Brakes – ATVFixed

Taking care of your own ATV is its own reward. You'll save a bag on workshop costs, suffer fewer breakdowns, but more than that, you'll learn a ton of ATV know-how. An ATV requires a lube service every 300 miles or three months, whichever comes first. Other important maintenance items and intervals include: Air filter clean every 100 miles or 1 monthNew plug yearlyDrain carburetor every 3 monthsCoolant change every 2 yearsClean spark arrestor yearlyChange diff oil every 4 yearsBrake fluid 2 yearsBrake hoses every 4 years In this post, you'll learn when you should service your ATV and what other maintenance and adjustments are needed. Service Intervals An ATV works hard, and while tough, they do need some love. Taking care of your own ATV maintenance is the correct decision. You know your bike best, and if it's acting up, you can get on it early, and that very often saves you money and time in the longer game. So what kind of maintenance needs to be done and when? ATVs are so versatile. It's not surprising they're so popular. They're used for a variety of forestry, search and rescue, recreation, farming, etc. And how they are used differs, and that, as you can imagine, changes how they wear out their components. Most ATVs don't cover lots of miles; instead, they travel shorter distances, more of a stop-start life. For that reason, three metrics are used as a guide to service intervals - Hours, miles, and time. Hours Some ATVs may be fitted with an hour reader. This is common practice with Agri and construction machinery. The dashboard incorporated hour meter starts whenever the engine is running. Miles We're all familiar with this concept. The miles traveled by the ATV are recorded by a digital or analog dash Speedo. Time Time since the last service isn't recorded by most ATVs, so the operator or maintainer must keep a good record of maintenance carried out and also maintenance needed at the next service and when that is. It's good practice to place a sticker on the bike as a reminder of its next service due date. As ATV riders, we were doing preventative maintenance consistently, maybe without even realizing it. Checking the oil before starting, visually checking overtires, steering components, checking for leaks, and being generally aware of our bikes. You know your own bike best, how it sounds and feels, how it performs, gas mileage, oil consumption. Noticing a change in your bike and being inquisitive about it is preventative maintenance. Service Intervals Oil and filter Oil quality is mission-critical to your motor. In fact, the breaking in oil change is arguably the most important oil change of the machine's life. Oil lubes the components, but it also cools them, and detergents in the oil help dissolve harmful acids inside your motor. You couldn't change oil too often, I've worked on engines for over twenty years, and the difference between a well-maintained motor and a neglected one is obvious even to the untrained eye. Your oil type and quantity are important too. Using the oil specified by your engine maker makes good sense as they have likely stress-tested the motor using this lube. A common lube is 5w30, but ambient temperatures will dictate the weight of oil you use. Air filter Clean and oil every 100 miles or one month, more regularly in dusty conditions. A dirty air filter will cause your engine to run rich, blow black smoke, bog down under throttle and dilute the engine oil. New plug Replace the plug every year. Better plug design means they last a lot longer. Your plug will need to be removed, cleaned, and gaped every three months. You can tell a lot about how your engine's running by examining the plug. A healthy running engine will cause the spark plug electrode to turn a tan color. Black plug, means your running rich (Fat)Black and oily means possible mechanical issueGrey/white plug and your running lean Gaping the plug will require a feeler gauge or a plug gaper tool. It's a simple process of measuring the plug electrode gap with the gauge and adjusting it with pliers if needed. An average gap spec is about .028 - .032 in (.7 - .8 mm). Plug tightening Both too loose and too tight are common. Plugs are fitted with crush washers, which, when new, resemble a donut. The plug is tightened for the first time. It crushes the washer and makes a good seal. Tips New plug, always starts threading the plug by hand. After the plug seats, turn it a half-turn, using a ratchet and plug socket. Used plug - Thread by hand until seats and turn a 1/4 turn with socket and ratchet. Bowl Drain All ATV carburetors cause problems eventually. Fueling is by far the most common ATV problem. It's not because carburetors are of bad quality. It's simply because mixing gas and air to a precise ratio is only possible if all components of the fueling system are working correctly. It's worth noting that air plays a large part in how carburetor functions, the root cause of a fueling system fault may be caused by an air flow fault. Your gas is filtered and