Rebuildable Polaris Steering How-To

[spot]

This is a HOW-TO for installing a fully rebuildable steering system for a Polaris ATV. This is a custom-made kit with rebuildable larger and stronger heim joints to replace the stock tie rod ends. The fabricator is looking to guage interest in this kit.

List of parts:
- 2 steel mounting plates
- 2 LH-thread heim joints
- 2 RH-thread heim joints
- 2 10mm x 60mm bolts
- 2 3/8" x 2 1/2" bolts
- 2 10mm nuts
- 2 3/8" nuts
- 2 1 1/16" spacers

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How-To:
1. Remove tires.

2. Detach steering linkage from both sides. You will need to keep the stock bolt and washers from the steering arm side.

3. Measure steering rod centre to centre distance between stock tie rods.

4. Remove stock tie rods from steering rod.

5. Cut approx. 1/4" off each end of stock steering rod - remaining length should be 10 3/4" - 11" (new stronger steering rods can be fabricated if desired, but to date we have never seen one break or bend).

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6. Install new heim joints on newly cut ends of steering rod (use anti-seize compound to make adjustment easier) - screw heim joints all the way on then back both sides off equally until centre to centre distance matches previous noted measurement.

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7. Find the 2 3/8" holes on the mounting plates that are the closest together. Line these up with the holes on the stock steering bracket, placing one mounting plate on top of the upper piece of the stock steering bracket, and the other below the lower piece, with the 1 1/16" spacer in between. Bolt together with the 3/8" bolts and nuts.

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[spot]

8. Attach the steering rod to the new bracket with one of the 10mm bolts and nuts, placing the wider heim joint on this end.

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9. Attach other end of steering rod to stock steering arm using the stock bolt, placing the two stock washers between the heim joint and the steering arm surface.

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10. Tighten all mounting bolts, leaving the jam nuts on the steering rod loose.

11. Do wheel alignment.

12. Tighten jam nuts.

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If you have any questions, please post.

["Bankrupt"]

looks like good idea... but i must add one thing.

moving the tierods away from the steering post like the kit does would make turning big tires even harder than when its stock. it will allow you to turn the tires sharper but it will make it a bit harder.

i know the bracket is needed because the diam of the heim joints is larger than the stock joints so theres no real way of avoiding it.

[PolBug]

How will those heim joints hold up against dust? Also, those joints being bigger, could you still mount them below the strut casting to avoid rubbing the tires when turning wider than stock tires? I guess not, because on one picture, you can see the tie-rod almost rubbing against the hose.

["Bankrupt"]

you can see the tie-rod almost rubbing against the hose.

thats a super simple fix.

[Riven]

It should give you more leverage to turn the weels but will have a larger turning rad.
I was thinking of a similar thing taken from the Easy Steer Kit from http://www.quadovator.com/817905.html
Theirs monts to the struts but i was looking at the steering post.

Here is the easy-steer kit
http://inlinethumb25.webshots.com/20248/2017328250084649699S600x600Q85.jpg
I like the set up. & those parts should be much cheeper than popo joints. How much for the kit?

[Rubberdown]

Spot, it must have been you that gave those guys me name and e-mail, thanks dude, I appreciate it.

Guys, i think I am getting a set for testing on my machine, I might be adding these to my list of products as sort of a distibutor for these guys. We have not finalized pricing just yet but once I test them, I will let you know what I thought of them.

["Bankrupt"]

It should give you more leverage to turn the weels

actually, moving the tierods away from the steering post will make it harder. moving them closer would make it easier.

now its just the opposite at the tire. moving it closer to the center of the strut would make it harder but moving it away from the strut (like the kit you show) makes it easier.

it may sound backwards but thats how it works.

[BIG_T]

Changing the steering like that is going to increase bump steer, increase steering effort, and screw with alignment on turns. It would cause some big issues on trail bikes, I think. Mudding might be ok, but I wouldn't do it on anything that goes fast

[800Stealth]

I think the Heim joints are a good idea, nice and strong, but moving the mounts away from the stem is going to give the wheels an awful lot of leverage to feed back though the bars. Nice set of tie rods for someone who is able to cut the stock mounts off of the stem and weld on the wider mounts the correct distance from the stem.