FrankenSled... It's ALIVE!!!

2344 Views 18 Replies 5 Participants Last post by Guest, Jan 18, 2002

G

Discussion Starter · Jan 7, 2002

Hello everyone!

This weekend I had the first ride on my home-made experiment. "The experiment?" you ask? Known around here as FrankenSled...

I installed AWS5 A-Arms & shocks onto a AWS4 chassis. New arms are 2.5" longer per side, adding 5" of total width. Stock was 41", now it's a 46" stance. I had to fabricate some 3/8" spacers for the A-Arm's mounting location on the chassis, and weld the sway bar link bracket on the lower arm closer to the chassis by 3/4".

The AWS4 sled in question is a '98 ZRT 800. The AWS5 A-Arms came from a 2000 ZRT. The original owner tried to mow down a tree with it! Didn't work, tree won, sled dead! I bought the A-Arms, shocks & springs, steering tie rods & spindles for practically next to nothing.

I couldn't use the AWS 5 spindles, because the arm hole location on the AWS5 spindles threw off the geometry of the AWS4 chassis. I had to cut clearances in the AWS4 spindle to provide the clearance require by the longer travel of the AWS5 arms & shocks. Now the AWS4 spindle looks like the newer cutout ones on the latest Cats.

I also have a 5/8" square sway bar instead of the wimpy OEM 3/8" rod. After doing a few test runs, and dialing in the new setup, I can tell you that it works AWESOME!!!

This sled now corners flatter than anything I've ever driven since '67! Not to mention the abundant travel! The original travel was only something like 7". The current one is over 11".

But wait a minute... Now you'll say the AWS5 is only around 10" of travel. True. But this suspension is somewhat of a hybrid now, and things are a little different... I had to use the AWS4 spindles, the shock mounting locations are slightly higher up than on the AWS5 spindle. When I measure from the bumper down to the top of the spindle, the suspension does an 11" stroke. It would be an even higher number if I measure the bumper from the ground as the OEMs do.

So if any of you out there ever smash some front end arms & shocks on your AWS 4 machine, and you need to by repair parts, get the AWS5 arms & shocks if you can. I bought all the stuff used, with only 1000 miles on it for $150 Can. If you need help, I have pictures, and can tell you the exact stuff you need to know to get the geometry perfect.

Harry

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intendedacceleration

· #2 · Jan 7, 2002

Wow, that sounds really cool. I know I would love to see some pics from that! Ifyou want I can post them for you.

2002 Arctic Cat ZR 800 EFI

founding member of the Arctic Cat Mind Control Team......you will believe!!

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G

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jan 7, 2002

Alrighty then! I have 6 pictures, 4 of them are close-ups from different angles.

Harry

Edited by - harry on 18 Jan 2002 06:50:33

Sled_Dog

· #4 · Jan 9, 2002

that is prettty crazy. Wait till I get my Frankensled back. freaking 650 wildcat egnine strapped in a Jag AFS fan 440 fan cooled body

with a speedster track too. Had 44 mikunis on it when we got it till it kicked my dad's ass(well more like his shoulder SNAP) and then he put the smaller ones on.

G

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jan 9, 2002

Cooooool! Be sure to send some pics of the engine room when you get a chance. I'd like to see one of those shoehorned into that little sled.

What about the dual chimneys? It's pretty tight in that little belly pan. I guess you could always butcher the engine room a bit... Or maybe re-fab the pipes? That'd be no good though, you'd change the volume of the pipe, and it would be a mismatch for the exhaust shockwave. Nothing wrong with experimenting though...

As for the pics of my FrankenSled, I'm having trouble with the scanner. Buddy downstairs didn't have the time to scan the pics for me, so he gave me the scanner. It's an HP, but the USB feature doesn't work, never did. HP said none of these particular model's USB feature worked. So I decided to connect it to my machine via it's SCSI port. When I do that, the computer won't boot. The SCSI ID numbers are OK, and there's even a built-in terminator in the scanner, so it shouldn't cause a I/O conflict with my SCSI drives daisy-chained off the same SCSI card.

Oh well... I'm just going to give the scanner back to buddy downstairs, and wait till he has a few spare moments to scan the pics for me. As soon as that happens, you'll hear about it here, on this forum first, before anywhere else in the universe!!!

Reality is a figment of my imagination!

