cut the little plate off the back, you could rent it & still save a couple hundred dollars. but now if you have money to burn, which it sounds like you do since your thinking of paying somebody that much to do it, then go on w/ your bad self!
 
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#20 ·
Rider 1, I take it you haven't ridden an 800r renegade yet? Cause if you had.. there wouldn't be much decision making going on.. other than maybe having to decide where to buy the clean shorts you need after the first time you peg the throttle.. :) And welcome to AWF...
 
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#21 ·
Rider1 wrote:
weewane wrote:
I saw the thread and had to chime in. I am the guy that did the write up on the frame mod with a step by step over 2yrs ago. I may have actually been the first to do it. In my opinion the frame mod is a no brainer. It is cheap, easy to do, and very effective on dent resistance and lower frame issues. I have herd of some frame failures, but have not herd of one that has had a frame problem with a frame mod installed.
Also I will add I also have not herd of a frame problem from normal riding only extremly aggresive riding or from a crash or wreck.
But I aggree with the others get the quad and you will not be disapointed. And deff dont let a few that want to bash the can am talk you out of a great quad.
Thanks for your input and the great tutorial on your frame mod.

And thanks to everyone else that has contributed to my "concern".

I contacted a local welding shop and they said they would do the mod. Cost : between $200 and $300. I think that's fair especially since I don't have the tools/knowledge to perform the operation.

Dave
Dude, that is way too expensive!!! You could buy a small mig welder for that price and do the job. The welds needed on this mod are not structural. They are just there to hold the pieces together basically. Once you slide them into the spar they are fine. If you really think you can't handle it yourself, then find a buddy willing to weld the pieces foryou and SAVE YOUR MONEY!!!!!
 
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#22 ·
Just picked up my new '09 800RX. Haven't ridden it yet so no bent frame.....J/K !!

Should be a good companion with my Grizzly 550 w/eps.

I'm going to install a Precision brand steering stabilizer ASAP. I did take the machine on a short test ride and over a few curbs...wow what a difference from the Griz w/ps. I can see where when u hit some significant obstacles the bars could rip out of your hands. Hence the strng. stab. comment above.

Thanks again for all of your help.

I will consider having the frame "mod" done but I might not who knows :tg:

Dave
 
#23 ·
Dude if you want a frame mod let me know. I will build it for cost and ship it to you. Will proly be 25-30 bucks for the steel, and 20-30 bucks for shipping I guess. Only thing I ask is that you make a donation to the site to help keep it running. There is alot of great info and people on this site, and I would like it to stay around for a while.

I have made several for other members of the site and made them the same deal.
 
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#24 ·
You will not be disappointed with the rene, it and the outty are the best quads on the market. sport bike with comfortable suspension. Don't be worried with the frame just get a set of ricocet skids, THESE BIKES ARE SOLID.
 
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#25 ·
weewane wrote:
Dude if you want a frame mod let me know. I will build it for cost and ship it to you. Will proly be 25-30 bucks for the steel, and 20-30 bucks for shipping I guess. Only thing I ask is that you make a donation to the site to help keep it running. There is alot of great info and people on this site, and I would like it to stay around for a while.

I have made several for other members of the site and made them the same deal.
Thanks for the offer weewane, appreciate it !

I went ahead and added the factory A arm and under footwells skid plates and am leaving it at that. I've ridden the machine about 160 miles now and it's a lot of fun and quite a compliment to my 550 Grizzly with PS.

I also added a Precision strng. stab. and like the results very much !

Dave
 
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