sometimes twice, but crap in the form of water, silt, and other contaminants gets into the fuel system. Remnants of gas cans with mixed gas and stale gas are a common cause of performance issues. All fuel passes through the fuel bowl, and cleaning is all part of the maintenance checks. Gas bowls will have an easy-to-access drain screw or removable bung. It's good practice to remove and drain the bowl every time you change the oil. If you have an in-line filter, check it too and replace it yearly. If you're storing your bike for an extended period, stale gas can create gumming of the carburetor. this is a problem that's becoming more common as blended fuels are more common. I use a gas stabilizer additive and fill my gas tank to the top. It helps prevent gumming, moisture build-up and keeps the gas fresh for up to 12 months. Coolant Change Not all bikes are water-cooled, but even if your bike is air-cooled, it will need maintenance. Keep the engine cooling fins free from debris and obstruction. Coolant is super important, and it's best to change it out every two years and no more than 3. Running no coolant or old coolant is risky. Coolant is, as you know, specially formulated to have a higher boiling point 220°F, and the antifreeze agents cause it to have a lower freezing point, mixed at a ratio of 50/50. The freezing point is about 35°F. Two other important agents in fresh coolant include a rust inhibitor that protects all the components of the system. Lube in the coolant helps keep the seals, pump, thermostat, gaskets supple. While it is possible to use water in the system, it isn't advised. Water is harsh on all the components and promotes corrosion in head-gaskets, frost plugs, etc. Spark Arrestor Spark arrestor, while not fitted to all ATVs from new, is the law in many states to have one fitted. The arrestor prevents Forrest fires by catching any embers that may exit the tailpipe. The arrestor is fitted to the rear of the tailpipe and is a simple wire mesh guard. The guard can become caked in carbon deposits that restrict exhaust gas flow and choke your engine. An inspection and cleaning once a year is normal. If your arrestor is choking up more frequently, you may have a mechanical issue. Diff Oil Differential oil lives a long life relative to engine oil - four years. Diff oil has a sticky, gloppy consistency and is excellent at coating components. The ability to stick is important as a diff doesn't have an oil pump to move oil around. Instead, the diff relies on splashing oil about. Differential oil becomes less sticky with age and contaminated by fine metal particles. The metal occurs naturally as gears wear and act like liquid sandpaper if not drained and replaced periodically. Brake Fluid Brake fluid is often forgotten about, and it can be a costly mistake. Brake fluid likes to be changed every two years. The problem with brake fluid is it absorbs water, and the water promotes corrosion inside the brake system. Corrosive particulates then damage and tear the seals of master cylinders and caliper pistons. Other issues with moisture-laden brake fluid include spongy brakes and brake fade. Both problems can be solved by changing fluid. Inspecting, Adjusting & Lubing Various components will need adjusting at various times, and putting a time limit on it or mileage won't make any sense. Take brake pads, for example. Pads could last years on one ATV and only months on another. It's dependent on how the machine is used. A thorough inspection of your machine is advised every three months, some inspections points will only require yearly attention, and some of these won't apply to your bike at all. Tyres & Wheels Tire damageThread dept.Inflation Wheels Rims DamageBead lock fastenersWheel nut torquedClean debris buildup Steering Free-play ball joints innerFree-play ball joints outerSteering head bearing Brakes LeaksFluid levelControls securePads/shoes wearHoses perished twisted or crackedAdjustments, drums and leversLube controls Suspension Bushing & ball joint free-playShock leaksLoose componentsSuspension LevelGrease joints Engine Check for leaksAir box debris and drain pipes clearCoolant strengthClean exterior rad debrisCheck rad cap, hoses and cooling fan operationRebuild water pump every 4 yearsCarburetor mix adjustmentValve lash check (Yearly) Drive line LeaksWheel bearing free-playDrive shaft bootsCV jointsDiff lock adjustmentDiff ventsGrease jointsCVT belt inspectionCVT ClutchesManual trans clutch adjustment Electrical Battery fluid level checkBattery cable cleanBattery testBattery charging testCheck fuses and relays clean and drySolenoid cables tight and cleanStater cable tight and secureCDI box block connector secureRectifier/regulator clean and secureElectrical switches secure and workingElectrical components secure and working lights winches etc.Check engine loom harness secure, block connectors free from corrosion You may find these posts useful: White smoke from ATV How to tell ATV jumped time? 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