2003LimitedBanshee

With $12-$18 shipping (what I just saw running on a lot of heads on eBay) good luck to you on the hunt. :beer:

I've got a stock head I would sell, in great condition. Shoot me your zip code, but I would think $40 shipped would cover it. -Brian

James, My check was mailed on Thursday, so you should see it today or tomorrow at the latest. Can't wait to see the end product!

Update: Okay so I have the tie rod sleeves and stock shocks up for sale still. Tie rods - $15 shipped Shocks - $95 shipped Thanks! -Brian

Alright, so by popular demand I am going to offer the spacers for the 450 kits separately for those who have converted their bikes on their own. The spacers are going to sell for $45 + S/H (usually $3-$4). They are made from 7075 Hardened Alloy. They will fit perfectly as long as the a-arms have been cut to specification and the frame mounts are not damaged. Also, these spacers as designed to run WITHOUT the dust caps. This is the way most people are running their 450 A-Arm bikes anyway, but I want to make the statement clear. I have a run of 10 sets due either the end of this week or the beginning of next week. Currently I have 5, possibly 6, sets spoken for. Please contact me ASAP if you would like to get a set so I can attempt to get my production run increased if necessary. Thanks! -Brian

You can't buy them off eBay for that... ::

I will definitely do that. I am having a run of the spacers done up right now. Also, I am going to update my For Sale Forum posting, but I have decided to sell the spacers separately in case some people have converted their bikes themselves. I guarantee the spacers are totally trick!! I am selling the spacers for $45 + s/h (usually only $3-4). Thanks! -Brian

I've got a set of stock Banshee '03 SE's in black. I was asking $150 shipped for the complete set. Let me know what you think either way -Brian

Oh crap wait! So will this carrier not work then? http://store.albaaction.com/shop/CB1-BLK-JJ.html It's from J&J, they make Honda style but I think this one is Yamaha specific. HELP!

Yes they do make the wheelbase roughly 1" longer, through moving the spindle locatioin forward. Essentially you end up with a track that is 2.25" wider on each side (4.5" total) and 1" forward. So essentially +2.25+1. As far as better etc than aftermarket arms, some aftermarket arms due allow for adjustable camber, caster etc. through the use of heims joints, these obviously do not. Also, many aftermarket arms are made from chromoly, so there are differences and to an extent you do get what you pay for. With that said, this is still a great improvement over the stock Banshee suspension. As far as duning and motocross, I only ride the dunes and I can say how much I feel it improved the ride and handling. Motocross I'm not sure. The biggest issue I could possibly see is balljoint life, but it would be no worse than stock 450 (because that's exactly what it is), but the uppers are not servicable whereas an aftermarket arm would likely have servicable uppers as well. Mullet man... I'll check your posting later about the cylinders. I'm not really looking for a set, but as you did provide a lot of the foundation I am working from and I know you had a wicked wreck that trashed yours, I could possibly swing something like that. -Brian

In the pictures above I am using the Banshee spindles. However, I have a set of spindles, hubs etc. etc. from a 450 that I will likely put on it. BUT, from my testing with 450 shocks the 450 spindles don't actually gain you anything. I am going to contact BenBB as he and I have been talking about the conversion in pretty good depth. I know that the 450 spindles allow for greater suspension travel as far as balljoint binding, but it seems this is theoretical max travel and in the case of the 450 shocks they become the travel limitation. So at least initially I'm finding that if you are going to run the 450 shocks you don't gain any travel by going to the 450 spindles. Now, if you found another set of shocks that were longer, or had a pair created for this application (believe Ben was checking with Works) then yes you could maximize travel by switching to the 450 spindles.

Well people have been putting the 450 shocks on their Banshee arms prior to the 450 A-Arm swap, and the 450 shocks measure near an inch longer eye-to-eye than the Banshee shocks if I recall correctly. So, yes it can be done. If I'm remembering right, the biggest difference people commented on was that the suspension seemed stiffer. But, this could be caused by multiple factors incuding differences in valving from 450 to Banshee shocks, my best bet is that it is due to the added length of the 450 a-arms and the additional leverage they exert causing the shock to seem softer.

These pictures are also in my Suspension Forum posting, but here they are again to wet the appetite. 450 Arms installed, at the dunes... http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f115/Ban...450_dunes_2.jpg Another at the dunes... http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f115/Ban...450_dunes_3.jpg These are really what make this kit!! http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f115/Ban...pacer_inst2.jpg http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f115/Ban...pacer_inst1.jpg Thanks!! - Brian

Thanks for all the replies guys. Yeah, I had a much more complicated design that was going to be a two piece setup, but then I was just messing with some ideas a few evenings back and it hit me square between the eyes. It would be much simpler if... and this was the end result. And yes, I am not utilizing the dust caps. It just adds for some space complications and quite frankly I've found sand under my dust caps too many time to count, so I didn't run them. These spacers are designed to be run WITHOUT the dust caps. Once again, thanks for all the interest and encouragement guys (and gals if you're out there)! Also, I forgot the For Sale link in the post above so here it is... http://www.bansheehq.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=78458

Well so far I haven't sold any kits, but I think it is just a matter of time... However, if you are ever out Oregon way I will definitely take you for some good duning and buy you a beer. I did get my inspiration from your huge thread. :beer:

