Lightweight A Arms - Worth it and Best Way to go

[Frostbite]

Lightweight A Arms - Worth it, and Best Way to go?

If one were looking to purchase aftermarket lightweight chrome moly A arms, what brands hold up the best?

Which A arms are the best bang for the buck?

What width is best for boondocking?

Some of the A arms I have been looking at include some from BDX, Alternative Impact, Cutler, Fastlane, Iceage, Skid, Supreme tool, Holz, Van Amberg, Zbroz, and others.

What are you guys seeing?

 

[fasta76]

From what ive herd Not worth it unless you bend your stockers for the little loss you get! Unless $$ is not and issue!!

 

[JHG]

Save your money. Upgrade when you pile up what you've got. Just my .02.

 

[ripsass]

I just had all mine off for powder coating. Noticed that they can't be more than 6-8 lbs already.
Pretty sure that durability is going to suffer big time it you lighten them up any from the way they already are. And as light as they are stock, I can't imagine there's much loss to be had there.

 

[Bearcat]

I have no experience of aftermarket arms. But I think there's no sens paying so much $ just for 1 or 2 lbs weight saving (someone said not possible even that)?

BUT replacing whole front end may be worth of something? Stock spindles feels very heavy so there's lot of potential to reduce weight. But again, are those 5-6 lbs worth the $ - depends on your wallet

 

[sled-fiend]

West Coast Sleads

Hey Frostbite this is probably the route I would go. Saves 7 pounds apparently. Same design as Holz (they stopped making M-series A-arms).

http://www.snowest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=156678&highlight=arctic

Also keep in mind when you take weight off any moving part on your sled it is much more noticeable. 6 or 7 pounds off your suspension is alot different than 5 or 6 pounds off your seat, tunnel, plastics etc.

 

[RichardCranium]

chromolly is lighter and stronger but much more expensive, I always wondered if the a arms are stronger and you smack something hard if you are more apt to bend mounts or tweak bulkhead, arms transfer the impact instead of absorbing it.

 

[backcountryislife]

Hey Frostbite this is probably the route I would go. Saves 7 pounds apparently. Same design as Holz (they stopped making M-series A-arms).

http://www.snowest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=156678&highlight=arctic

Also keep in mind when you take weight off any moving part on your sled it is much more noticeable. 6 or 7 pounds off your suspension is alot different than 5 or 6 pounds off your seat, tunnel, plastics etc.

Ditto here, I like my holz & 6 lbs is a lot of weight for front of sled unsprung parts imo.

If you want to stick with stock 40" wide, I'd go with fastlane, about the same price & about the same weight.


One thing to keep in mind, you're not paying the whole amount unless your arms are toast, when I went from stockers to holz it cost me less than $150 to upgrade. $150 for 6 lbs is pretty decent in my book.

 

[SnowBound]

I am currently running the holz. I have seen the front end kits that West Coast Sleds makes and they are quality. Same design as holz but with some improvements. I would also wait till you trash your stockers. First month or so of season just barely covers the rocks.

 

[Frostbite]

Thanks guys!

That's great information, now what about width?

Isn't 40" the stock width?

I really don't see where going any wider would benefit boondocking, am I missing something here?

Maybe someone has a used set of Holz?

 

[thump426er]

when I went from stockers to holz it cost me less than $150 to upgrade.

WTH?? How'd you swing that deal? Or is that just the added cost over the same stock parts???

 

[TheOnlyBFC]

Ditto here, I like my holz & 6 lbs is a lot of weight for front of sled unsprung parts imo.

If you want to stick with stock 40" wide, I'd go with fastlane, about the same price & about the same weight.


One thing to keep in mind, you're not paying the whole amount unless your arms are toast, when I went from stockers to holz it cost me less than $150 to upgrade. $150 for 6 lbs is pretty decent in my book.

Another vote for the fastlane a-arms if you want to stay with the stock width. The fastlane arms come with new billet bushings as well which are very nice to have. As a couple people mentioned it's 6 pounds that isn't on the center of gravity on your sled so it makes a huge difference when you start throwing it around.

 

[Frostbite]

I'm finding I like the pricing and design of the below lightweight A arms. I will look at the westcoast A arm link again.

http://bd-xtreme.com/xtremeliteweightchromemolya-armsandskidarms40-2.aspx

http://www.alternativeimpact.com/Arctic Cat Chro-moly A-Arms.htm

http://www.zbrozracing.com/store/pr...ucts_id=178&osCsid=oil72hf4afpbotaejct4631eg3

 

[backcountryislife]

WTH?? How'd you swing that deal? Or is that just the added cost over the same stock parts???

Bought the new arms for $400, sold the full set of CF arms for $250 (they're badass hcr arms you know?!)

Pretty easy choice for me.

btw frosty, yeah, 40" is stock, Holz are 41. That inch isn't noticeable to me, but it allowed me to run 19" shocks so I have more travel than most sleds. I'm very happy with the front end setup on this sled.

 

[Speeedracer]

I really haven't seen many spindles around, other than Timbersleds....which I like but seem a lil crude. I'm liken the west coast parts....maybe we can sweet talk them in to some proto-type spindles like the other models?!?!