Two Questions

[DIRT286]

1. anybody have an aftermarket header, if so, was it worth it and which one? I have the HRC kit on my trx so im not planning on changing the silencer but maybe a header.

2. whats the deal with extended a-arms? i have read very little about them but dont really get it, i would assume that a wider and longer wheelbase (which is basically what they do) would make it handle better. anything else? again, who has em' and do you like em'.

[rpyfz450]

You might wind up waiting for an answer to your exhaust pipe question due to the fact it's very rare that people use aftermarket headers with stock mufflers. You may notice when a company sells a complete exhaust system and also a slip-on muffler, the mufflers are different in these two packages. This means, in general, an aftermarket head pipe is designed to work only with the aftermarket muffler that was designed for the complete system. On complete systems, where the header connects to the muffler is often a different diameter than the stock header, therefore these parts are not interchangeable with OEM.

The idea of having wider A-arms is to effectively lower an ATV's center of gravity which makes it less likely to roll over in fast turns. Greater resistance to rolling over is very desirable under all circumstances because it means you be able to carry more speed through turns. Unfortunately, a wider ATV becomes much more difficult to ride in tight woods. The racing limit on an ATV's width is 50".

"Wheelbase" is the distance between the front axle and the rear axle. This is a different dimension that an ATV's width. Having said that, yes, some A-arms will change the width and the wheelbase of your ATV. You'll see A-arms described as "+2,+1". What this means is the each A-arm will make your ATV 2 inches wider per side (4 inches overall) and place the axle 1 inch forward, making your wheelbase longer.

Increasing the wheelbase of your ATV is often done to improve straight line driving or to compensate for a front/rear imbalance in the chassis. On early trx450rs, a longer wheelbase is desired, but the length is added to the swingarm to reduce the ATV's tendency to wheelie. This shifts the ATV's center of gravity forward to keep the front end down. The 2006 450r has a longer swingarm right from the factory. Reducing an ATV's wheelbase improves low speed steering response, but I haven't heard of too many people reducing the wheelbase to any 450. Later model Bombardier DS650 models have a shorter swingarm than previous years because that machine was reported to be too difficult to wheelie over obstacles. When it comes to wheelbase changes, bigger isn't always better so you'll want advice from others who have the same ATV as yourself.

[tuze]

I HAVE A SPARKS RACING EXHAUST ON MY TRX450,ITS AWESOME IF IT WAS NOT SO DAMM LOUD,WELL THATS WHAT THE WIFE SAYS BUT I DO LOVE IT!!!

[DIRT286]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (tuze @ Nov 29 2005, 03:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I HAVE A SPARKS RACING EXHAUST ON MY TRX450,ITS AWESOME IF IT WAS NOT SO DAMM LOUD,WELL THATS WHAT THE WIFE SAYS BUT I DO LOVE IT!!![/b]

I love the hrc kit, it sounds bad ass and its a monster, i paid for it so im not planning on putting a new exhaust on i was just wondering if a header would increase power even more. I dont think an aftermarket muffler would be much better if at all than what I have now.

As for the suspension, that was a great answer, and looks like i wont be trying to get my hands on that anytime soon. I dont race and that would make it harder to put in the truck with a bike.