Ruko

Hey Jim.... My girls Banshee is in pieces right now so I don't need them right away. I haven't dealt with you before but you seem to have a good name on here, so I wouldn't have a problem sending them to you for a while to check out as long as I get them back when I'm ready for them. let me know....

Also I got my rear shock rebuilt by Shane and it works awesome. I've never rode on a aftermarket rear shock but Shane's works great. Way better than stock and way cheaper than buying a new aftermarket one. I would definately recommend him as well. The next post says his inbox is full but here is his phone #219-313-1424

I just got a set of these reeds from Shane. I am planning to put them on my girlfriends Banshee which is all stock except for FMF Fatty pipes. It's ripped apart right now to get the frame powder coated so it'll be a while, but I'll get you guys a review once it's up and running again. I know I'm not one of those builders but I'll tell you what I think of them.

I have no experience with j-arms but Andy at Sanddragon is great to deal with... definately recommend him. Their a-arms are top notch so I would imajine the j-arms are just as good.

Sanddragon rec arms are about that price... they would be a better way to go. PM Andy... he'll set you up.

Spiders

I think the older carbs didn't have the TORS crap, so they would have an idle adjust screw. Not sure what year they added the TORS though. Or else you have a TORS removal kit added which eliminates the TORS and adds the idle screws. If one has the screw and one doesn't you may have a missmatch of carbs from different years.

Cheetah Power Valve vs Cheetah Cubs.... this should become a lengthy thread.... I have a Cheetah power valve but I have never rode a Cheetah Cub... but this is what I think you will find.... If you are compairing the same size engines just one with power valves and one without they should both have about the same peak horsepower. I'm pretty sure they use the same port design... although the power valve cyl's use bigger reeds so they should be pretty close. The diference will be in the power curve... the power valve engine will have a much smoother power delivery with a broader power band... where as the Cub will have a narrower power band with a sharper peak. The power valves don't give you anymore peak horsepower they give more bottom end and mid range. It makes them much easier to ride... with all the top end power but without the light switch effect of drag porting. So to answer your question the Cheetah shouldn't be any faster. As far as which is better dollar for dollar... it depends on what you allready have and what you want to do with it. The Cubs can use all your stock mounted parts... such as head, reeds, intakes. So if you have a Cool head and V-force reeds allready you can still use them and just switch them over. That will save you some money. Also if all you want to do is drag race... then why would you need more bottom end??? It'll be wide open all the time anyway. But if you don't have all the after market goodies and you want to do more trail riding than racing... the power valve cyl's come with a new head, V-Force reeds and intakes. So yes they cost more but you also get more. Remmeber though I have and love my power valve Cheetah so my opinion may be a little bias, but I think the power valves are well worth the extra money. It gives you the best of both worlds. You can cruise around the trails during the week with your girl friend, and still go racing on the weekend. And dats what I tinks.....

I have one.... it's about a year old... I run it with a Barrnet clutch and a lock up on a 485 Cheetah.... so far so good.

I belive the Cubs come in either 66mm and 68mm bores. If you go 68 with a +4 crank that gives you a 421. The 68 with a stock stroke crank is a 400. If you need a crank anyway go to the +4. If you don't you'll wish you had. The +4 drops right into the cases with out any case mods, so it's just as easy as putting in a stock crank. What you will need is: - Cub cylinders, they come with pistons and top end gaskets - +4 crank, comes with bearings but not seals - crank seals - water pump and side cover gaskets - new domes for your head I think that should get you running again but in your pics it looks like you have stock carbs and reeds. You will also what to upgrade those as well... probably go to 34 or 35mm carbs and some V-Force reeds. It would run with the stock carbs if you can't aford to do it all at once... but it'll cost ya in power of course.

Sorry but the link that includes a crank isn't working for me so I can't see what all is there. I do know if you want to use the Trinity head you have now it will need new domes. Those are good heads but the domes for the 420 are different.

Everyone gets confused about long rods and strokers.... long rods changes the geometry and is suppose to reduce side loading on the piston. It does not increase the engine size, and makes no power difference. It is just for reliability. Strokers, such as +4, +7 ,+10 etc. are a longer stroke, this does increase the displacement and does make more power. Also most stroker cranks come with long rods on them already. If you are planning to get Cubs, I would not rebuild your old crank... for a little extra money you could get a +4 stroker crank with long rods on it. Then get your Cubs for a +4 and it all just bolts together... easy... If you are going to reuse the 420 top end then ya go as cheap as you can on the crank. Get yours rebuilt with long rods or find a used on. There are lots of stock cranks around from everyone who has gone stroker.

