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High speed handling = a hand full

2K views 17 replies 11 participants last post by  kawiprairie700 
#1 ·
I have had my brute for many years now and have never pushed it as hard as I did yesterday in PA.

We were riding some access roads to the windmills (loose gravel kinda road) and was ripping down it anywhere between 50-60 (not sure if the speedo is even close with the bigger tires) and man did the brute dance around allot.

I could kick the tail out at 50 with a little extra gas (was only WOT a few times, mainly 3/4) and the front danced a bit. I know the bighorns have a tendency to push in the turns at high speed but never realized it was that bad.

I could not imagine riding that fast with the stock offset rims/tires and no stabilizer.

I don't ride like that normally thank god

Any other mods recommend to address this other than Elkas and new tires?
(I have been thinking of picking up a vforce for the fast stuff and keeping the brute for utility work and rocky/technical riding)
 
#4 ·
alot of times the alignment is knocked out and nobody pays attention. kawi says zero toe in but i set it at maybe a quarter inch in, sort of a car racer trick, handles alot better that way. because the parts are preloaded for the turn. if you drive a car that is set at zero you really feel the darty-ness. plus big squishy atv tires just dont ride fast well. you can bump your pressures up a lb or two if you intend on temporarily riding that way.
 
#5 ·
Thanks for the tips, I know I have one tie rod end with some slop, just need to order new ones, I will check the alignment when I change them out and tow the front in a little.

On a side note, do you think the entry level Elka's would be okay with plow and utility duties?
 
#7 ·
The reason people don't answer questions about Elkas is because you can find what ever you're looking for if you put a little effort into searching the subject before you post
 
#16 ·
Using the s each function is obviously the first step .. duh
It's after that that you post .... kinda elementary fourm practice. It's after that when you don't get replies it's frustrating.
 
#8 ·
I also run Big Horns but have no issues on gravel. Last weekend I was running 68 without issues. I run the fronts with close to 10 psi in them. This helps to keep them from "rolling" when I corner hard. Trails or sand and then they get aired down. But seems to run good on gravel with 10. Maybe give that a shot.
 
#10 ·
I have the same issues on those windmill gravel roads . My front end feels like its on ice at high speeds on the gravel roads . The rear feels like it floats sometimes too . It could be due to too much toe in .
 
#12 ·
Was that for me?

If it was, I have my sway bar still in, and have higher offset wheels already.

The best way to explain it is the quad feels like is floating over the terrain, it was not a straight road by any means, lots of ups/downs and turns.

I had the tires at 5psi.
 
#14 · (Edited)
The best way to explain it is the quad feels like is floating over the terrain, it was not a straight road by any means, lots of ups/downs and turns.[/QUOTE]

What you just described, sounds like normal characteristics of riding an atv on loose gravel at speed. I've had several instances where my Atv's have "floated" when I was riding at speed on gravel...
 
#15 ·
What you just described, sounds like normal characteristics of riding an atv on loose gravel at speed. I've had several instances where my Atv's have "floated" when I was riding at speed on gravel...[/QUOTE]

That's what I thought. Its normal. You can get the same sensation in an auto by driving fast on gravel.
I can slide my rear end at those speeds on gravel with my body let alone the throttle on atv.
 
#18 · (Edited)
Brutes never handle well at speed, they are too tall and narrow. They need to be widened a few inches and lowered. ATVTVCOM tried that a few years ago and it handled much better than stock. They got a set of works shocks custom made, they widened it and lowered it. Aftermarket shocks will do the job fine, it just costs lots of money. A set of 1 or 2" wheel spacers on each wheel should help, unless you want to spend the money for aftermarket shocks.
 
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