So.....I was looking online last night for performance mods for my Renegade 500 and happened across a couple of sites talking about frame mods for the Renegade/outlanders. One had a link to another forum where a guy was talking about bending the frame on his Renegade. Is anybody having problems with this or has anyone heard of this? I ride mine fairly hard but I really haven't had it that long. Just looking at the gade it doesn't look like it would need it. It seems like you would have to be doing something pretty extreme to have that kind of problem. What do you guys think?
Outlander/Renegade frame mods
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This is one of things that I personally can't see it being a problem, BUT there are those stories of people bending, cracking, etc their frames. I've not been easy on mine and I've not had any issues. I do agree those that damage the frame are probably riding outside the parameters in which it was designed for. However, skids are a must for any serious ATVier. Skids are the only mod I've heard other than completely rebuilding the frames and should provide the average weekend warrior with ample protection for the "accused" vulenerable frame.
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Exactly what are the intended parameters that is designed for?
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Certianly not balls-out racing/riding. Which happens to be where all or most of the frame incidents have occured that I've heard of.
i've read of quite a few trail-riding incidents where the frame was damaged, some say under 10mph, which may be stretching the truth. personally, i only know a few guys smart enough to own a can-am, :: D so i can't say i've witnessed it first hand. that being said, i have done a pretty good amount of damage to the frames on my previous quads, so i did the frame mod. once you take a look at how thin the material used for the spar is, you can understand why they are bending, approx. 1/16". it cost less than $30 for the material, took very little time to weld it and put it in there, and the added weight only helps lower the center of gravity. this way, if i nail something really hard that would've bent the frame, it will probably bend or break an a-arm mount. with the steel inside the spar, it gives me something solid to weld it back onto, the spar it self would probably blow through if i used the right setting for the thickness of the a-arm mount. bottom line is, if you don't think you ride hard enough to do any damage, you're probably fine. i'm not taking any chances...
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I don't know whether I'm riding hard enough to do any damage or not. I think I ride it the way it was intended to be ridden. I don't lollygag by any means but I know when to slow down a bit. How much weight did it add to your machine stray?
So it really doesn't add much weight then. I don't think I need to do it but its nice to know I have the option just in case. For now I'll just look at skids. I know I need em, I just haven't wanted to spend the cash to do it. Beats a new frame though, thats for sure. thanks for the info stray
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If a fella damages a frame at 10mph then yes, I agree, the frame is crap. However, how do we disprove that this wasn't a pissed off individual because he got happy and ran his quad off a 5 foot cliff at 30mph and bottomed it so bad he broke everything? Not calling anyone a lier, I just want better facts that the Can-Am frames are as bad as everyone says they are.
rotest:i agree and i'm not trying to say that they're bad. i believe all mfrs have areas that may require modding, if you're intending to push them beyond what the mfr recommends. i'm sure alot of us, at one time or another, do things that exceed what the bikes were designed to do. i do so with the understanding that if, and when it breaks, i will repair it in a manner that will make it stronger than before i broke it. the frame mod is just preventative maintenance. i'm not saying everyone must do it. for some, skids will be adequate to prevent frame damage from riding over rocks. i don't feel they will help much with lateral impacts, though. here's 2 links with some interesting pics. first one shows a 2 up outtie that hit a stump at 30mph. i know, i know - but just look at what happened!
ATV Frontier - ATV Forums, News, Reviews, Chat, Maps, Classifieds and More › Forums › Branding Iron › Can-Am | Bombardier › Outlander Hard Hit
repairing a bent frame on a renegade - Can-Am ATV Forum
please understand, i'm not bashing the can ams, i love my renegade and will probably purchase another can am when the time comes. all i'm saying is it's a relatively inexpensive mod, considering what might happen if one were to clip a rock, log, etc.
ccasion14:
ATV Frontier - ATV Forums, News, Reviews, Chat, Maps, Classifieds and More › Forums › Branding Iron › Can-Am | Bombardier › Outlander Hard Hit
repairing a bent frame on a renegade - Can-Am ATV Forum
please understand, i'm not bashing the can ams, i love my renegade and will probably purchase another can am when the time comes. all i'm saying is it's a relatively inexpensive mod, considering what might happen if one were to clip a rock, log, etc.
