New BDX front end vs. 2016 Cat front end?

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specialk6r

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• Jan 5, 2017

• #1

If price were equal, which would you choose?

I've had about the same l luck with the original BDX front end as most on here, but Jeff claims that the new front end is stronger than the new Cat front end. Obviously the upper A-arm mounts are still a weak link, but I kind of like that being a cheap fail point, and I'm now pretty quick at replacing them.

 

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specialk6r

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• Jan 5, 2017

• #2

specialk6r said:

If price were equal, which would you choose?

I've had about the same l luck with the original BDX front end as most on here, but Jeff claims that the new front end is stronger than the new Cat front end. Obviously the upper A-arm mounts are still a weak link, but I kind of like that being a cheap fail point, and I'm now pretty quick at replacing them.

Click to expand...

Sorry, fat fingered my phone. Could this please be transferred to the ProClimb forum?

 

summ8rmk

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• Jan 5, 2017

• #3

16 cat front

GS6

 

CO 2.0

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16 cat front. Bdx still uses same upper arm mounting brackets. I snapped one in half on my 14 without bending the a-arm

 

boondocker97

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I think the only advantages to the BDX kit are about a 1lb weight savings with the shorter spindles and if you like the looks of it better than the tall stock ones. They use Zbroz lower arms if you get the full kit from them so they have more ground clearance and are stronger than stock.

My local dealer doesn't stock any parts so I always have to order everything regardless. Parts from BDX are usually at my door in 3 days as long as they have it. Might have better luck finding an arm locally if needed on an extended trip with stock cat parts.

 

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specialk6r

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• #6

If anyone has tried both, is the handling comparable? Any thoughts on the strength of the new BDX kit, aside from the upper a-arm mount which is a proven weak point?

 

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feetsbig

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• Jan 6, 2017

• #7

stock cat ,I have BDX and already broke one upper a arm and the opposite side upper mount

 

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sno*jet

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how do the others compare- skinz, barcode, zbros...
i like the separation on the stock cat arms, doesnt hold powder in between them as easy. i think the other makes will follow suite on that, like they did with the a-arm suspension in the first place.

 

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Frostbite

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• Jan 6, 2017

• #9

I have heard that the Z Brothers front end at 38" is awesome but, have not tried one yet.

 

line8

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• Jan 6, 2017

• #10

The zbroz 38" width and 16 Cat spindles is very nice. I'm extremely happy with it. Can't compare to BDX though. Comparing to '14 oem front = no comparison. Night and day for my riding! Changed about 20 rides ago or roughly 800 miles.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

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jd87

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• Jan 7, 2017

• #11

I broke a left spindle in half with a very minor ski hit at very low speed .called bdx and they sent a new one that was beefed up were first one broke but the finish work on the spindle was horrible and had no attention payed to making it look presentable,they never ground or smoothed casting marks.even though it was replaced for free I wasn't impressed and went to stock 17 cat spindles and z bros upper aarms

 

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KMMAC

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• Jan 8, 2017

• #12

spindle

jd87 said:

I broke a left spindle in half with a very minor ski hit at very low speed .called bdx and they sent a new one that was beefed up were first one broke but the finish work on the spindle was horrible and had no attention payed to making it look presentable,they never ground or smoothed casting marks.even though it was replaced for free I wasn't impressed and went to stock 17 cat spindles and z bros upper aarms

Click to expand...

Are you referring to the latest spindle from BDX?

 

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jd87

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• #13

Yes the newest 2016 spindle from them

 

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jeffheart153

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• #14

sno*jet said:

how do the others compare- skinz, barcode, zbros...
i like the separation on the stock cat arms, doesnt hold powder in between them as easy. i think the other makes will follow suite on that, like they did with the a-arm suspension in the first place.

Click to expand...

I can say the Barcode kit is much better than the stock 2016 front end. Ive got now 5 rides on the kit. ITs so good the entire group of guys I ride with ended up getting them. And 4 out of the 5 had already for the new 2016 Cat front end.

 

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specialk6r

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• #15

jeffheart153 said:

I can say the Barcode kit is much better than the stock 2016 front end. Ive got now 5 rides on the kit. ITs so good the entire group of guys I ride with ended up getting them. And 4 out of the 5 had already for the new 2016 Cat front end.

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They look nice, but $900 is an expensive set of a-arms.

 

CO 2.0

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• #16

I rode the Barcode kit some more this weekend. It's a better kit than the Skinz. And cheaper, and no messing with shocks. The Barcode kit actually has the tightest turning radius of anything out there. It turns on a dime. Even tighter than my 16 front end with the Wyoboy steering mod on it. I can literally ride miles down the trail with the Barcode on one ski if I want to. Would be much more difficult to do that on the 16 front end, or my axys. I'm really impressed with its technical abilities. Can do slow tech moves with ease and modulate the front end to do exactly what you want it to. Speed moves across a sidehill into a hard shoulder turn it's more predictable than the 16 front end. There are things the Barcode kit does better than the 16 front end, and things the 16 front end does better, like jumping.

Overall I think the Barcode kit is the best aftermarket kit out there. I've had plenty of time on the 12, 15, 16 stock front ends. Also the BDX front, and Skinz. I'm not a fan of the BDX front end. I haven't tried the new spindles, but I hope they added a ton of turning radius, or else that kit is still terrible. It turns like the stock 12 front end

 

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sno*jet

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Id like to see long term durability on the barcode. the bottom mount on the spindle just looks weak. are our 16-17 a-arms steel or chromo? should be something lighter than steel this day in age...

 

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jeffheart153

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• #18

sno*jet said:

Id like to see long term durability on the barcode. the bottom mount on the spindle just looks weak. are our 16-17 a-arms steel or chromo? should be something lighter than steel this day in age...

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The part that mounts to the spindle is a QA1 heim joint pretty strong stuff and if they break, they are available from everywhere. I actually got two extras from Summit racing just in case.

As for cost its well worth the $$