BajaRon sway bar install details on a '16 F3-T

The instructions for the F3-T that came with the bar, though much better than most others, got a C+ grade. Why? Totally missing were: (a) remove the rain guard completely - four T25 and a Phillips body clip; (b) remove a SECOND 10mm bolt and nut with a sleeve in the frame as well as the one that holds the block ; (c) remove the T27 from the under frunk shield and move it out of the way with a bungee. The installation was, with those exceptions, well described. Because you need to remove both the 10mm bolts, the frame member will likely slip and need re-aligned with the frame channel (scratch-all does work but you have to yank a bit on the orange arms so make sure you are sturdy with your jack). You WILL NOT get that bar out or in with those bolts & sleeves in place using a jack.

If you just got your first set of tools for Mothers/Fathers day, get this done by someone else. I did most of the disassembly with the F3 on a steady ATV jack but found it necessary to let her down and raise the front with a full sized floor jack under the front frame to get clearance to R & R the bar. Adding a rubber 1-2 inch block to the jack cup would have helped a little as my jack topped out at just barely enough. The new blocks were a bit tough to get in so, again, make sure you are sturdy with your lifting equipment. I used a rubber hammer and a hunk of wood to tap them into the channel.

It was a bit of a sweaty chore to get it installed because of the extra steps. I read the instructions and decided to do it myself because I'm good with a wrench. However, had those steps been included, I might have gotten a helper or had it done at the dealer (I hate doing that). At the finish, it was a toss up that I made the right choice (not as young as I used to be). Pics show the extra steps left out of the instructions.

Now the meat:
PROs
Wheel bounce is greatly diminished.
Cornering is so much improved that I no longer need to do the monkey trick quite so much to ride the twisties. (see other post >CLICK ME<)
The start up from a traffic light turn (say turn left once the light changes) is miraculous! Shazam! Just GO!
Drifting is greatly diminished on uneven, bumpy Ohio roads.
Yaw on crowned roads is greatly reduced and wandering is nearly gone (I haven't aligned her yet).
Feels like it's on rails. Shyza!

CONs HUH?

Best addition thus far .... Recommended? You bet!
http://www.rattlebars.com/spyder/baja1.jpg
http://www.rattlebars.com/spyder/baja2.jpg
http://www.rattlebars.com/spyder/baja3.jpg

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Originally Posted by Rattlebars

The instructions for the F3-T that came with the bar, though much better than most others, got a C+ grade. Why? Totally missing were: (a) remove the rain guard completely - four T25 and a Phillips body clip; (b) remove a SECOND 10mm bolt and nut with a sleeve in the frame as well as the one that holds the block ; (c) remove the T27 from the under frunk shield and move it out of the way with a bungee. The installation was, with those exceptions, well described. Because you need to remove both the 10mm bolts, the frame member will likely slip and need re-aligned with the frame channel (scratch-all does work but you have to yank a bit on the orange arms so make sure you are sturdy with your jack). You WILL NOT get that bar out or in with those bolts & sleeves in place using a jack.

If you just got your first set of tools for Mothers/Fathers day, get this done by someone else. I did most of the disassembly with the F3 on a steady ATV jack but found it necessary to let her down and raise the front with a full sized floor jack under the front frame to get clearance to R & R the bar. Adding a rubber 1-2 inch block to the jack cup would have helped a little as my jack topped out at just barely enough. The new blocks were a bit tough to get in so, again, make sure you are sturdy with your lifting equipment. I used a rubber hammer and a hunk of wood to tap them into the channel.

It was a bit of a sweaty chore to get it installed because of the extra steps. I read the instructions and decided to do it myself because I'm good with a wrench. However, had those steps been included, I might have gotten a helper or had it done at the dealer (I hate doing that). At the finish, it was a toss up that I made the right choice (not as young as I used to be). Pics show the extra steps left out of the instructions.