Okay so as some may know I have been working on fine tuning a totally bolt-in kit with the 450 A-Arms for the Banshee's. Well, it looks like it is a little more than a week away, and they are looking awesome. Check out this link to my Suspension thread that has some pictures on the new, one-off parts that make this kit legitimate. http://www.bansheehq.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=78454 Once the last few parts come in I will have two sets of A-Arms with spacers, bushings and stock 450 tie rods available. These will sell for $275 (may include shipping, have to get the final boxed shipping cost). I will also have one set available with NOSS tie rods for $300 (same as before about shipping, TBD) or available without tie rods for $250 and you could locate your own. These kits DO NOT utilize the dust caps. You can, at your choice, modify your dust caps to become more of a dust sleeve, but these kits as packaged do not use them. Disclaimer: These are used parts, now, I do not buy them with dents, bends etc. but some people may want to re-paint them to match. Please review the link above for visual references. Thanks! -Brian

Okay, so I just got in a prototype set of spacers that I've been working on developing for the 450 A-Arm installs. Currently, I only have this one set (installed on my personal bike) but they are absolutely perfect and I will hopefully have enough by the end of next week or first part of the following to include with every one of my kits. Check out some of the latest pics of the bike and the install!! I uploaded them to Photobucket to allow for bigger, better res pics '03 Limited w/450 Arms at the dunes... http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f115/Ban...450_dunes_2.jpg Another at the dunes... http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f115/Ban...450_dunes_3.jpg Spacers... http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f115/Ban...ian/spacer1.jpg Side profile spacers... http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f115/Ban...ian/spacer2.jpg Installed!!!!! http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f115/Ban...pacer_inst1.jpg http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f115/Ban...pacer_inst2.jpg Check out this link in the For Sale Forum for more information. -Brian

You guys really should have jumped on his offer, but all the better for me!! Can't wait for my +4 roundhouse to show up! :biggrin: I'll let you all know what I find when it shows up. As you can see (I've seen them before) the raw materials look awesome.

Long story short no, although there are some of us prepping bolt-in "kits" for the Banshee mounts currently. There is a huge thread on the complete install on this page (might have been bumped to the 2nd now), that it would serve to read at least the first page and a half. That would save a lot of explaining. Check it out... To keep some happpy, the 450 a-arms are a great upgrade over the stock banshee stuff. Can you get better if you go aftermarket certainly, will it cost you more certainly, are you getting what you pay for, probably, will you use it to it's full extent.... for you to decide. (My political $.02 worth...)

Alright, Alright.... geez. It's not that I can't do it, or won't do it, I just figured if I can buy it the right length I might as well. Believe me, I've cut my fair share of chains, but that was when you had far fewer choices. 120 it is then...

Okay, I know this has been covered, but each time, everyone just says buy a 120 link and cut to fit. I don't really want to go that route, I just want to buy the correct number of links to begin with. I am switching to a +4 with a roundhouse carrier. I am running 13/42 which uses the same number of links as 14/41 on a stock length swingarm. So basically I am looking for a link count on a +4 with stock equivalent gearing. THanks!

You've got a deal and a PM!! For that price I'd love to go roundhouse. Shoot me back a PM with details for payment and I'll try it out! Let's do this!! -Brian

Okay this may be hard to describe but I made my own ball joint separator out of a spare drag lug nut (drag style as in threaded all the way through, NHRA requires full depth lug nuts) and a spare bolt that I had laying around. Basically you thread the bolt into the lug nut, put it between the upper and lower ball joints in the spindle and start threading the bolt out of the lug nut; making the separator "longer". I just thread it out to apply a good amount of constant pressure and usually a few light taps (actually light) on the spindle with a ballpeen hammer will pop it loose right away. This way I also don't ever worry about boogering up threads! If you have an option other than a BFH do that please! Too many people use the get a bigger hammer solution. As far as replacing, and I haven't looked at the 450 ball joints to see if this is possible. But you might be able to disassemble the ball joint itself, leave the "socket", for lack of better words, in the stock arm and replace the pivoting threaded portion. This is the only way I could think to do it, but I don't even know if the 450 ball joints could have this done to them or not.

I will certainly let you know. I don't want to turn them out until I know they will be a direct bolt-in no screwing around. I'm still waiting to get the few custom pieces finalized with Dave Noss, so that I can make sure the fit and finish will be just right when packaged. I'm also working on picking up some shocks too now, so I may be able to hook some of you up with full packages, A-Arms/Shocks. Spindles are still harder to come by, but I am finding a few more. I can tell you that the Banshee spindles work fine, but they don't fully maximize the suspension travel of the Arms.

No you can't use your stock tie rods, they will be too short. The issue the seller is referencing is the in '06 Yamaha went to a larger diameter tie rod end. With the '05 earlier tie rods the tie rod end is the same diameter so you can simply thread on the longer YFZ450 tie rod sleeves. But on the '06 and later tie rod sleeves, they will slip right over your stock tie rod ends. You'll either have to find a set of '05 or earlier tie rod sleeves or get some of the NOSS tie rods. The NOSS rods are a bit more expensive but they are way cool looking, and super tough. If you do order some from Dave, just make sure to tell him they are for a YFZ450 A-Arm Banshee. He knows all the rest of the measurments.