Aluminum trailing arms

sleddineinar

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Dec 13, 2007
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2,609
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Ramsey Minnesota, United States
Someone on here was making or maybe thinking of making replacable trailing arm rods. The kind like Mountain Performane of Fabcraft makes. I have a Mtn Max with these and the aluminum shafts are bending, I don't know the brand, but the shaft measures 34-1/4" long and 1" OD with a swedged end where it connects to the tunnel. I was wondering if I could find these somewhere. Fabcraft & Mtn Performance want 150/130 for a pair. Seems high when I can find the matial for thses shaft but not swedged for about $10 a pc.
 

First off you need to know which head you have as fabcraft and mpi use different diameter tubes. Most the early fabcraft arms the tubes were epoxied in and near impossible to swap short of sending them back to fab. Mpi for some reason thought it would be a good idea to mill the tubes slightly to fit the heads, so even if you found a tube that close in diameter, they will need to be turned to fit the heads.

Both brands coped the tube ends to fit the against the spindle tube.
 
Unknown who made these, but I know the tube is 1" OD and just slides into the head. I don't see any milling done to fit into the head, it looks smooth. I have one spare that came with the sled, but both tubes on the sled are bent, so I need at least one more, but would like to get two, just to always have a spare.
 
Possibly sno-tek? I have a pair of chromoly arms (non replaceable shafts) that look exactly like that and I was told they were sno-tek. I wonder if someone modified them by cutting them and getting smaller diameter aluminum tube to fit in? Bolt doesn't look factory.
 
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You can cut 2lbs of sprung weight on each. Also when I bought mine the thought of just replacing the tube next time I pretzeled one at a fraction of the cost was a factor.
 
For sure not fabcraft, mpi, powderlites or rush looking at the head design. I would agree with j5's comment on the bolt not looking factory, not one I have seen before. Also, the lack of coping on the tube's end doesnt seem correct.

It may be the angle of the camera, but it appears to be alot of stress on the tube where it exits the head. Almost like the angle of the head tube is incorrect for the sled. The wall thickness appears thicker than most on the replacement tube as well.

If you would like a source for tubes to fit those heads, contact me here via pm.
 


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