[Talon]

I got into a bad accident a month ago and was just now able to get out there and clean off the LTR450 to see what all the damage was. What I thought was a bend A-arm turned out to be a bent frame. The lower 2 frame rails that the lower a-arms bolt to is shifted off to the right. I will be attempting to straighten it out myself I think, but it doesn't look easy. Any advice?

I'm surprised that the frame would bend before the a-arms bent or broke. The a-arms should be the weak link. I'm not happy about this.

 

[billjab]

be carful with that...it happened to me on my z400..when you bent it back the frame becomes weaker so get a gusset kit or something

 

[CernicsRacing.com]

There are a million different variables in a crash. Engineers design the ATV to transfer stress on all 4-wheels. In a crash all bets are off.

Check and see if your frame makes it within the recalled serial numbers, and maybe they will replace it on account of the rear link, and you will get lucky.

 

[Talon]

There are a million different variables in a crash. Engineers design the ATV to transfer stress on all 4-wheels. In a crash all bets are off.

Check and see if your frame makes it within the recalled serial numbers, and maybe they will replace it on account of the rear link, and you will get lucky.
[/b]

Ah yes, good point. I will check that.

I realize so many things can happen in a crash. But mine was pretty cut-n-dry. I flew over a table top and landed on a parked quad, my front wheel hitting the back wheel of the parked quad. It snapped his axle in half, but instead of bending or breaking my a-arms, it bent my frame. I still say the a-arms should have broke first.

Thanks for the tip on the frame recall. I'll check it out.

 

[AL Elks]

First check the thread about the frame recall. Check to see if your VIN number is one of the ones with the recall.

If your rear tab is cracked (let's hope it is) and it's greater than the allowable amount you just might be able to get the frame replaced for free due to the recall.

I'm sure they will give you a hard time but if it's cracked then they have to replace it. If they give you a sob story about how the rest of the frame has to be in good shape print out the bulletin that was posted and show them where they are to destroy any frames that are cracked more than the allowable amount anyway.

Let's hope yours is cracked.

 

[PeeWee]

Not being a smart ass but they were not designed to crash, no pun intended i assure you, so any and all damage should'nt be the responsibilty of the manufacturer in the event of a crash. I know they "claim" it's a "racer" but if you read the fine print it STRONGLY suggests not jumping, doing wheelies and crazy crap that we normally put them through.


www.thequadbuilder.com

 

[Baracudaaa]

I would do whatever it takes to make that rear link have a snap in it, then if they give you any B/S about the front end tell them you crashed as a direct result of the rear link busting, and possibly considering a law suit. Oh yeah, make sure you are on the recall list first!!!

 

[Butters]

thats a great idea bara, wrap a chain around the bolt in the pivot on the frame, put the other end around a tree. hook the front end of your quad to your truck..... and give it a good tug


genious!

 

[Talon]

thats a great idea bara, wrap a chain around the bolt in the pivot on the frame, put the other end around a tree. hook the front end of your quad to your truck..... and give it a good tug
genious!
[/b]

Yeah, my luck, I'd tear the quad all up and then lose in my claim! I'll just see if I match the list of recalls and just hope I do. If I don't, I'll just try and straighten it and weld in a gusset or two.

I still stand by my complaint about the frame bending in the first place. I understand that they were not designed to crash. I understand that they recomment no jumping and crazy riding. That is all besides the point. When a machine is engineered, they are designed with weak links in mind. Everything can crash and will break. It's a matter of causing the break in the right spot. There will always be a weak link. Machines are engineered to ensure that the weak link is a replacealbe part. The frame can hardly be considered a replaceable part.

Another example is a transmission. The weak link in the system is first the tires. If you pull the clutch in, peg the throttle, and drop the clutch, the tires should spin. That's the weak link. If there is no way for the tires to spin, then the chain should snap. That would be the next weak link. If the transmission breaks instead of the chain breaking, then the transmission was poorly designed. Not that this happened, just giving an example. The frame should have been designed much stronger than the a-arms.

Thank you for all of your responses.

 

[billjab]

i agree...id rather buy a 100 dollar set of stock aarms on ebay then pay how much for a frame...i know for a fact that thats how YFZ's are designed..my friend came straight down on a tripple the a-arm busted and the frame was mint

 

[PeeWee]

You do have a damn good point!!!! I did'nt quite look at it from that aspect!

 

[AL Elks]

If you have good relations with your dealer and he has a frame that has to be replaced due to the recall see if you can get one of those frames. They are supposed to destroy them but if you can get ahold of one have a welder fix the rear tab/shock mount and you're set.

Just a thought.

 

[Talon]

If you have good relations with your dealer and he has a frame that has to be replaced due to the recall see if you can get one of those frames. They are supposed to destroy them but if you can get ahold of one have a welder fix the rear tab/shock mount and you're set.

Just a thought.
[/b]

Well, I don't have a relationship with my dealer other than I bought a 4-wheeler from them, that's it. I think I'd rather try to fix my frame before I decided to change out the frame. Man, that's gotta be a lot of work.

 

[SandJunkie]

I doubt that they will give you a older frame because of the VIN stamp. I would have to think it would create a paperwork nightmare trying to transfer the frame out of one persons name, transfer a new frame VIN into their name. Then transfer your bent frame out of your name and transfer the scraped frame INTO your name...got that?...because I'm lost and I JUST typed it....

 

[fasterb14]

so what are the limits on your frame you can do without avoding the warranty, becuase i, trying to get a head of the game bought a bare performance guesset kit, and welded the rear, so if it brakes it my fault isn't it.

 

[Talon]

Well, I don't qualify for the recall, so it doesn't matter anyway. And, the more I look at it, the more I realize is bent. I haven't confirmed this, but from just eye-balling it, it looks like the entire frame from the engine forward is caddywompus.

This being said, I revert back to my original comment "I can't believe the a-arms caused this much damage to the frame".