RE: wider blaster for under $250.00

[Rush]

Hey guys...Just to give you an update, I bought that Widening Kit off ebay.
Like this: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Yamah...QQcmdZViewItem

Anyhow, after dealing with them and addressing some of the concerns that were expressed in the thread, I got this reply from them... thought it might give everyone a bit more info on what they are selling. I'll also let everyone know, my experience after mounting them and a good ride.

Comment from Diamond J Customs:

"Safety is the most important thing to us. We're the mechanical engineers that came up with this idea, and have been testing these for a couple of years now. We have build computer models of the design, and have analyzed the components to make sure they are as strong as the parts they are bolting to. The plates we use are 1/4" thick versus the mounts on the frames that are 1/8" thick. Our analysis has found that the forces through the upper a-arms are about one tenth the forces that go through the lower a-arms and the upper shock mounts. Even in the forward/aft direction (like hitting a tree) you have many plates in the design spread out over a 10" width picking up these forces. The weekest link is still probably your tie rods or tie rod ends. We've done our share of hitting trees racing GNCC and have done our share of jumping as we race motocross. As for weight, the Blaster kit weighs about 10 pounds, and that compares to extended a-arms that add about 6 pounds typically because they are not only longer, but thicker. We include grade 5 hardware, which is more than adequate for the loads involved in this "double shear" stress application."

Anyone that wants to send a question our way, is welcome to. Our email is DiamondJCustoms@yahoo.com

Thanks for your business!!
Diamond J Customs

[MaineExport]

Well... they sell the product... what would you expect them to say about it?

My biggest concern isn't the strength of the components (although that is still very questionable), it is the fact that its design increases the effect of bump steer. I like this idea MUCH better than wheel spacers... I give it plenty of credit in that regard. It doesn't alter the suspension travel in any appreciable way, but it might drastically alter the steering manners since the pivot point of the A-arms is moved out several inches off center. I also race GNCC... I think it's a reasonable alternative to wheel spacers, and a product that might be of some value to a low budget amateur racer, but you will never see a pro riding with these.

I would really like to ride a Blaster with the kit installed... I know the theory involved, but I would like to experience the ride so I could have a first hand opinion on how it actually affects handling. It would be interesting to see if the added width of the front end improved handling enough to compensate for the squirrely effects of bump steer.

[Rush]

I would actually be willing to bet since your a moderator (or any other moderator/admin of this site) that you could get a free set..that is if you have a blaster avialable to mount them on. Your experience in riding would prolly mean alot to many here..and if they hold up to the your test, or whoever's..that review would only do good for sales...granted they didnt fall apart. If you would like me to contact them agian about this just shoot me a pm. I would be interest to hear what real experienced riders would say..before i use mine for anything other than the casual riding i mostly do.

[MaineExport]

I'd be willing to rock this kit on my ice racer for sure, and I'd still like to try it on the trails a few times to get the feel for how it affects handling. I might just shoot them an email and see if they're interested in providing a kit for my "professional" (hah... not quite) scrutiny.

[Kane]

They just might jump on that train. I would. So far, they only seem to be on Ebay. Havent seen em in any catalog. You'd be spreading the news, as it were.

[MaineExport]

Here is part of what they replied to me when I asked them about the bump steer issue. It sounds like they do their homework at least:

from Lee at Diamond J. Customs

"Its good to hear from you. You are correct that bump steer is affected. We can tell exactly how much actual bump steer is created by the kit, using our computer models. Each ATV's geometry is different, so the numbers vary a little with each model. Stock ATV's all have some amount of bump steer from the factory. The 400ex was the model that the most analysis was done on, and using the computer model of that setup, we found the factory bump steer was around 3.5 to 4.0 degrees of bump steer from the factory, and it increased to around 7 degrees with our kit. Not one single customer has complained that they noticed increased bump steer after installing our widening kits, although we do occasionally notice it when we race. We think this trade-off versus the cost of custom a-arms is acceptable for most customers that don't want to invest that much in their suspension.

You can tell anyone on your site, that if they mention your site and this discount, we will give them an additional $25 off the purchase price of a widening kit (even if they use the auction format items). This includes you, if you choose to give it a try. This sounds more fair to us, because it spreads the financial benefit out across anyone in your group.

I hope this answers your questions for now. Please let us know if you have more questions.

Thank you for promoting our sport, and providing a method for the riders to learn from each other.

We look forward to hearing more from you in the future.

So, there you have it. They have thought about the effects of bump steer, recognize the increased effect the kit creates, and in their opinion it's a reasonably small trade off considering the benefits. I would still like to try the kit out, I just can't justify the expense. They sent me this offer of $25 off should I decide to try it out, which is certainly generous... but if I'm spending money on one of my Blasters, it's gonna be on A-arms. If they could cut it down to their manufacturing cost I might consider it for the sake of personal experience and the ability to share some first hand info with y'all!

[Rush]

well..in my case, i did the auction format for the kit that i won. I won it at $147.00
now minus the $25.00 discount im getting the kit for $122.00.....I would say thats a great deal, the kit lets you choose 4.5" or 6" wider.
cant beat that with a stick!