Is Arctic Cat Warranting adjustable (VSB) steering posts?

[Frostbite]

I was at my local Arctic Cat dealer the other day and felt the handlebars on their two demo Sno Pros (one M8 and one M1000). The sleds had from 160 to 280 miles on them and there was so much slop in the handlebars (VSB post) it was ridiculous. When I rode the sled from another dealer the M8 was the same way. That's just not right.

The idea of the VSB bar is nothing short of wonderful.

Is there a way to tighten them up so they aren't such a distraction?

Has Arctic Cat warrantied any of the VSB bars?

If so, will they install a fixed post in place of the VSB bars?

Are there any recalls or TSBs (technical service bulletins) on the subject?

 

[Woody67]

Frosty I just went out and checked mine. 540 miles it is wiggly but don't even notice it whilst riding. No TSBs at this time. I have seen several wrecked units with bent bars and such but the steering post was still intact.

 

[smoothdawg]

There are 2 places to tighten the VSB bars up at. One is at the steering brace, there are 2 nyloc nuts that can be adjusted. The other place is on the bottom of the tunnel just ahead of the track. Flip the sled up on its side and you will see the nyloc nut. BTW the one under my sled came loose with 40 miles on it. One other person posted the same earlier in the year. Procedure only takes a minute or two. I have rolled my sled and had no problems so far.

 

[Frostbite]

That's so weird.

Why do some wiggle up to three inches fore to aft and other only have a little bit of slop?

Is there an adjustment anywhere to tighten them up?

Maybe it depends on how often the bars have been fully extended?

Is it from people adding goggle holders and not tightening up the nuts enough(although none of the sleds I saw with lose bars had one).

If they can be tightened up to minimize the wiggling I'm a fan. If they can't I'm not.

At the very least the movement is distracting to me. At the worst it could become a (yes, I am going to use the "S" word) "safety issue" in extreme circumstances (jumping, climbing through deeply rutted areas or boondocking aggessively through trees).

I hope there's a fix.

 

[SPDFREEK]

Feels reallly cheesy.

Mine is brutally sloppy. 09 m8 162 with 500miles. Called Beaverlodge in AB and the guy said he had never heard of any issues with it being loose or anybody else having any issues with them. Mine...at the tip of the handlebar...will move forward and back 2 inches or so. Starting to notice it while I am riding now. As it sits and idles the thing dances all over the place. Seems to be really loose in the little plastic bushings on the post support.

Love the idea of the post and I am still a big fan but, this slop has got to go.

If anyone else is having issues, post. Lets see exactly how large a problem this is.

SPDFREEK

 

[1080paul]

"Three inches fore to aft" Are you kidding me? I added the new post to my 2007 and from what I remember it mounts exactly the same way as the old post. I just got a 09 M8 SP and both posts wiggle the same amount. There is 1/6th" gap around the post where it is supported by the gas tank. I guess a guy could put a layer or two of duct tape around the post in that area and the play would go away until it wares though the tape.

Like MBMS said...I don't notice it at all riding and I have them up all the way all the time.

 

[Frostbite]

I know there have to be some out there seeing this.

1080Paul, the three inches would be measured from the front of the bars to as far forward as they move to the back of the bar to as far back as they move.

It's probably only 1/4" gap between the steering post and the support but it's magnified by the height of the bars in the highest position.

Maybe someone will put a video on here of what I'm taking about?

 

[Samurai]

Fab a new post preferably CM with a greaseable pillow blocked bearing. Wobble is gone from 07 M1000. But it's alot of work so we live with the 08/09 wobble, cant tell when your moving. It's not like a person sits there idleing and entertains ones self watching your bars wobble.

 

[Rprecision]

Mine has some "wobble" I cant see them being able to make it much tighter without it locking up from ice.