ccasion14:I personally have alot of confidence in the can am frame. When I ride, I typically do some jumping over the water breaks in the trail and over other irregularities in the trail. Some of my trails have rocky whoop sections which I have been trying to increase my skill and speed through. I'm not easy on my bike at all but I have never once had a problem with it. I am pretty thorough about checking after I ride. Every once in a while a rock will hit something along the way and I'll notice a scratch somewhere but thats about the extent of it. That could easily be solved with a set of skids. I think I ride the way most people would ride the Renegade. I asked my dealer today if they had heard any of these complaints. They had, but it always had something to do with getting caught up on something or Baja Style jumps. He told me about one guy that had overestimated his ground clearance and riddent through a rock garden at about 30mph. He ended buying a new frame but its no wonder. I think common sense is the biggest factor here. Just my 2 cents worth.
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I hear ya BG. I am 90% sure I will be getting a Gade next week, and now I am reading some horror stories on things bending and breaking that really shouldn't bending and breaking. I push my equipment pretty hard (notice the name of the site there was a reason for it) I am just a little apprehensive as to whether the machine will give me good reliability and service.
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LOL. So THAT'S what the name means! LOL. I feel positive that you will be putting skids on there. From what I've read that has been the saving touch as far as the frame goes.
You've heard my gripes personally about the Outty. But I'm also here to tell you that it has NEVER left me walking. I haven't had any problems with my charging system, CVT, Engine, suspension, frame, etc. Are there things I don't like or want to change? You bet. There was lots I wanted to change on my last quad too. Take care of the Gade just like you do the others and you should be fine.
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Well, I am not sure how often you ride your quad, but I put 1500-2000 miles on a quad per year. That is a lot to some, and not much to others, but I need reliability and dependability. My Gizzly has never left me stranded either, Has plenty of power in most cases to do anything that I needed it to do and was comfortable enough to ride it for 125 miles a day. There were only a few things that I would have changed on it and they were aesthetic. But, my ADD tells me it's time to move on to something else.
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I ride pretty hard and I am a big dude...and if I am going to pay 10K for a quad I would expect it to endure the punishment "balls-out" riding. I am not gonna get more power to ride like a grampy :club:
The gade is my first "new quad" and I'll be honest, I have had problems (warranty, phew:beer"), and I have been lucky, (up until now...DOH!!!) as I ride where ever and what ever is available. I usually take my quad to work with me. After reading this post I'm looking to modding the SPAR frame and then reattach the skids, as I'm on my second frame, and don't want to make it a third. I ride hard. I won't deny it. The gade lets me go where I want, when I want. That being said, if I have to make mods to let the BEAST get me there so be it... For the few extra pounds, and the added piece of mind, it's well worth it, Can Am has delivered a TOP NOTCH:rockon: quality product, and some have taken it to the next level, that happens with everything.
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No where in my post did I say that riding had to be grampy style. If I had the time, skill, and desire, I would ride in GNCC with my quad if it had skids. I would do the same with a Grizz if it had skids, or a brute if it had skids.
And no, I don't ride my quad as much as you GW. Not by choice but by schedule. It doesn't change what I said though.
I think ya'll are taking my comment(s) out of context and acting like ;;tampon;;
i couldn't agree more! do you have any pics of the frame and/or a description of how it happened? as for the re-inforcement mod, some have used pressure treated wood, composite decking and aluminum. if you read up on the pt lumber, the wolmanizing process has chemicals that will cause steel to rust much more aggressively than it normally would. that's why special fasteners are required when using pt lumber. i feel aluminum is a bad choice because of the galvanic corrosion that happens when two dissimilar metals are in constant contact. there will be an accelerated oxidation that takes place. and composite decking won't provide the strength needed should the spar be crushed inwards. i know they are all lighter than steel, but that seems like the best way to go. i guess one could compare it to adding new tires that were 4 lbs heavier than stock... the weight increase wasn't noticeable for me, however id did the mod with very few hours on the machine.
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