Harry

Edited by - harry on 17 Jan 2002 06:47:46

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intendedacceleration

· #6 · Jan 9, 2002

Well when you get the pics you can email them to me to post if you want.... [email protected] is my email address

2002 Arctic Cat ZR 800 EFI

founding member of the Arctic Cat Mind Control Team......you will believe!!

Edited by - intendedacceleration on 10 Jan 2002 12:19:41

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Sled_Dog

· #7 · Jan 9, 2002

the hoods air scoops were removed that is all I can really tell was done. The pipes have 1 ding in the one I can't tell of that was a clearance issue or just happened. I haven't seen the underhood of the sled in almost a year

we took it to some guy to fix it and he never did. He couldn't get it running and gave up on it. We are gonna go get it now that my sled is going going gone. My dad is also talking of trying to fit a Arctic Cat ETT suspension on it. I just shake my head at him and wait to see how he does it.

ZR600cce

· #8 · Jan 14, 2002

get some pics!!!!!!!!

intendedacceleration

· #9 · Jan 16, 2002

What the hell happened to my post with the pics? And Harry's response? P-man? Erick?

2002 Arctic Cat ZR 800 EFI

founding member of the Arctic Cat Mind Control Team......you will believe!!

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intendedacceleration

· #10 · Jan 16, 2002

7

Ok I saw the post about the server error.....here we go again

2002 Arctic Cat ZR 800 EFI

founding member of the Arctic Cat Mind Control Team......you will believe!!

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punkrock114

· #11 · Jan 17, 2002

I love the pic of the girl on the wall;o)

G

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jan 17, 2002

Yeah man... It's a '99 British SUN Calendar. A neighbor's wife was over, looked at the thing, and said "Your calendar is out of date."

I replied with "Calendar? It's a calendar??!?!!"

LOL!

Harry

punkrock114

· #13 · Jan 17, 2002

LOL looks like just the right size calender.

ZR600cce

· #14 · Jan 17, 2002

thats a pretty nice sled their that you built. oh yeah nice girl!

G

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jan 17, 2002

> thats a pretty nice sled their that you built.

Thanks, but sorry. I can't take credit for it. AC built the sled and the parts, I just had a crazy twisted brain dysfunction that led me to believe I can update the older chassis with current suspension parts by amputation and frankensteining it on.

Sometimes my mind gets out of control like that, and I end up with a wierd freakish monster. Oh well... At least it's 'funner'!

> oh yeah nice girl!

I agree!!! After having it for 3 years, I find out it's a calender!!! Damn! I never could see any writing or text on it, my eyes never seem to find any text whenever I look in that general direction.

Harry

intendedacceleration

· #16 · Jan 17, 2002

HAHA I didn't even notice that I was too busy looking at the sled! LOL!

2002 Arctic Cat ZR 800 EFI

founding member of the Arctic Cat Mind Control Team......you will believe!!

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G

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jan 17, 2002

Well... I hope someone out there who owns an AWS4 chassis will benefit someday, because of what I've done to the sled and posting the pics on this forum.

If any of you do have an AWS4 chassis, and plan to upgrade to AWS5 suspension, you'll need to know certain details to get the geometry perfect.

Without knowing these critical details, it won't work. You'll end up with unacceptable bump-steer, and bad camber angles, binding sway-bar links, etc.

It's not a straight bolt on. But it is easy if you know of the details ahead of time. That way, you can avoid the trial & error I went through. Just a note: The OEMs call this R&D!!! (just kidding!)

So if anyone out there wants to know the details, just ask me. I can e-mail you a short little list including spacer dimensions & locations, where to weld the swaybar link bracket, etc. If you're handy, you'll be able to do it no problem.

Harry

Edited by - harry on 18 Jan 2002 06:46:45

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paulxlt

· #18 · Jan 18, 2002

Thats a pretty slick set-up on the front end. I like the suspension on the sled too!

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Ride Snowmobiles; baseball, bowling, and golf require only ONE ball!!
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G

Discussion Starter · #19 · Jan 18, 2002

Yeah! Great performing machines to ride!!! Them high-speed racing machines are high maintenance though, and sometimes a little temperamental.

Sled on the other hand is OK too. But not nearly as much fun. Costs a lot less though.

Harry

Edited by - harry on 18 Jan 2002 08:03:28

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