Now the meat:
PROs
Wheel bounce is greatly diminished.
Cornering is so much improved that I no longer need to do the monkey trick quite so much to ride the twisties. (see other post >CLICK ME<)
The start up from a traffic light turn (say turn left once the light changes) is miraculous! Shazam! Just GO!
Drifting is greatly diminished on uneven, bumpy Ohio roads.
Yaw on crowned roads is greatly reduced and wandering is nearly gone (I haven't aligned her yet).
Feels like it's on rails. Shyza!

CONs HUH?

Best addition thus far .... Recommended? You bet!
http://www.rattlebars.com/spyder/baja1.jpg
http://www.rattlebars.com/spyder/baja2.jpg
http://www.rattlebars.com/spyder/baja3.jpg

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Thanks for reporting back on your experience! I have the same Spyder as you and have an appointment with Netzley to do the swaybar install and a laser realignment.

A little voice in the back of my head has been wondering whether it'll all make a worthwhile difference. Your report back has quieted that little voice! :clap:

With all due respect for you doing you own swaybar install, the two pictures of what you took loose wasn't needed. I have installed 12 BajaRon sway bars total. 5 on RT's, 6 on F3T's and 1 on a a RS. The instructions for installing the swaybars and heim links from Ron are straight on.

I put a BajaRon swaybar on both my 2012 RS and my 2015 F3S but so far I have not found that my 2017 F3T needs one and I have hit some pretty serious twistees. Time will tell.

Well you won't have to do it again. I put one on our 2016 F3L and I don't recall having any trouble. It is a known thing how high you have to get the newer spyders to get the bar out of and into the channel in the frame. 22".

Never work under the bike while its supported only by a jack.

If ya know anyone that has a pit, it makes changing it really easy

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KJWEB

With all due respect for you doing you own swaybar install, the two pictures of what you took loose wasn't needed. I have installed 12 BajaRon sway bars total. 5 on RT's, 6 on F3T's and 1 on a a RS. The instructions for installing the swaybars and heim links from Ron are straight on.

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My note of the extra bolt removal was qualified with "on a jack." Whether it would be doable if the bike was higher without removal of the shown bolts and sleeves and getting the frunk shield out of the way to do those was not in my purview. Once I had her ready to pull, I was out of options to get her higher. If you can do it by not removing the extra bolts, do tell. I could not get the OEM bar out with those in place. Please expound not just criticize. Add to this thread with your knowledge.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jcthorne

Never work under the bike while its supported only by a jack.

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It is not necessary to get under the bike.

My post stated first thing, "no disrespect". You showed pictures of the bolts you removed but stated also that instructions were missing regarding those extra bolts you took out. It is clearly stated in the instructions, you must be able to lift the front of the Spyder 22" off the ground safely to remove the swaybar. You had to improvise and did what you did. No harm no foul. But, Ron's instructions are correct and not missing information.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KJWEB

My post stated first thing, "no disrespect". You showed pictures of the bolts you removed but stated also that instructions were missing regarding those extra bolts you took out. It is clearly stated in the instructions, you must be able to lift the front of the Spyder 22" off the ground safely to remove the swaybar. You had to improvise and did what you did. No harm no foul. But, Ron's instructions are correct and not missing information.

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It has come to light that the instructions I got with my sway bar were for older models of the F3 which DID NOT HAVE those extra bolts. The new instructions that come with the bar now include the necessity to pull the shields and the removal of those "extra" bolts regardless of your clearance. I still give the old instructions a C+ grade. I have been able to read the new instructions which included the necessary removal of those "extra" pins and shields and give them a A-.

No harm no foul.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KJWEB

. But, Ron's instructions are correct and not missing information.

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You both are correct about the instructions, it depends when your Spyder was built.

I installed a BajaRon sway bar on my 2016 F3-T last week. I had Version 2.2 of the instructions in the box. I wrote to BajaRon (Ron) and ask about the lack of information required to install the bar correctly, specifically the need to remove the stiffing bolt/nut/sleeves to allow removal of the bar. He wrote back and apologize for the error and emailed me version 2.3 of the manual.

