2011 PRO A ARMS BENT

[IceCap]

I really don't think the OEM a-arms are weak, like I said in a previous post I really couldn't bend the A-arm very much with two 42" prybars..... these things are freakin tough.
If you count how many sleds (PRO'S) have bent A-arms I don't think it is a epidemic.

Rather I see it as eager early season riders wanting to try out their new sleds.

I am one of those, I risk going out without a good base and I did hit a rock and it is my fault.
This is the first A-arm that I have ever bent in all the years of riding.

I understand that some riding areas never get a deep base and have more obstacles than other areas and those riders will go through more A-arms.

Now where are those backordered A-arms??

 

[snowmobiler]

i nailed a pinecone.

 

[actionfigurejoe]

Oh I'm sorry you two! I thought readers, owners, and interested observers wouldn't mind another person's EXPERIENCED opinion not unlike your posts on your experiences and personal theories!

Just like you I was interested in the conversation and just like you wanted to ad my experience to the mix. I see that you feel like you are qualified to offer an experience and opinion but mine is somehow less valuable or exceptable to you. Enough so that you write a personal slam me and my work? WOW...hey fyi and just so you know. I thought that comment about watching where you are going was funny (irony wise). I've hit more stuff and smashed more parts then either of you will ever damage in three of your lifetimes combined. I'm always being told to quit hitting stuff. Have you ever heard the reference you are preaching to the choir? Well boys I'm the mormon tabernacle choir on this issue. THAT IS WHY I FOUND THAT COMMENT FUNNY.

Furthermore...Being a huge advocate of aftermarket parts including stronger chromoly arms and suspension parts (remember I break a lot of stuff)! I have nothing but aftermarket arms on all of my sleds. BUT I have not personally experienced enough impacts on this particular snowmobile design to come and this forum and state that sturdier chromoly arms are the answer. What if I recommended that and they somehow had negative effect on the more expensive aspects of the chassis in an accident? Personally I doubt they do and I took the risk myself on my personal equipment. I consider the comments that I make towards ALL LEVELS of consumers from experts to the totally inexperienced. Believe it or not a lot of folks read these threads and make decisions from my comments AND I TAKE TOTAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THOSE COMMENTS. The difference is that I see FACE TO FACE thousands of you consumers each year. I don't get the anonymity of the internet to hide behind.

carry on..Signed Fboob

"carry on.... Fboob" Haha. Please do. Your commentary is most appreciated.

 

[MX86]

Nailed things pretty damn hard today (not by choice) and still straight as an arrow, have scratches in my bashplate to prove some nice hits

 

[Rick!]

Nailed things pretty damn hard today (not by choice) and still straight as an arrow, have scratches in my bashplate to prove some nice hits

Obviously western rocks are waaayyyy tougher than sissy flatland rocks.

I think that one inch of hard weld in front of the carbide would do wonders...

 

[GMCRMK]

Ummm. I'd like to retract my previous post. I tacoed my left A-arm on a sidehill and f"n destoryed my right one today about a 1/4 mile later. Looks like I'm buying some aftermarket ones Monday. I prayed the first hit did no damage but the second hit would have crumpled any A or trailer arm. Not sure if it's weak A arms or early riding that's the fault. Either way, out comes the credit card.

 

[JohnnyH]

OH NO
I hope you have pics tomorrow

 

[jhurkot]

I've owned all 3 brands in the last 4 years. 07 summit 800, 08 rmk 700, 09 and 10 m8's. Here are a few things I've noticed.
07 skidoo: a-arms do not bend, change out your nun. Not a fun job.
08 rmk: I have never abused a sled like this before in terms of hitting rocks and trees. Obviously the direct impact on an arm will put a dent in it or bend it. The nice thing is that when you wreck a lower arm the top arm is usually fine as it is on a heim joint.
09 cat - these a arms will take a fair bit of abuse and are as strong as the polaris in terms of a direct hit. If you do bend one you're changing upper and lower because there is no wiggle room like on the Polaris. You also need to buy the bolt and bushing kit as they can be a pain to remove from the bent arms.
2011 assault demo - wheelied into a 10 foot by 10 foot hole at 40mph and came to a dead stop. Thought I wrecked the bulkhead but lower a arm was bent. Liked how easy it is to change on the new chassis with all the nuts easy to hit with an impact.

 

[GMCRMK]

Carnage pics

First rock hiding under the snow. Bent left A arm. Hanging out. No pic of the rock that bent the right one but it is toast. The spindle was hitting the upper arm so had to beat on it with a rock so I could turn to the left. Still a great weekend of riding! ZBroz getting installed tonight.

 

[AKSNOWRIDER]

First rock hiding under the snow. Bent left A arm. Hanging out. No pic of the rock that bent the right one but it is toast. The spindle was hitting the upper arm so had to beat on it with a rock so I could turn to the left. Still a great weekend of riding! ZBroz getting installed tonight.

well at least you did it with style...we did some tree riding this weekend..bounced mine off a couple of stumps...boys figured for sure mine were bent..looked at home last night...look cherry still although i had a ski tip tweeked inward about an inch..nothing a floor jack sitting on it overnight shouldnt fix though...but I agree..these arms are a little weak..mine will get holz or z bros when i do bend em..

