Got a Problem with Your ATV?

Send your questions to Dirt Wheels Dialed In, P.O. Box 958, Valencia, CA 91380-9058.  
Our e-mail address is  dwdialed@hi-torque.com and include your name, city and state address.

8/10/2009

Dear Boss, 
  In your latest issue you talked about breaking the pittman arm on your 660 Raptor while racing in the Baja 2000. I was wandering what kind of specs and aftermarket parts or upgrades were on your quad and if you had some more pictures. I am interested in doing some Baja style races here in the future, but am not sure where to start at. Thank you guys for all the great advise in all your issues.  Sheldon Cary

7/9/2009

READER IN NEED



I had a question for you about Dustin Wimmers quad in the july 09 issue. Would you be able to tell me where i could get a set of the carbonfiber extensions that were on the rear plastics where the gas tank and rear plastics meet. I race supermoto and it is a constant problem with my boots getting caught in the plastics and those extensions would be a big help. Any info would be great.  Thanks Rolla Manning, Las Vegas, NV

  Rolla, those parts are made only for Team Suzuki by Quad Tech. At this time they do not have plans to put the parts into production.
  You could cut a section off a section from a spare set of fenders or an old plastic number plate and build the part yourself. Cut it to fit then use pop rivets to affix it to your fenders. Good luck.
Dirt Wheels

4/29/2009

Dirt Dirt Wheels,
A few years ago you did an article on separate brakes on a Can-Am Outlander. i would like to do this modification to my Outlander, can you please give me the contact information for this conversion (separate front and rear brakes)
Thanks Darcy

Thanks for your letter. The company is called Kewl Tek out of Canada. The sell split braking systems for Can-Am Outlanders, Renegades and Polaris Sportsman ATV’s. Prices range from about $150-$200. Give them a call at (314)266-3499 or log onto www.kewltekperformance.com.
DW

4/23/2009

Dear Dirt Wheels,
I just bought a grizzly 700 and i was looking though your April issue  On your Grizzly 700 what bend handle bars did you have on it and what size Rox riser. Also I am 6'4 and wondering if that set up work be a good height and sweep for normal trail riding.
Marathon, WI



Thanks for the question. That project Grizzly used Renthal 609 Fat Bars with a RC High Bend. The Rox Pivoting risers were 3 1/2-inches and allowed for the 7/8-inch to 1 1/8 bar size change. Those bars were outfitted with dual compound, full waffle Renthal grips and Rox/PowerMadd handguards.
  
Our test riders were over 6-foot tall on this shoot, so this set up should work great for you as well. When ordering your new parts, make sure you let them know you saw them in Dirt Wheels. Enjoy? And send us some pics of your new ride.

Contacts:
Renthal: www.renthal.com phone: 877-736-8425
Rox Speed FX INC.: www.roxspeedfx.com phone: 218.326.1794

3/26/2009

Dear Dirt Wheels,
I have been a reader for over three years now and enjoy the aftermarket parts and upgrade sections. I have been upgrading my 2005 400ex every summer and time is approaching for some more upgrades. Would it be possible to have an article / response about which Steering Stabilizer / Damper to purchase. I have read many forums and can't decide if I should go with a Elka System 3 Damper or Precision Steering Stabilizer. Any help would be much appreciated!
Keep up the great work.
Wes Jayne, NJ

The Elka and Precision Steering dampers are both great products. For some more upgrade ideas check out our March issue, Best Bang for your 400EX Buck feature on page 60. Thanks for reading.
DW

2/12/2009

Dear Boss,
I have a 2007 Honda 450R and installed an HRC kit within the first week I owned it. I purchased the service manual and followed the kit instructions to a tee. The quad runs great and there’s no hesitation anywhere when working the throttle. The problem I’m having is on startup. It’s a pain the way it cranks over forever, especially after sitting for a week. If I stab the throttle a few times before hitting the starter, it seems to start up easier, but something still seems wrong. I checked the valve clearances and they’re fine. Some people say it’s the carb adjustment or not enough fuel in the float bowl. I turn to you because you’re the expert. If you could provide me with advice, I’d appreciate it.
Michael Durante
West Milford, New Jersey



Sounds to me, son, like you have a lean condition when starting because by “stabbing” the thumb throttle, you are causing the accelerator pump to squirt extra fuel into the intake. This obviously helps with starting. Go ahead and check the float height to see if you do indeed have enough fuel in the float bowl. When your quad is operating at anyplace above idle you say it runs “great” so I can assume the problem has nothing to due with any metering circuit above idle. If your float level checks out then we have to look at the idlepilot metering circuits. At idle you have the pilot jet feeding the idle mixture screw. Try increasing your idle mixture by turning the idle screw out about a half of a turn at a time and test the hot idle as well as the cold starting. This could take awhile due to the cool down cycle. If you reach about three turns out on the idle mixture screw then consider going up to a #50 pilot jet and return the idle mixture screw to about 1-1/2 turns out and start testing again. Chances are you will come up with a setting that is acceptable.

