2001 Polaris trailboss 325 A arm bushing replacement lower a arm replacement

[@edwinbomb355]

thanks man, i was really getting pissed at this threaded rod, it kept spinning thanks for the advice

[@jesse1136]

Trailblazer 250, Scrambler 400 & 500, Sportsman, Trail Boss, all follow the same procedure. I had the exact same issue with my LH A arm. Inner rod was bent horribly, bushings were nonexistent. Heat it up until the grease boils out. I happen to have some rod stock the same diameter, so if I'm unable to straighten the OEM rod enough I'm going to attempt to make a new one. Center drilling and tapping rod stock is not fun or easy without a lathe, luckily I have several feet to use.

[@deed2095]

hi, after searching in vain and watching several useless videos i finally came to yours. CUDOS!! YOU are the only video i found that actually explains and shows how to REMOVE the arm. tightening one end, loosen the other trick !!! I would like to suggest you add a tag to this video saying something to the effect, "how to remove the lower a arm"

[@dustinelgan6070]

DEE D I’m glad my video helped you! Terribly designed part but with a little know how it gets done. Will add your prescribed tag, best of luck to ya! Thanks for the comment.

[@richeytony21]

Don't drill a hole in the rod, take 1 end off, then grab it with channel locks, loosen other end

[@fernandobarbosa2063]

Great video thanks. I will do the same job on my trailboss i just got recently. Both side bushings are worn. I also have to change a bushing on the steering shaft will try to see a video on this too

[@dustinelgan6070]

Fernando Barbosa best of luck to you and thanks for the comment. I did the bushings for the steering as well, wasn’t too bad, just have to remove a lot of plastics and other things to get to it. Won’t lie, is a little time consuming but totally worth it. Really simple bushing install though. Just remember/take mind of the washer stack up for the lower mount where inner tie rods connect to lower steering rod. There will be a castellated nut there with a washer stack up that determines where your shaft sits in relation to the bushing that is more than half way up the shaft. Grease the hell out of everything too when you go to put it back together.

[@fernandobarbosa2063]

Dustin Elgan, hi again do you have a video of the job you did on the steering (bushings) or do you know of any video i can use to change them? Thanks in advance. I have the trailboss for only a few days. How do you like yours? Is the engine reliable? Is there any part of the engine i should specially take attention on? Maybe tune the valves once and a while? Thanks for the info. When mine is done i intend to put a scraper on it to scrape muck around the farm.

[@dustinelgan6070]

Fernando Barbosa no, unfortunately not. Sorry.

[@johnmalpass15]

nicely done. I've got a similar a arm problem on my 325. I overtightened the a arm retaining bolt and it must of stripped it or the threaded inner tube. I ordered a bushing kit before I realized the full potential of the problem but the trail boss needed that side serviced anyway... I haven't gotten a chance to actually start working on to see the real problem. but I betcha if my inner threads are stripped I can find a used one and pick it....

[@dustinelgan6070]

+John Malpass Best of luck on your fix. If you can get the inner rod from spinning when loosening your bolt with the blown out threads, then try to get a flat nose screw driver under the head/washer of that bolt and try prying under the bolt while backing the bolt out (this may work and is your best bet of getting the a-arm off without dropping more 4 letter words). If that doesn't work, your next move would be either cutting the bolt off in the area between the A-arm support flange from the frame and the A-arm itself. You won't get the A-arm off if you only cut the head of the bolt off. Know that your plastic bushing and brass washer gives you about 1/2" + of room in that area for cutting the shank of your bolt. You can buy a new inner threaded rod for pretty cheap (bought mine on amazon www.amazon.com/Polaris-Suspension-5133806-Sportsman-Scrambler/dp/B000N3GDYG?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00) and I have seen A-arms just recently on Ebay when searching for other 325 parts if you feel your A-arm is damaged beyond use or just rusted out (whatever the case may be). Let me know how you make out man, and thanks for your comment.

[@cmacven]

Thanks a lot, i was having trouble with the same part, the idea of drilling a hole was grat and i was able to finish the job.

[@dustinelgan6070]

Carlos Macías I'm so happy I was able to help. Suerte con todo pana. Cuídate.