At some point in production BRP added these stiffing bolts/nuts/and sleeves. It is quite possible that some owners have installed the bars without the need to remove these bolts, perhaps this is the source of confusion regarding the quality of the instructions.


BTW. I drove my Spyder up on those plastic car ramps sold at Harbor Freight, removed the hardware, then I drove the bike into my yard where I happen to have a double deep sprinkler control box. I lowered the old bar out and slid the new bar into place temporarily . I drove back up on the car ramps in the garage and finished the project. It was very easy this way. I would not hesitate to say most owners with simple tools can do the job if you can find a manhole or some other sort of hole to drop the bar into and slide the new one into place.

I have a VERY early F3S, one of the first 100 or so and it has the bolts and spacers. Never have seen an F3 that did not have them. And yes, those bolts and spacers have to be removed to install the sway bar.

Just finished the install yesterday and yes there were some items not listed in the instructions that needed removal to do the install, however if you need better instructions from a supplier you really ought to have someone else do the install. They say first impressions are the strongest and after the first ride after the install is holy crap..totally different scooter! Changed the ride and handling 100%..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Leland

You both are correct about the instructions, it depends when your Spyder was built.

I installed a BajaRon sway bar on my 2016 F3-T last week. I had Version 2.2 of the instructions in the box. I wrote to BajaRon (Ron) and ask about the lack of information required to install the bar correctly, specifically the need to remove the stiffing bolt/nut/sleeves to allow removal of the bar. He wrote back and apologize for the error and emailed me version 2.3 of the manual.

At some point in production BRP added these stiffing bolts/nuts/and sleeves. It is quite possible that some owners have installed the bars without the need to remove these bolts, perhaps this is the source of confusion regarding the quality of the instructions.


BTW. I drove my Spyder up on those plastic car ramps sold at Harbor Freight, removed the hardware, then I drove the bike into my yard where I happen to have a double deep sprinkler control box. I lowered the old bar out and slid the new bar into place temporarily . I drove back up on the car ramps in the garage and finished the project. It was very easy this way. I would not hesitate to say most owners with simple tools can do the job if you can find a manhole or some other sort of hole to drop the bar into and slide the new one into place.

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Just to clarify the whole instructions issue.

First, the frame channel stiffing bolts must be removed to do the Sway Bar install. It cannot be done leaving these bolts in place.

To address the outdated instructions some have received with their Sway Bar Kits. Some vendors who carry my bar kits have me send product to them bulk and they retail package them in house. This saves a great deal on shipping and helps keep pricing down. These vendors also print the instructions in house as well. I send updates as needed. But running a business has a lot of moving parts and sometimes a T doesn't get crossed or an I may be missing the dot. So we had a vendor that was still printing out old versions of the instructions. It just got missed. We fixed it and now everyone is getting the latest version.

Anytime you have an issue with anything I carry you can always contact me or the vendor who sold you the item. None of us are perfect and I know all of you here understand this. Both the vendors that carry my product and I try very hard to maintain good customer service.

The Spyder community is rare and special. The amount of cooperation and willingness to work together for a better product and experience is greatly appreciated. You have all done good by us and we all want to do right by you. It is very helpful when these glitches are brought forward in a constructive way so they can be corrected.

I want to thank everyone for their contribution to the experience! :thumbup:

Good morning everyone.
I haven’t been in the Spyder community very long, I’d say 99.9% of you have owned longer, and have much more experience w upgrades/maintenance than I do.
However ive learned, in a very short time, that the sponsors and after market parts we buy are backed by some of the best business owners I’ve ever known. I’ve been in Finance for a long time, I know many business owners.
I’ve purchased/worked with: Lamonster, SpyderPops, Netzley and BajaRon. I’ve contacted everyone of those companies w questions I’ve had when receiving my orders. They really have AWESOME customer service, quality products and really care about their customers. This is rare in the business world. I used to check Amazon every time I need to buy something. When I need something for the Spyder I just come to SpyderLovers and click on appropriate sponsor. For the record, there’s been times I’ve checked Amazon vs our vendors, and to my surprise our sponsors have better prices. Due to my (short) experience w the Spyder, even if I ever found a better price on Amazon I’d still support our sponsors.

