Wicked Product's A-arms - Bluetraxx.com

Wicked Product's Extended A-arms

When we first started our quest of making our 2003 Raptor handle better in a motocross environment, one of the first modifications we chose to do was to make the front of the quad wider and lower. We needed an A-arm that would give an extra 2 inches in length on each side while also being super-strong and durable on the track, where huge jumps and rough sections of "whoops" were common. Of course a great price wouldn't hurt either, so we first turned to Wicked Products, which manufactures +2" wider and +1" forward A-arms for the Raptor along with most other makes of sport ATVs. After talking with them on the phone and learning a bit more about them, we placed our order for a red powdercoated set, which comes with everything you need including longer tie-rods.

The Wicked Products A-arms arrived quickly and after inspecting them we were very pleased with the initial looks. The red powdercoating finish seems very durable and looks like a quality job. All welds looked proffesional, and the "Wicked Products" chrome logo sticker on the front of each of the lower A-arms is a nice touch. Wicked Products claims that every part of their A-arms, not just the tubing, is made from 4130 chrome molly steel; the collars, shock mounts, tie-rods...everything! The caster and camber adjustable upper A-arms use aircraft-quality Heim joints that ride on polished 6160 T-6 aluminum spacers. The hardened forged steel balljoints are very beefy and include snap rings on the top and bottom to hold in grease. The lower A-arms came equipped with tough Delron bushings already installed, which was nice since they are claimed to be "maintenance-free". Because of this, grease fittings were not used, but we feel some riders would have still appreciated the feature.

Installing the A-arms was pretty easy, except for one step. Our shocks wouldn't fit in the lower A-arm's shock mounts just slightly, which is a pretty common occurrence with aftermarket A-arms, due to the thick powdercoated finish. A little grinding of our shock's bushings and we were back in business. All other aspects of the installation went smoothly and quickly, and there is no need to ream your spindles with these A-arms. After some fine-tuning adjustments we were ready to roll our Raptor out and take it for a spin. You can notice the added width right off the bat, as the machine will not "2-wheel" as easily as before in tight turns. While riding you feel like you can go faster easier, and it definitely gives a confident feeling on landings from big jumps. Of course our new triple-rate shocks which we installed at the same time helped too.

After riding with these new A-arms from Wicked Products for a few weeks now, we couldn't be happier with our choice. The strength is there, the adjustability is there, the good-looks are there, and most of all, the price is there! Our powdercoated +2", +1" A-arms were an astounding value at only $450! They are also available un-painted (bare metal) for only $395, or chrome-plated for $575, still under $600 where most A-arms start in price. Also, they make A-arms for a wide variety of Sport ATVs, and even come in +3" lengths. If you're in the market for super-strong, high-quality extended A-arms at an almost unbelievable price, we honestly feel that you won't find a better deal anywhere. At the time this article is being written, their A-arms can only be purchased online at Ebay, or by giving them a call at 417-695-2124. Their customer support is really great, and will answer any other questions you might have.

Prices Updated (Oct. '07):
Bare-$400, Powdercoated-$450

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Scale: 1=terrible, 2=poor, 3=fair, 4=very good, 5=excellent