2/12/2009

Dear Boss,
I was riding my 2001 Honda Rancher 350 through a deep mudhole and water got in the airbox. My buddies and I flipped it up to get the water out, and after that it started to smoke when I cranked it up. I was wondering if you knew how to make it stop smoking.
Rick Garvey
Vermilion, Ohio

Have you tried one of the Nicotine Patches? Seriously, what most likely happened was that when you tipped it up to drain water out of the air box, you also drained crankcase oil into the air box through the crankcase breather tube. I bet if you check the air box you will find an overabundance of black oil. Your air filter is saturated with this motor oil and it is being sucked into the engine and being burned. Hence the smoke. Clean the air filter and re-oil with foam filter oil and clean out the air box and the smoking should be stopped. If it doesn’t then water and mud got into the cylinder and scored the cylinder wall. This would mean a first over piston set and a bore job. Let’s hope it is the former and not the latter, Son!

2/12/2009

Dear Boss,
The brakes on my 1999 Kodiak keep dying. They just don’t work very well after riding through mud. I take the drums apart, clean everything and put in new brake shoes, but they still stop working. I’m getting fed up. The disc brakes on my LT-R450 work perfect. Is it possible to replace my dumb drum brakes with the disc brake system from the newer Kodiaks? Will it fit? I absolutely love your Dialed In section and thanks for your advice.
Francois Cyr
Alberta, Canada

When you state they “stop working” what do you mean? Is it because the shoes become slimy with mud and water and the braking force is reduced or is it because the brakes don’t apply when wet? The latter is most likely caused by a sticking brake cam. Remove the drum, shoes, external arm and extract the brake cam. Clean it and the hole. Replace the shaft seal with a new one and coat the inside of the hole and the brake cam with Marine Grade Never-Seize. Reinstall the arm and place a dab of the never-seize on the fixed pivot point as well as the flat cam that spreads the shoes apart. This will ensure the shoes expand and contract smoothly. The former problem is caused by using factory shoes and having a defective drum seal. Install EBC “G” series grooved shoes with a new axle seal as well as the drum cover seal. This will keep water and mud out of the drum and allow the shoes to grip the cast iron drum friction surface for maximum effect. If any water does get in, the “G” series shoes grip harder than a stock set of shoes does. As to whether the newer rear disc brakes can be retrofitted; yes, but at a cost! It would be easier to purchase a wrecked chassis from a salvage yard and transplant all the parts to yours. Axle, disc brake carrier, disc, caliper, caliper holder, master cylinder, lines, etc. Get the picture? Try “fixing” your “Dumb Drums” first!

2/12/2009

Dear Boss,
I have a 2004 Raptor 660 and it seems to think I don’t need reverse. It backfires and quits running whenever I shift to reverse. It runs fine in all of the forward gears. Also, I have a problem with the cooling fan shutting off when it tries to run. Do you know what could be causing these problems? Thank you for your time.
Tim Perry
Owego, New York

Sounds to me, Tim, like your reverse sensor isn’t working correctly. While in reverse, the CDI is supposed to be hobbled, reducing power so you don’t back up too fast but not to kill the engine. You can fool the reverse sensor by unwrapping the wiring harness close to the CDI box and locate the green/white stripe wire and the black/tan stripe wire. Remove insulation from both wires and bridge the two with a 10-100 ohm resistor. The only really good way to cover the wires for a fix like this with 90 degree connections is “Liquid Plastic.” Now the CDI will always think you are in one of the forward gears. As to your fan problem, disconnect the fan wires and hook up jumper wires with a 12V source. If the fan spins, it is the fan relay. If it doesn’t spin, the fan’s bearings are shot and the fan will have to be replaced.

1/27/2008

Dear Boss,
I own a ’06 Honda 450R electric start. My problem is it stalls out a lot. After riding it hard and coming to a stop, it will idle fine. But when I go to take off again, it will stall most of the time. Sometimes it also does this at low speeds too. Do my valves need adjusting? Does my carb need adjusting? Or, is this just because of the high compression of the engine? Thank you for your time and expert advice.
Casey Mooneyhan
Dungannon, VA.

Valves? No! High compression? No! Carb need adjusting? Yes! Check your slow speed jetting. eg: idle mixture, slide cutaway, “L” length of your jet needle or the jet needle taper. All of these play a part in “low” speed jetting. I just don’t know where from your letter. What I suspect is that your low speed jetting is lean and a hot motor makes it worse. Start with the easiest first. Increase your idle mixture a quarter of a turn at a time and see if your quad starts off without stalling. When you have gone too far, your quad will not idle well when hot.