[@Dubsspeed]

Shit that's tight compared to what I had! Lol left front was completely missing both bushings. Had the 2 metal sleeve washers but like someone forgot to put back in the bushings before hand lol. Tire moved atleast 6 inches forward and back caster wise

[@dustinelgan6070]

Wow, that quad was taking you for a ride, not the other way around lol

[@johnwells1724]

A good way to avoid drilling the inner shaft is to pull one easily accessible end bolt and place a nut on the bolt and reinsert the bolt into the hole it came out of. Spin the nut down to "lock the inner shaft" from turning and remove the other bolt. Once that is done it is easy to loosen the nut on the first bolt and take both the nut and bolt out since it was already taken out once. Also be sure to use locktite on the fully cleaned bolts before installing back on the vehicle. The threads MUST be free of all grease for the locktite to properly work and keep the bolts from loosening up and potentially falling out on a rough ride. BIG PROBLEM. Nice ingenuity displayed though.

[@oscarreyes5545]

Great video, this definitely saved me money only thing my steering still hard any recommendations?

[@dustinelgan6070]

Look into replacing or greasing your steering shaft bushings and check that your tie rods aren’t binding

[@acemclaughlin1992]

I'll give you an A+ for ingenuity. Never would have had the idea to remove that grease zerk, drill a hole, then stick a screw driver in it. I do NOT trust my hands to not destroy the threads. Lol. However a very simple solution is to get plyers or vice grips, rip the old bushings away to expose the rod, then clamp it with vice grips to break the other bolt. I'll post a video of it. Anyways just another idea for anybody monkeying with this poorly designed a arm.

[@MJNader81]

Great video man, my front right tire was wobbling like crazy for about a good summer and i couldnt figure out what was wrong, I didnt really looked into it as it started after putting new bearings on and new tires so I thought it was the tires megamayhems, it ended up been my a arm screws were loose i didnt see any damage so I just tighten them up, i doesnt seem to move at all but when i take it to get an oil change ill ask the mechanics if anything needs to be done to it, it seems nothing i bent so Im pretty sure I can replace them myself. Thanks for the great video !!!

[@dustinelgan6070]

You're welcome. Thanks for the comment I like feedback to my videos, it's nice to know I was able to help somebody. With your wheel shake problem, Did you check your ball joint just below the strut where it connects s to your A-arm? That can also create a shaking and I don't think your Bolts got loose from nothing. Also check your tie rods and steering arm bushings, these are all cheap parts and not hard to to replace if they are bad. Stay posted for other fixes on this awesome Polaris. Currently working on getting some trail riding footage up on you tube of me riding this beast up in Pittsfield Massachusetts on thanksgiving weekend. I also have a few other maintenance videos in the works that just need finishing touches. Stay safe, and thanks again.

[@josiahperez7909]

15mm

[@yoanls1415]

Did you fix the hole by welding like you said ? how is it holding ?

[@dustinelgan6070]

Never welded it, no issues

[@shawnwatkins2706]

hey dustin, i watched your video and i had a question for you. i have a 2005 polaris scrambler 500 4x4 which is pretty much set up like yours on the a arm bushings. after replacing the a arm bushings on both sides, i went to try a test ride and it was still hard to steer. did you have this issue as well? i only dropped the a arm from the frame and thats it because there was no other damage and came out real easy. thanks

[@dustinelgan6070]

Shawn Watkins the hard steering could be attributed to bad ball joints or from a worn upper strut bearing if that's how you're set up. Another thing to check are your steering shaft bushings, they are greasable. Maybe tie rod ends are binding. Check all of those areas, it shouldn't be turning hard at all. Best of luck, let me know your findings, and thanks for the comment!

[@darius18241]

Ya that's the 1 I mean the rear I'll figure it out thanks did u have a problem with the carburetor over flowing gas on the bottom and top

[@dustinelgan6070]

darius hofer nope, haven't had that problem, sounds like your float is stuck or your needle and seat in the carb are shot, easy fix. Best of luck!

[@IcyDracula]

have the same porb with my 92 350l 4x4

[@brittanybarnes664]

Great video make more please and I subed as well.

[@austinhill2776]

Hey Dustin I have a 2002 Polaris sportsman 500 ho 4x4 and the speedometer won't work do u have any idea what I should do. And I also have a 2000 or 2001 Polaris trail boss 325 like yours and I need to replace the a arm bushings and the upper swing arm bushings and I don't know what the best way to go about doing that would be. Do u have any tips

[@dustinelgan6070]

