We have all gone through it at least once. You see that turn and think, "I can hold this speed through it." You start your turn leaning to the inside and then it happens. Your momentum makes your quad start to two-wheel through the corner and carries you with it. You get pitched off like a city boy on the baddest bull at the rodeo.
So how can you fix it? One solution is to buy wheel spacers or flip your wheels around to give you a wider stance. The downfall? You get more bump-steer by putting more pressure on the wheel outside of the spindle. This will also accelerate the wear and stress on certain suspension components causing them to be more prone to breakage. But there is a better way to gain stability and reliability.
With a slew of aftermarket suspension companies nowadays, the biggest determining factor is how much money you want to shell out of your pocket.
You can spend megabucks and get the stuff that the top racers in the world run, or you can search for companies that offer sport-model A-arm kits and axles. Does what you're going to buy meet the type of riding you do? That's the million-dollar question.
We here at ATV Rider are fairly aggressive riders and want to set up our 2007 YFZ450 to handle anything we throw at it. That's why we went to Laeger's Suspension for a set of its 2-inch wider A-arms. Since longer A-arms require longer brake lines, we called Streamline for a set of lines and clamps. Installing these components is fairly simple. All you need is time, patience and a clean working area. In no time you'll be flying through the corners like you were on rails!
Skill level
Medium. If you can grease A-arm bushings during service, you can install these arms.
Tools Required
Basic wrench/socket set, torque wrench, ball joint removal tool, medium-sized hammer, punch, 2 tiedowns and a tape measure.
Time
Taking time to get it done right will take 4-5 hours.
Summary
Some people will take longer than others, but this is something that can be done with time and patience in the confines of your garage.
 First, open up your boxes...  First, open up your boxes and check the inventory of all your parts. There is nothing worse than getting near completion and realizing that something is missing. Once you're done inspecting the parts, put your bike up on a stand and remove the front wheels and front fender. Taking off the fender helps make it easier to work around the machine and to run your new brake lines later in the procedure. |  Loosen the tie-rod locknuts...  Loosen the tie-rod locknuts and pull the cotter pins from all four ball joints. Take off the ball joint nuts, and with a ball joint removing tool, press the ball joints out of the spindle. |  |
 |  |  Once you have done this, you...  Once you have done this, you can unthread the tie-rod from the ends and the spindle will be free. Be sure to mark which side each spindle goes to as you set it aside. |
 With the hardest part out...  With the hardest part out of the way, now you can start removing the arms themselves. Take out the bottom shock bolts and the two lower A-arm bolts. Remove the upper A-arm bolts and carry the arms to the bench. |  The new arms from Laeger's...  The new arms from Laeger's require you to use the stock dust caps, plastic bushings and steel pivot pins. If you have an older machine, this may be a good time to replace these parts. If the quad is fairly new, gently remove them using a punch and hammer and clean them up. |  With everything cleaned and...  With everything cleaned and replaced if necessary, you're ready to put it back together. Gently tap the plastic bushings into the new A-arms, grease the pivot pins and reinstall those as well. If something is reluctant to go in, double-check it. Everything should go in with minimal effort. Finish it off by putting the dust caps back on, and we're ready to hang the arms. |
 |  |  |