[Big-Foot]

If anyone from Arctic Cat is listening - we would really like to know....

STEERING GEOMETRY
On the 2014-15 AC Wildcat Trail is there so much Ackerman in the steering that the inside wheel is allowed to travel to a critical angle to the CV Joint - Thus allowing the CV to come apart when the axle trunions bind? This has happened to a number of people when in 2WD mode and I feel certain that it was blamed on conditions, power settings etc when in 4WD mode.

SUSPENSION BUSHINGS
Many have reported worn out suspension bushings with less than a Few hundred miles on their rigs. Upon disassembly, they were found to be totally dry. Others have pulled them apart before they wore out to find the very same thing - Dry.
If this is by design and proper practices in your opinion, this suggests that you have engineered this platform to have an extremely limited lifecycle. My suggestion to you (AC) is to install Wet-Bolts in the control arms which would allow us to periodically grease them.

FIRE DANGER
Take another look at your exhaust system and routing. It runs very close to coolant lines as well as a plastic "firewall" that's supposed to protect the occupants. Many are wrapping their exhausts with fiberglass shieling wrap. Until you get your exuast systems re-routed, I would suggest that you issue a recall for all Ac Wildcat Trails to have this done at a dealer.

Artic Cat, it is vitally important that you remember, there are times when we are riding a long ways from civilization without benefit of another rig or cell phone service. You may well be putting lives in danger here...

-- Guys --
I started this thread as a repository for things we've seen that are clearly in need of attention by Arctic Cat. I know of at least a dozen more items that can go on this list and will add them if you all don't... Let's not get too carried away with the rants, but gear the conversation toward "Constructive Criticism"... You never can tell - they might actually listen..

 

[Moosinator]

Don't forget the oil cooler fittings and the park pawl in the transmission.

 

[Big-Foot]

Don't forget the oil cooler fittings and the park pawl in the transmission.

Thanks - If you can be more descriptive in each of these, I will do my best to get them synopsized and added to the Top.
I will be trying to get this link to Arctic Cat leadership in an attempt to partner with them on addressing these concerns with appropriate resolution where applicable.. IE - there may be some things that are truly working as designed and for good reason..

 

[Justsomeguy]

I like the post and would love it if AC actually read the forums and even cared about these issues. but we just don't know if they do or not. I have called AC before and the best I could get was a customer service person that had ABSOLUTLY no idea what I was talking about when I mentioned the steering, or a host of other issues. She told me there is no one at AC , as a consumer, I could contact either. She said to contact my dealer. I said 'my dealer cant fix something that you don't offer a fix too' lol. so I don't know where that leaves us.

 

[Big-Foot]

We can't force AC or any manufacturer to listen or partner with us on remediation or mitigation of problem areas.
The best we can do is to is to be open to dialogue and present factual information. If they do take a passive role by simply monitoring this thread or site, it will at least give them the information they need to effectively "take the pulse" of the community with respect to this product line.

 

[WhiteX]

I had said before that it would be ridiculous of AC wasn't on these forums somewhere. They may be listening, but it really sounds like they're making no changes.

 

[jmax26]

I will be working on my steering in a matter of a few minutes and I will post my findings with measurements and my solution to the over steering but it will be on a separate thread

 

[1981]

I like the post and would love it if AC actually read the forums and even cared about these issues. but we just don't know if they do or not. I have called AC before and the best I could get was a customer service person that had ABSOLUTLY no idea what I was talking about when I mentioned the steering, or a host of other issues. She told me there is no one at AC , as a consumer, I could contact either. She said to contact my dealer. I said 'my dealer cant fix something that you don't offer a fix too' lol. so I don't know where that leaves us.

You're speaking to a receptionist nothing more nothing less, she routes the calls to the appropriate people. If there is a issue you dont like or you are questioning the safety on for have your dealer call the tech line and have you sit in on it and can get the ball moving on bringing these issues to light. Talking to a receptionist will get you no where, as she is not a tech hotline. Your dealer can get you the attention you need/want but any claims made need to be backed up with Proof/data/facts rather then specualtion

We can't force AC or any manufacturer to listen or partner with us on remediation or mitigation of problem areas.
The best we can do is to is to be open to dialogue and present factual information. If they do take a passive role by simply monitoring this thread or site, it will at least give them the information they need to effectively "take the pulse" of the community with respect to this product line.

Fwiw, there are staff members of cat on these forums. Data speaks leaps and bounds over speculation i.e. "my firewall gets hot" vs "My firewall is 300 degrees and is melting" and a picture is worth 1000 words. If you can make a claim that an oversteer is happening and causing the CV shaft to fail , show your proof, not a broken cv shaft but show why its failing.

Btw , Wrap your headers and watch your muffler failures start occur you're not allowing exhaust gas heat to dissipate before it hits the muffer.... ceramic coating is your best option for the header.

 

[SteveAhReeno]

Dang - I went and bought the Titanium wrap - I really just want to pop the headers off and have ceramic coated but don't know of anyplace around that does that. My question is after ceramic coating do i still need heatshield?

 

[jmax26]

Here is a link to the thread of my findings on my over steer problem

http://www.wildcatforums.net/forum/wildcat-trail-trail-xt/13919-over-steer-problem-solution.html

 

[dragongunner]

Read a lot of stuff on wrap, but never read or heard it will cause muffler failures. I think if thats the case no one would be wrapping and the wrapping industry would of failed by now. Good ideal it to paint your header first with header paint before wrapping, and when wrap gets wet from riding or washing make sure to run it until dry. I would be interested on any links that say wrap causes muffler failures though, just never heard of that, the Trail muffler with the cc in it runs hot anyway, can't get much hotter imho.