AUSTIN HILL hey there, only thing I'd suggest about the speedo is check your connections if you haven't already, is it a speedo cable or electronic, mine didn't come with a speedo. I'm actually just starting to dabble in rzr 800 side by sides now and they are electronic. As for the trailing arm bushings I've only done a wolverine 350, not a Polaris, but they should be the same design. Look for a huge nut with a threaded rod on the frame outboard of the most forward part of your trailing arm, where the arm pivots. Loosen the nuts on both sides just half a turn and the threaded rod may have an Allen key slot on the end to allow you to spin the rod outboard. Do all of this after you've disconnected your brakes, chain, rear shock, etc of course. Do this on both sides and your trailing arm should come down, wouldn't hurt to support it with a floor jack. Not sure if the sleeves will be plastic or copper. Drive out the old sleeves with a socket or puller then install new ones, check to make sure your grease zurks are in functional order, reinstall arm and grease the trailing arm grease zurks. I'm giving you this info without looking at my machine, please excuse any inaccuracies, I'm just relying on what I know from a Yamaha wolverine 350, same principle/function on a Polaris I'm sure. I wish you the best of luck. Thanks for your comment.

[@dustinelgan6070]

Upper swing arms should be the same as the lower ones... gotta read the questions better. 😊

[@yoanls1415]

That's exclatly whatS happening on my 2003 trail boss

[@jackfrost7400]

Would it be bad to anti- seize rubber bushing before installing because they might spin or no

[@dustinelgan6070]

Jack Frost lube will always help bushings in this application. Install it dry and you’ll get less life, bushings will wear out and the threaded rod insert will spin regardless if you lubed it or not. If you removed your bushings using the technique in my video, you’ll always have a way to remove them again, just remove grease zerk and turn one of the bolts attached to threaded rod till you find where you drilled into the rod and you’re back in business. Best of luck to you, thanks for your question.

[@hectorsanchez2146]

I got a 2001 Polaris trailblazer 250 the A-arm broke anybody knows what other Polaris is compatible with this🙏🏻

[@chalemi]

I'm about to tackle this myself. But drilling a hole in the tube seems like a drastic step. How does a mechanic do it? I doubt seriously they drill the tube.

[@dustinelgan6070]

chalemi there is a floating solid rod inside the A-arm. Both ends of the rod are female threads and this is what your bushings ride on. Bolts on both sides forward and aft hold the a-arm on the frame. Both bolts are right hand thread bolts. If the rod spins freely inside the assembly, you have nothing to hold it to break bolt torque. When you go to loosen one bolt, it will spin the internal rod. If you hold the rod still by holding the other opposing bolt, you won’t have anything to keep the rod from spinning to get that bolt out, both need to be removed to get the A-arm off. So, my method of drilling into the rod provides a way to keep that rod still and allow removal of both bolts. I’m not a certified ATV mechanic, but I am a certified airframe and power plant mechanic that works on aircraft for a living. If Polaris made a tool, I would’ve preferred that method, but no such tool exists so necessity is the father of creativity and problem solving. If you have a better idea on how to remove both bolts then I’d welcome your input.

[@austinhill2776]

And also do u know where the best place to get the swing arm bushings would be

[@dustinelgan6070]

AUSTIN HILL I always check out polaris parts websites that give you the blown up diagrams of parts, I copy the part number and then check prices online, mostly with Polaris you won't find aftermarket parts, genuine Polaris will be the most seen, and I wouldn't shy away from oem, they are worth the money especially with suspension parts. I use eBay and Amazon and have had great luck with parts. Good luck!

[@darius18241]

how would u replace the rear bushing do u have a vidio on that thanks

[@dustinelgan6070]

darius hofer do you mean for the rear suspension? That I haven't done, only greased those.

[@stevelembke4831]

if you get a new a arm does it come with all new bushings in it ?

[@dustinelgan6070]

Steve Lembke to be honest, I haven't bought a new a-arm since I was able to fix mine by only replacing the inner threaded rod and that fixed my problem. If you're buying from a parts dealer and your looking at a parts diagram if all the parts are in a circle with a single number pointing at it then you're looking at an assembly which should include everything. If you see that each part is separate in the call out and you don't see the a-arm called out as an assembly then you'll more than likely end up buying each individual piece. You'll have the bushings, inner threaded rod, a-arm, and outer ball joint for the hub/steering knuckle. Hope this helps. If in doubt call the parts place you are looking to buy the parts from. Best of luck.

[@austinhill2776]

Okay thanks for the help and reply I'll let u know of any problems and I think I have and electronic speedometer

[@dustinelgan6070]

AUSTIN HILL if the unit powers on and you see some functions work but not others, check the sending units that communicate that information to the speedo. If it's dead dead 💀 then your connection has been compromised by moisture, corrosion, maybe check and see if a fuse is blown for that system. No sense replacing a $100+ dollar speedo if it's a simple $5-50 component that's shot. Let me know how you make out.