Spring time usually means that most of the ATV trails here in Colorado are closed for the snow melt. Since I ride my ATV pretty much year round, I use this time to do ATV maintenance. For those that put their ATVs away in ATV winter storage, now is the time to get them out and make the final adjustments before the trails open up.
I was unusually hard on the ole ATV this winter so I will be tearing into it a little deeper than the normal spring time ATV maintenance. I have a bent front rim, some trail battered plastic, burnt out headlight, and a worn belt.
This year the ATV is also due for maintenance on the front and rear differentials and gear box. A lot of people will opt for the easy way and haul their ATV to the dealer or an ATV mechanic for service. For me I take a lot of pride in servicing my vehicles myself. Not only am I saving money but it also gives me the opportunity for stealth modifications that helps me compete with the newer and larger ATVs I encounter on my rides.
So on top of the regular ATV maintenance (outlined in the ATV Winter Storage post) I will be busy on the old Polaris SP700X2. So up on jack stands she goes and off with the front and rear tires. I have 27” Maxxis Big Horns on my ATV and even though I have a bent front rim the tires are unblemished. I have yet to have any side wall problems or holes with these tires.
With the ATV tires and wheels off, I straighten the bent rim the best I can with a dead blow hammer and some auto-body tools. Then I take the tires down to the tire shop to have them balanced, with tires this big balancing really helps keeping the front end stable at high speeds.
Having the front wheels off the ATV also gives me a chance to thoroughly inspect the steering linkage and ball joints for wear. I inspect the front brakes for excessive wear and possible pad replacement. I also inspect the CV boots for any tears and possible replacement.
Having the tires off also makes the ATV maintenance the front and rear differential easier. Once all of the fluids (engine oil, front and rear differential fluids) have been changed I remove the drive belt cover and remove the old worn belt. Before installing the new belt I lightly sand the sheaves of the primary and secondary clutches. After installing the new belt I start the engine and check the alignment of the clutches as I increase and decrease the RPMs.
As for the old belt, it was worn but still in fair condition so I put in in my ATV bag for use as a spare. After installing the belt cover I start the engine again to ensure the belt cover is not rubbing anywhere. Next on the list of my ATV maintenance is to service the air filter and change the spark plugs. Before removing the old spark plugs always clear the area around the base of the spark plug with compressed air (Be sure to wear safety glasses). This will help prevent foreign debris from falling into the combustion cylinder when changing the spark plug.
As for the body plastic, I had some plastic severely damaged by attacking trees and rocks. Mostly fender plastic pulled away from the original mounting hardware. Some were simple fixes by just re-securing the original hardware and some required adding new hardware to new locations. This is where nylon cable ties come in very handy. Just drill a couple of holes, slip a nylon tie through and zip.
As for the burnt out pod headlight, I saw this as an opportunity to upgrade the pod headlight to High Intensity Discharge (HID). ATV HID Lighting is very easy to install and man what a difference. Can’t wait for my next late night back country ride.
Now before mounting the tires back on the ATV I took this opportunity to thoroughly inspect the suspension for loose hardware or worn parts. This is a very important part of ATV maintenance from a safety aspect, I put this machine through a lot and things loosen up and wear because of it. Next on the list of ATV maintenance is to grease the necessary necessary suspension parts and assemblies.
After mounting the tires, while the ATV is still on the jacks, I rotate each wheel and listen to the bearings for abnormal sounds indicating a worn wheel bearing. Replace if necessary. With the ATV off the jacks, check and set the tire pressure. Now it’s time for the test drive.
Throughout this whole ATV maintenance process I incorporated a couple of modifications to enhance performance. Sorry, but I can’t reveal them because some of the guys I ride with will just incorporate them on their machines and I will lose my edge. Once I replace this ATV I will post the mods but for now they must remain stealth modifications.
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