How To

-- There is nothing to fear -- By Allen Knowles  and staff of Dirt Wheels When performance quads were two-strokes without power valves, rebuilding an engine was relatively cheap, even with labor included. Modern two-strokes with power valves are definitely more expensive to work on, but those are not available for quads unless you are willing to build your own. With modern quads, it doesn’t matter whether you are working on a sport quad or a 4x4, you will be working on a four-stroke. Costs soar with the increased…

-- How they work and how to recognize problems --  By Cameron Dickie CVT clutching may seem like magic: they work, but not many people understand how. They do not operate on spells and wizardry but on simple ratios. This is an article on learning the basics of how a clutch operates and to answer some of your questions (based off of Polaris-style clutches). It may seem like a crazy thing to learn, but trust me, if I can understand how they operate, you can as well. The definition of a CVT clutch is an automatic clutch…

Picking the right protection for your machine can be a difficult task. We install aftermarket skid plates on most machines that we receive to ensure the frame and suspension components don't get heavily damaged by rocks, roots and other trail debris.

-- Easy way to make your quad or UTV look like new -- When you see a shiny ATV in the showroom, it’s like love at first sight. The light gleaming off the carefully sculpted curves of the plastic bodywork is like art. Then you ride it, and two weeks in, it looks like a tired old mule. We may be exaggerating that last part a small amount, but every machine we test ends up with scuffed, scratched and beat-up plastics, no matter how careful we are with it. So instead of dropping hundreds of dollars on brand-new plastics, why…

-- Keep your machine’s suspension working like new --  By the staff of Dirt Wheels : Keeping the suspension working well on a quad or UTV requires a variety of parts to function as they should. Adjusting the spring preload and fine-tuning the adjusters are the fun part. There are less glamorous duties, like making sure that the suspension arms are operating as they should. Most quad and UTV suspension arms pivot on simple plastic bushings with a sleeve for the bolt to go through. For the most part, these…

-- Dirt Wheels readers show you how they do it -- 1. Ron Murphy hauls his quads with a trailer that can load from either side. The gates fold down and become ramps. He pulls it with a mid-size SUV. 2. A stylish way to haul your quad is in a classic Chevy El Camino with a V-8, custom paint and chrome mag wheels. This is how Andre Kok does it. 3. You don't need a big truck to pull an ATV trailer. An econo car like Brandon Hardin has here will work just fine as long as it has a strong trailer hitch mounted to the…

-- Better protection with CageWrx -- We say it time and time again—protection is the most important factor when it comes to off-roading any machine. Wearing the right helmet, eye protection, switching out the stock UTV seat belts with harness systems—all of these are great ideas to keep you riding longer. If you ask one of our editors which UTV accessory you would purchase after the helmet and harnesses, they would tell you to get a stronger roll cage. Rolling a UTV is a serious matter, and the harder you drive one, the…

-- Step by step photos on a UTV -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels In the December 2018 issue, we showed how to install new brake rotors on a Polaris RZR. In this issue we install new brake lines and brake pads. You change brake pads routinely for wear, or less frequently because you are looking for different brake performance. Brake lines are a different story. They do get damaged and need to be replaced, but most often you change brake lines to change to a different brake feel. Or, like us, you have changed to wider…

-- Boss McKannick solves the problem -- Dear Boss, I just bought a 2000 Yamaha Grizzly 600. It has a fuel line or something hanging down at the rear and sometimes gas pours out of it. Is this a problem? What should I do? Stewart McTaggart Austin, TX That hose sounds like it is the carburetor float-bowl overflow hose. It should not dump gasoline out unless there is either something holding the float valve open (dirt/rust) and the float bowl continues to fill until the internal gasoline level reaches the…

-- Making it easier to start -- By Winston "Boss" McKannick Dear Boss, I have a 1993 Kawasaki Mojave 250 with a one-size-over Wiseco piston. During the rebuild, I had new valve seats, guides and seals installed in the cylinder head. The builder also smoothed out the casting flash in the intake and exhaust ports. It has an aftermarket exhaust and a K&N filter in the factory airbox, so he also installed a #135 main jet in the carb to get more fuel with the added airflow. The quad is now hard to start when…

-- Special "How To" Tire Guide -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels What type of trails do you ride? This should be the first question a dealer asks you in regards to choosing a new set of tires for your favorite toy. Whether you drive a sport quad, hunting-equipped quad or UTV, or a mud-bog monster of a 4x4 quad, there are tons of traction options to choose from. We’re hoping to help you narrow down your options and outfit your rig with the tires that will optimize your riding experience. We categorized the most common…

-- The off-roader's hand book -- By the staff of Dirt Wheels Like any motorized activity, riding ATVs and UTVs has an element of risk. That thrill is part of what gets us addicted to the sport, and we wouldn’t trade that feeling of exhilaration for anything. However, there are safe ways to ride, and some common-sense rules that will lessen the chances of injury and increase your chances of having fun and returning home safe. We hope you’ll find some useful tips in the trail etiquette that we live by. Hopefully, you will…