As everyone else has said already Elka's or TCS are great... but if your budget is $700 - $1000 then you would spend most, if not all of that on the shocks alone. I say get a set of 450 shocks for now and then some good A-arms. Both Quicksand and Sanddragon make a-arms to fit 450 shocks. You can always upgrade the shocks later when the bank account allows. The 450 shocks aren't as good as the custom shocks but they are a huge improvement over stock Banshee shocks.

From the look of those pics I guess you had a little more than just a heat seize.... That cylinder is done.... if you have to resleeve it you might as well go to Cubs. Same for the crank... and again if you're buying a crank might as well go +4. Also it looks like you still have stock carbs and reeds. That thing definately wouldn't have run anywhere near it's potential with ported 420 cylinders and stock reeds and carbs, so they will need an upgrade also. You're lookin at a couple G to do it all at once... that's Cubs, crank, carbs and reeds. The head should be ok to reuse, but you will need new domes. The 420 used big bore domes with a wire ring built into them. You should check with some builders to get exact pricing. I would recommend K&T Performance... There is also F.A.S.T., Passion, Patriot, etc etc... all quality builders. You could always find used stuff in the For Sale forum as well to try and same some chin... there is always lots of extra parts around. Hate to see pics like that... bummer dude

The first size is 69mm. Then if I remember right they can be bored over size 4 times if needed to 69.5, 70, 70.5 & 71mm. You can use regular base gaskets.... I just got mine from the local dealer... but you have to trim they a little bit to fit over the bigger sleeve.... or you can get some from Trinity with your pistons. The head gasket is a copper shim which you have to get from Trinity... but it can be reused if it's in good shape. You have to spray it with some Hi-Tach or something like that when you install it. Cubs would definately make more power than a 420, especially if you go +4. It all depends on how much you want to spend, and I guess once you get it apart you will see what it will need to get that 420 back up and running.

I would agree that due to the new port design in the Cubs they should make more power than the old style 420 which has the stock port design, but if that is what you already have the 420 still works well. It will also depend on how you get them ported.... from what I've read the Cubs have more of a drag port right out of the box, where as the 420 can be ported however you want. If you were starting from scratch I would say go Cubs but if you already have a 420 why buy new cyl's.

I had a 420 kit from Trinity before I went to a Cheetah.... They work good and should defineatly smoke a 450. They are a big bore sleeve that is put into stock cylinders. They are cast not plated and start at 69mm bore and can go up to 71mm. I sold mine to a friend and it is still running great. They can be ported however you want and you can get tall or short pistons to work with stock length or long rods. I used the stock rods and just replaced the top end without touching the bottom. If it seized do to lack of coolant you would need to replace the pistons...and probably go to the next bore size. You will need to find out if it has long rods or stock before you order new pistons. Oh ya .... Trinity gets the pistons custom made from Wiesco so you have to get them from Trinity. I tryed giving my local wiesco dealer the number off them and he couldn't get them.

I am waiting on a set of silencers from him right now. He said on Sept. 26th that he was going to them ship tomorrow.... that was over a month and a half ago.... I haven't seen them yet..... and now his inbox is full so I can't pm him..... this doesn't look good

Hey man I've been trying to pm you about those silencers but your inbox is full.... please pm me.... Rob

That hexagon looking collar is a big nut. It unscrews if you can find something to fit in it. A buddy of mine took a big bolt and ground it down to make it fit then welded a nut on the other end to put a wrench on. Yamaha probably has a special tool to fit it but I would imagine it costs way more than most people would like to pay.

I had that same problem so I went in there with a die grinder and extended the slots in the swingarm about 1/4 inch so I have enough adjustment to use the shortened chain...

what he said....any shock will ride like crap if it's not adjusted properly. I found a " how to adjust your shocks " info deal.... I think it was on the Elka website. It was very helpfull... told you what all the adjustments do and how to adjust them to match your riding style.

I run a +5 swingarm and had my rear shock rebuilt by Shane.... It works awesome. I used the stock shock as-is for a year before getting it rebuilt and it is a huge improvement. Give him a call....

I think I have my old lid and snorkel... if it's not too late you can have them for shipping... they're no good to me any more pm me if you want them

I have one and I love it... works awesome.