 

[1981]

Read a lot of stuff on wrap, but never read or heard it will cause muffler failures. I think if thats the case no one would be wrapping and the wrapping industry would of failed by now. Good ideal it to paint your header first with header paint before wrapping, and when wrap gets wet from riding or washing make sure to run it until dry. I would be interested on any links that say wrap causes muffler failures though, just never heard of that, the Trail muffler with the cc in it runs hot anyway, can't get much hotter imho.

as your exhaust goes through the system it dissipates heat, the wrap acts as insulation pushing the hotter parts farther back , the Oem is making the exhaust internals calculating the material to hold up to X amount of heat , when you send Y amount of heat back to the muffler you can cause more failures as the material used may not be able to hold up to the heat. You dont see oems wrapping headers but rather using a heat shield or correct coatings for a reason.

Jmax did you take that to your dealer and explain what is happening ? Dealers can only report what they know to the tech line and be proactive about a fix.

 

[jmax26]

as your exhaust goes through the system it dissipates heat, the wrap acts as insulation pushing the hotter parts farther back , the Oem is making the exhaust internals calculating the material to hold up to X amount of heat , when you send Y amount of heat back to the muffler you can cause more failures as the material used may not be able to hold up to the heat. You dont see oems wrapping headers but rather using a heat shield or correct coatings for a reason.

Jmax did you take that to your dealer and explain what is happening ? Dealers can only report what they know to the tech line and be proactive about a fix.

I just fixed it today got it back from the dealer Saturday for the axle waranty wjen I dropped it off I took the tech to my machine and showed him exactly what was going on with the over steer problem and why my axle was busted with only 46 miles on the machine. The dealer didn't think AC would waranty it but said they would give it a shot. When they talked to AC they were told that they hadn't seen that problem and didn't know it was a problem but to waranty. Didn't say if they were gonna be looking I to it or not. When I picks my machine up I spoke with the tech about possible ways to remedy the problem to keep from breaking another axle he said just weld something on the a arm for the tie rod to hit lol that isn't a feasible solution just potentially creates another problem so I came up with the collars courtesy of Bigfoot and it actually fixed two problems the axle binding and the rack bracket flexing because now the pressure that is stopping the steering travel is actually the tie rod pushing the collar into the rack instead of the axle pulling on the rack and the rack pulling on the bracket. If the rack had one tooth less travel both directions I think that is the real solution. But I'm sure it will take more people actually realizing the problem they have before it would warrant AC coming out with an updated rack but at the very least they should look into it for say a 15.5 update

Ps my dealer is primarily a harley dealer but I will probably call them tmrw and talk with them about what I found and how I fixed it and maybe the can take that info to AC maybe they will maybe they won't I just know Harley's are thief bread and butter

 

[t.mackenzie]

2ith the cv issue what is everyones toe settings? im guessing a bunch of toe out, maybe we need to be running a little more to the toe in side as there seems to be no lack of steering responce.

 

[jmax26]

2ith the cv issue what is everyones toe settings? im guessing a bunch of toe out, maybe we need to be running a little more to the toe in side as there seems to be no lack of steering responce.

Mine is and was at 3/4 toe in when I busted my axle but since I modded mine today I will toe it out a bit more

 

[Bobcatdude]

Maybe a class action lawsuit would be the way to go. These issues are ridiculous. Anyone know a good lawyer ?

 

[jmax26]

Maybe a class action lawsuit would be the way to go. These issues are ridiculous. Anyone know a good lawyer ?

Come on man really? Best I can tell AC has stood up and fixed most of these issues for everyone that has had them

 

[Bobcatdude]

Yes. I am serious. You can read multiple threads on here about guys that have tried to contact AC directly and others that have met AC reps at events. They don't think they have any problems. I have owned at least 15 dirt bikes, atvs and sxs. Recently bought a wildcat trail. Arctic Cat has the worst build quality have ever seen.

 

[Odyknuck]

Ok so lets tie up ACs resource's paying their attorny's instead of allowing them to focus on their design issues. This is what I hate the most about the US, everybody's answer is a law suit!. And you wonder why the country's going to shit! AC does listen and have made design changes. It takes time to redesign and retool for the changes and is a very costly task. I prefer they spend the money there instead of in a court room. Granted some should happen sooner than later however it is what it is. Do you think the other manufactures are any different up to and including the Automotive Industry. OK Rant off!

 

[Justsomeguy]

[clears throat] ...well I happen to know a little about law lol. Anyhow..and trust me on this one, if there was anything to be had in some kind of class action, the lawyers would be contacting us. Every ATV UTV company has its fair share of issues. I paid 13K for a can -am ATV and was in the shop A LOT, come to find out...all my issues other owners had to. The stock brake pads literally lasted 30 miles haha. no recall!! Same thing with my RZR 570.. issues from day one. Way worse than my trail/ This wildcat is a GEM compared to some other manufactures products. Also, AC has shown that in safty issues they did the required recalls.

Maybe a class action lawsuit would be the way to go. These issues are ridiculous. Anyone know a good lawyer ?