 

[pxmk03]

The wife and I went through five a-arms in two months in 2008, after buying all the a-arms from every part house in the area, I did have enough.

A few scrap pieces of UHMW and some hose clamps, and we have not lost another a-arm, hit plenty of rocks and stumps, even an old trailer in Petersville but no lost a-arms.

I am of the opinion the damage comes to the lower rear most arm, as it gets hooked on whatever the first tube passed over. Fully compress your front end and look at how low that rear tube is now below the front tube.....

My IQ solution fit alright on the new PROS, but I am redoing them tomorrow, for a better fit, they make look cheesy, but I am not wanting to wait out one single weekend in the winter for another a-arm.

i have an 08 with 2000 miles all mountian riding, and this year i was out early and caught a rock on the down hill side just creeping along and i finaly bent one. I think it's how and when your riding that is getting you....imo

 

[Norway]

i have an 08 with 2000 miles all mountian riding, and this year i was out early and caught a rock on the down hill side just creeping along and i finaly bent one. I think it's how and when your riding that is getting you....imo

You might be on to something! BTW, what kind of carbides do these Pro's have? Can they catch in a bad way explaining some of this?

Fbomb: change your name to Fboob (preferably Fboobs) and I'll definately come check out your products!!

RS

 

[ak49er]

Preventative Maintenance

I did this mod , after spending much money on IQ A-Arms.

The A-Arm is the sacrificial piece, like a shear bolt in a snow-blower, IMO

The REV's lost a Nun (Main Bulkhead/Front Suspension Mount) Piece on what maybe the IQ/PRO just loses an A-Arm. Many hours with pulling the motor vs just a few minutes to replace and realign.

Not a big deal in my book, If they are readily available.

Since there not and I can't afford to run around with a selection of spares....

Here's my wall of dead ones.....


The Skid Plates are from the IQ Chassis, I have a piece of red UHMW to match up to the red skid plate.



BTW, I remember the REV Summit riders were actually cross-drilling thier A-Arms, so that they would fail before the "Flying Nun" or main bulkhead assembly would fail....

 

[aadougie]

What have you people done with all the A-Arms... Anybody got one recently since they were backordered?

 

[sonday_2]

Here my reforcments to the stockers..

 

[Arcteryx]

Zbroz

What have you people done with all the A-Arms... Anybody got one recently since they were backordered?

Ordered Zbroz. Then sold off my other good Polaris a arm to someone else that needed one. It brought the cost of my zbroz arms down $120 bucks so far and more when/if I sell the upper a arms.

 

[GMCRMK]

Ordered Zbroz. Then sold off my other good Polaris a arm to someone else that needed one. It brought the cost of my zbroz arms down $120 bucks so far and more when/if I sell the upper a arms.

Ditto here but I didn't have any good lower ones left .

I tell you what though, the stock A arms did their job. One bend was questionable but the other was a rock collision and it destroyed the lower A arm. Even though I couldn't turn left until I beat the A arm with a rock to straighten, everything else was amazingly still straight. I think for sure it would have totaled an XP nun.

I hope the Zbroz will know when to fold 'em too!

Oh, and BTW I was looking where I was going but these rocks, they tend to hind under stuff.

 

[skibreeze]

I picked up some tubing that the inner diameter is the same as the outer diameter of the A arm and the same thickness. I then cut the tubing into 3" lengths and then cut it in half lengthwise. I then cut a slit where the support plate joins the tube. I did this so I could get the 1/2 sleeve over the spot where the stock tube always bends. I just scribed where I wanted it and then ground off the powder coat, welded on the 1/2 sleeve and repainted it. I haven't gotten a chance to ride with these yet, but I am hoping that it will make them stronger without going too far. It is a Pita, but I have the time to try and see how it works. I wanted to go this route simply because I didn't want to buy any wider A arms and definitely don't want to have to buy entire sets.

Tagged a rock yesterday that I'm sure would have bent an A arm. My upgrade looks to have done the job.

 

[Norway]

sign me up in the club, lol

First ride yesterday, two hours total. Hit rock on slow left sidehill with ski and bent the lower arm slightly. Left ski is about 3/8" behind right ond and lower arm has a slight arc to it. Some cracked paint so you clearly see something happened.

I'll ride for a while longer since the bend is so small. Will start to look for a stronger option or look into making something myself.


My take is the ski/Saddle is, at least partly, to blame. On my hit, the ski should have helped the arm survive by sliding up and Ove the rock.

If the rubber in the saddle had been stronger and the ski had not been
allowed to tip so far upp, it would have forced the ski to lift it over the rock more. Now the ski tipped way up and all the force was directed to the arm via the spindle.

My thoughts anyway.

Rune

 

[Arcteryx]

Oh, and BTW I was looking where I was going but these rocks, they tend to hind under stuff.

LMAO!