In summary, I recommend that if anyone ever has any questions regarding their purchase/install...just contact the company/sponsor you bought it from. They will help you and not try to rush u off the phone or give u the runaround.
Buy with confidence.
‘Have a great day everyone.
😎🕷

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jarred

Good morning everyone.
I haven’t been in the Spyder community very long, I’d say 99.9% of you have owned longer, and have much more experience w upgrades/maintenance than I do.
However ive learned, in a very short time, that the sponsors and after market parts we buy are backed by some of the best business owners I’ve ever known.
😎🕷

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Echo echo echo. Perhaps I should have called Bajaron about the snafu on my install, but I travel between OH and SC regularly and had my bike apart on a weekend so I figured it out in the limited time I had to do the install. I'm glad I started this thread so we can all learn what good vendors sponsor this site. I've just had a great experience with TricLED and their A-Arm switchback lights for the F3. One side went bad for some reason and I e-mailed them. Cindy replied within an hour and I had the necessary repair parts in my mail in 3 days!!! All fixed and running again. I'm headed there next to make another purchase.

Just purchased my first Spyder, a 2017 F3L and I am inquiring as to the effects of replacing the sway bar. Has anything changed on the newer models
that negates the positive effects that I hear elated on this board when the sway bar is replaced on older models. thanks for your feedback
johnv

The benefits are still there over the stock one. Additionally the heim links are metal instead of plastic.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by johnv50

Just purchased my first Spyder, a 2017 F3L and I am inquiring as to the effects of replacing the sway bar. Has anything changed on the newer models
that negates the positive effects that I hear elated on this board when the sway bar is replaced on older models. thanks for your feedback
johnv

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Yes. There is a difference. I installed the sway bar on my 17 F3 LTD.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KJWEB

With all due respect for you doing you own swaybar install, the two pictures of what you took loose wasn't needed. I have installed 12 BajaRon sway bars total. 5 on RT's, 6 on F3T's and 1 on a a RS. The instructions for installing the swaybars and heim links from Ron are straight on.

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Hello...

I have to agree with the original poster. I installed the Ron's ASB on my 2017 F3T. There were several steps needed to do the job that were not addressed in the instructions that I received with the ASB. I didn't take the time to document them, but they included having to remove the splash guards and the plastic shrouds on the underside of the spyder, to get at bolts. Been wrenching on motorcycles and cars for over 50yrs, including many frame off restorations. The additional items not described in the instructions definitely needed to be done to complete the job.

Regards,

Don

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Rattlebars

It has come to light that the instructions I got with my sway bar were for older models of the F3 which DID NOT HAVE those extra bolts. The new instructions that come with the bar now include the necessity to pull the shields and the removal of those "extra" bolts regardless of your clearance. I still give the old instructions a C+ grade. I have been able to read the new instructions which included the necessary removal of those "extra" pins and shields and give them a A-.

No harm no foul.

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I don't know when you purchased your ASB for your 2016 F3, but I got mine about 6 weeks ago for my 2017 F3. Sounds like Ron got way behind on updating the instructions.

Regards,

Don

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dondje

Hello...

I have to agree with the original poster. I installed the Ron's ASB on my 2017 F3T. There were several steps needed to do the job that were not addressed in the instructions that I received with the ASB. I didn't take the time to document them, but they included having to remove the splash guards and the plastic shrouds on the underside of the spyder, to get at bolts. Been wrenching on motorcycles and cars for over 50yrs, including many frame off restorations. The additional items not described in the instructions definitely needed to be done to complete the job.

Regards,

Don

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Did the job on F3s without any instructions. All is self apparent and quite easy. The hint about required lift height was helpful.