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what would cause my front tires to turn almost 90 degrees?


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Riding the sand dunes this weekend, made a sharp turn to the right, and my right-front tire turned almost 90 degrees and the only thing stopping it from turning more was the inside of the tire wall hitting the A-Arm. My tires started acting more like snow plows; just about put me over the handle bars.

 

My first thought is the the tie-rod is too short. The bushings that connect on the end of tie rod seem to look okay, but then I'm not an expert on tie rods by any means.

 

Any help is appreciated!

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My wifes banshee does it too and a friend just noticed something that I hadn't... the steering stem bottom (where the tie rods mount) was bent and twisted!!

 

So check that too...

 

Your steering stem is probably twisted a bit or the stops are worn as stated above.

 

Another problem could be excessive toe out on your front wheels.Check the toe and make sure its within spec.You will be surprised how little adjustment will be needed to keep the rim from smacking the a-arm.

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Riding the sand dunes this weekend, made a sharp turn to the right, and my right-front tire turned almost 90 degrees and the only thing stopping it from turning more was the inside of the tire wall hitting the A-Arm. My tires started acting more like snow plows; just about put me over the handle bars.

 

My first thought is the the tie-rod is too short. The bushings that connect on the end of tie rod seem to look okay, but then I'm not an expert on tie rods by any means.

 

Any help is appreciated!

Kinda off topic but I noticed your a local.. Kinda-lol What dunes were you at this last weekend?

 

RIPPEN

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there is a steering stop down at the bottom of your steering stem. it is part of the frame, kind of a u-shaped piece. sometimes they get worn down or bent back.. look at that.. if that seems to be fine and the stops on the stem are hitting it ok, then you probably have a bent tie rod.

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Kinda off topic but I noticed your a local.. Kinda-lol What dunes were you at this last weekend?

 

RIPPEN

 

Ya, kinda local and kinda loco. I live in Denver area (Thornton) but I'm from UT and am there quite often. I ride Little Sahara more than I ride anything else. This past weekend I was up at Walden for the first time.

 

there is a steering stop down at the bottom of your steering stem. it is part of the frame, kind of a u-shaped piece. sometimes they get worn down or bent back.. look at that.. if that seems to be fine and the stops on the stem are hitting it ok, then you probably have a bent tie rod.

 

Ok, so I check the steering stop at the bottom of the steering stem. It seems to be stopping just fine and isn't bent. I did notice on the steering stem where the tie-rods connect that between the two tie rods connects there is a slight arch, is this normal?

 

Also, when I adjust the tie rods out a ways and make my shee "pigeon toed" it fixes the problem, but that isn't a fix I'm willing to live with.

 

How much flex should the rubber ends have on the tie rods? They seem to flex out a bit when it seems the tie rod should stop.

 

Thanks for all the help so far. Anything else?

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Ya, kinda local and kinda loco. I live in Denver area (Thornton) but I'm from UT and am there quite often. I ride Little Sahara more than I ride anything else. This past weekend I was up at Walden for the first time.

Cool, there were several of us off HQ that were up last weekend.. Would have been cool to meet up..

 

As for your problem, mine does it to once in a great while.. My stearing stem is fine and my tie rods arn't bent either.. Iam not sure even why mine does it but its so seldem I havn't paid much attention to it..

 

Now when you say your gretting movement out of the tie rod ends, how much? I get movement if I grab the tie rod and "rotate it" (like a twist throttle) but otherwise they are tight.. That movement your getting may be the problem.?. If so you can get a whole set of tusk tie rod end replacements pretty cheap... As far as the spot between the two tie-rods... I don't really see any arch on mine... It does kinda "level out" a bit from where it connects to the steering stem.. If that make any sence...

 

You can kinda see mine in this pic I took before the re-build..

 

RIPPEN

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Now when you say your gretting movement out of the tie rod ends, how much? I get movement if I grab the tie rod and "rotate it" (like a twist throttle) but otherwise they are tight.. That movement your getting may be the problem.?. If so you can get a whole set of tusk tie rod end replacements pretty cheap... As far as the spot between the two tie-rods... I don't really see any arch on mine... It does kinda "level out" a bit from where it connects to the steering stem.. If that make any sence...

 

You can kinda see mine in this pic I took before the re-build..

 

RIPPEN

Couldn't see the pic. I'll have to monkey some more with my tie rods and take a pic or two. I'm starting to lean toward the cause being the tie rod ends, but I'm not convinced that new ends will fix the problem yet.

 

 

has this problem ever happened when turning left?

It has happened several times when turning right, but only once when turning left. I can duplicate the problem though on either side with it in the garage. If I turn the wheel left or right and push on the tire a little, it will "give in" and go all the way to the A-Arm.

 

I'll see if I can take a couple pics. I'm stumped and don't want to start buying parts just to replace them to see if that will make it better.

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Every frame i have delt with or seen has that steering problem. The bad thing is if you ever take the steering assembly off the frame where it meets the stem you better have the Yamaha tool to take that lock washer off. Well not a actual lock washer it's like a bolt but good luck getting it out

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Every frame i have delt with or seen has that steering problem. The bad thing is if you ever take the steering assembly off the frame where it meets the stem you better have the Yamaha tool to take that lock washer off. Well not a actual lock washer it's like a bolt but good luck getting it out

wierd???? im looking at my clymer book and there is a cotter pin, castle nut ,washer,oil seal,collar,bearing,bearing retainer,and an other oil seal that holds it together?? why would u need a special tool fot that??unless u are talkin about the bearing retainer its self to take out the bearing??? that u need the special tool

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if your not careful, and put yout tir rods on upside down (yes im not shitting you try it) you will get the curse of the weird turning angles. it will look properly adjusted and straight when not turned, but the inside tire will almost always flop over to at lease 85 degrees vs the outside tire being at about 65? does this sound about right?

i alctually have put them on upside down and rode that way for a month before i took them off and put them on nuts up. problem solved? despite this. then inside tire still cuts more than the outside when turned either way but not nearly 85-90 degrees.

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