Back from trip with my new brute

bobcat54s · July 15th, 2010, 04:04 PM

Well I just got back from my 4 wheeler trip to Colorado with my "new" 05 brute 750. I took the sway bar off before I went and set all suspension to the softest preload setting. Over-all was pretty happy with the 4 wheeler. It was cold blooded as all get out the very first morning, but seemed to improve the second morning. It ran really well even at 11,000 feet with stock jetting (maybe just a little popping on deceleration). Minuses- 1. wasn't very happy with steering effort. Felt my arms and hands burning during windy, rough trails. 2. Seemed like there was a lot of feedback through the handlebars- you felt every bump and rock on the trail. 3. The front end seemed very bouncy in certain sections, like it would just hop up and down. 4. Brute seemed to push in corners, steering seemed a little sketchy- I believe a lot of this is the stock tires. Like I said, I was pretty happy with it over all, I would just like to see if I could correct my minuses above, as cheaply as possible.

NMKAWIERIDER · July 15th, 2010, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobcat54s

Well I just got back from my 4 wheeler trip to Colorado with my "new" 05 brute 750. I took the sway bar off before I went and set all suspension to the softest preload setting. Over-all was pretty happy with the 4 wheeler. It was cold blooded as all get out the very first morning, but seemed to improve the second morning. It ran really well even at 11,000 feet with stock jetting (maybe just a little popping on deceleration). Minuses- 1. wasn't very happy with steering effort. Felt my arms and hands burning during windy, rough trails. 2. Seemed like there was a lot of feedback through the handlebars- you felt every bump and rock on the trail. 3. The front end seemed very bouncy in certain sections, like it would just hop up and down. 4. Brute seemed to push in corners, steering seemed a little sketchy- I believe a lot of this is the stock tires. Like I said, I was pretty happy with it over all, I would just like to see if I could correct my minuses above, as cheaply as possible.

Well, you need:

1. To get rid of those stock tires and wheels and get some good radials
2. Get yourself a good steering stabilizer. I have the most expensive but others do almost as well
3. Set the shocks back to at least half way toward the stiff setting and..
4. Put the swaybar back on with urthane bushings.

She I'll feel like a sport bike and your arms and shoulders will thank you at the end of the day.

Slumlord · July 15th, 2010, 05:41 PM

100% agreed with the suggested improvements. Make sure you don't have too much air in the tires either. I run 5-6 in mine but don't have the rocks. If I was in more rocky area like you and NWKAWIERIDER I would prob be running 3-4.

NMKAWIERIDER · July 15th, 2010, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slumlord

100% agreed with the suggested improvements. Make sure you don't have too much air in the tires either. I run 5-6 in mine but don't have the rocks. If I was in more rocky area like you and NWKAWIERIDER I would prob be running 3-4.

You know what's funny is that that was true with my XTRs bit with these Bajas, they grip better and ride just as good at 5-6 pounds. I was at 4 riding with SWBF, but it was sliding some on some uphill shale stuff and on the sand hills I have on the west side. Picked it up to 6 and it helped a lot. Put a little bow in the tread face and focused a little more pressure in the center instead of spreading it all out across that wide flat surface...I guess. Not the best soft-stuff tire I ever had but sure are tough and ride nice..and they are great on rocky stuff and hard pack.

Coolwizard · July 16th, 2010, 10:50 AM

It is amazing how much tires and air pressure make on ride quality. I know with my Big Horns I only run 4 pounds for the trail and it's just right but with only 4 pounds on pavement it gets scary!

Slumlord · July 16th, 2010, 03:45 PM

On a Brute kicked wide open all tires and all pressures get's pretty scary!!! Been ditch to ditch a couple times tryin to shut it down.

BrianMc · July 16th, 2010, 07:43 PM

2psi front, 1psi rear in my 27" swamplites. no sway bar..and shocks set at the softest. rides nice and squishy and climbs anything. the suspension twists real nice in the sloooow technical trails

Slumlord · July 16th, 2010, 11:11 PM

WoW, that's low! I have rolled a couple tires off the rim at 4. No way I could make it at one and two. I also have 27 swamps, HD highlifter springs set at max and sway bar on... I work this puppy pretty hard, me and 350lbs of corn traveling through pretty rough terrain to fill deer feeders. pulling 16ft trailer full of lumber through woods and trails to build stands etc... Rolled tires off rim going through LA swamp mud, got sideways and hit something solid like stump or root...

BrianMc · July 17th, 2010, 08:53 PM

i rolled the beads off before with aftermarket wheels...never ever before with stock wheels.

NMKAWIERIDER · July 17th, 2010, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrianMc

i rolled the beads off before with aftermarket wheels...never ever before with stock wheels.

I can pop the tires off my aftermarket rims easly with my hand tire machine but when I tried to get the stockers of the stock rims, I had to beef it up and it still made me think I was going to have to cut them off. I thought they had glued them on at the factory but I think its just good tight beeds.