Like many have said, I dont even notice it when riding

 

[northof40]

I agree with MBMS and 1080Paul here. I have no problem with mine after 700 miles. A slight bit of movement in it if you try to wiggle them while your not moving (same as what it had when i picked it up from the dealer) but nothing that you notice while riding and mine have been fully extended the whole time. I was a little skeptical at first of them but I piled her up yesterday pretty hard and they survived

 

[1M800]

That's so weird.

Why do some wiggle up to three inches fore to aft and other only have a little bit of slop?

Is there an adjustment anywhere to tighten them up?

Maybe it depends on how often the bars have been fully extended?

Is it from people adding goggle holders and not tightening up the nuts enough(although none of the sleds I saw with lose bars had one).

If they can be tightened up to minimize the wiggling I'm a fan. If they can't I'm not.

At the very least the movement is distracting to me. At the worst it could become a (yes, I am going to use the "S" word) "safety issue" in extreme circumstances (jumping, climbing through deeply rutted areas or boondocking aggessively through trees).

I hope there's a fix.

Didn't smoothdawg just describe 2 different place to tighten them up or did I misunderstand? I'm thinking you might want to stick to Yamaha

 

[Frostbite]

based upon this statement from above.

Could the problems be due to lack of attention to detail during dealer setup?

"There are 2 places to tighten the VSB bars up at. One is at the steering brace, there are 2 nyloc nuts that can be adjusted. The other place is on the bottom of the tunnel just ahead of the track. Flip the sled up on its side and you will see the nyloc nut. BTW the one under my sled came loose with 40 miles on it. One other person posted the same earlier in the year. Procedure only takes a minute or two. I have rolled my sled and had no problems so far".

That's good to hear it can be dealt with easily.

Like I said earlier, I love the idea.

 

[Samurai]

Only real issue with them is next to a set of polished risers...THEY'RE F U G G L Y. SO THE MORE THEY WOBBLE AND VIBRATE THE BETTER, HARDER TO GET A GOOD LOOK AT THEM.

 

[1080paul]

I know there have to be some out there seeing this.

1080Paul, the three inches would be measured from the front of the bars to as far forward as they move to the back of the bar to as far back as they move.

It's probably only 1/4" gap between the steering post and the support but it's magnified by the height of the bars in the highest position.

Maybe someone will put a video on here of what I'm taking about?

Oh...so your talking about the "Bars". I just tighten up the four allen bolts and mine doesn't move at all. LOL!!

 

[Frostbite]

Hey, if there's an easy fix I'm a big fan!

I just know I can't ride well with them wiggling all over.

 

[acs47x]

mine got sloppt at 500 miles. all you have to do to fix it is tighten the to nuts where the shield for the wiring on the front of the tank is, tighten the 2 nuts that holds the post to the tank and its snug

 

[Dam Dave]

Mine has some "wobble" I cant see them being able to make it much tighter without it locking up from ice.

Like many have said, I dont even notice it when riding

yep, I dont see a problem, its a non issue, all Cats are loose anyway, loose is fast right

 

[stocksucks!!]

ok my new 09 m8 has the wobble that everyone is talking about and when ever i talk to a dealer about my sled. they always say the same thing "we have never seen that before" bu!!$#!t. i deal with grande prairie and fort st john same answers. back on topic i bent my steering post last week end replaced it and was thinking about taking that bushing that holds the steering post.if i was to shave off a couple of mm off of it were the bolts go through it that would tighten it up? what do you guys think?

 

[lostboy]

09 m8 hcr steering post

bent?

snapped my post in half this weekend

at the weld

hopefully warrenty

 

[Frostbite]

Sorry dude. Do you plan to replace them with VSB bars or go to a fixed steering post?

Sell me your broken post if the upper porting is still functional. I have a project on another sled I want to try.

I rode another M8 demo this weekend. Not only were the VSB bars sloppy but they were tilted about 10to 15 degrees to the left. All day I felt like I was riding half tipped over, because I was.

Like I said earlier, I love the idea and if we can figure out how to make them work I'll keep them on my sled. If not, I'm getting a Fastline chrome molly steering post four inches taller than stock.