c/atv-general-discussion

Just found out why my winch kept dying on the Pismo Beach trip

Turns out the factory wiring was 12 gauge but the winch pulls 250 amps, and a buddy with a clamp meter showed me the voltage drop before we even got to the dunes, has anyone else chased a gremlin like that?

Rode through the Blue Ridge and noticed something odd about the trail upkeep

Last month I took a weekend trip down to the Blue Ridge area near Boone and hit a couple of the public trails. What caught my attention was how inconsistent the maintenance is. Some sections were freshly graded with new water bars, then a mile later you'd hit a washed out rut that could swallow a tire whole. I get that budgets are tight and volunteers do what they can, but it felt like two different parks stitched together. There was one turn where the bank had slid down maybe 20 feet and nobody had put up a warning sign or reroute. I've ridden all over the southeast and this pattern keeps showing up at state-managed spots. Is this just a funding thing or do some clubs quietly adopt certain stretches and leave the rest? Has anyone else noticed this split in trail quality at their local riding areas?

Hit exactly 7,777 miles on my 4 wheeler this morning and had to pull over

I was heading out to the trails near Chatsworth and glanced down at the odometer, couldn't believe it lined up perfect. Pulled off the gravel and took a photo for the group chat, nobody cared but my buddy laughed and said that's the luckiest mile marker we'll see all summer. Has anyone else caught a weird number like that at just the right moment?

Old buddy's advice about mud tires finally made sense

A guy I used to ride with near Myrtle Beach always said to air down to 8 psi before crossing wet trails, and I thought he was being dramatic until I got buried up to the frame last Saturday. He passed away 2 years ago but that tip saved me a winch call, has anyone else had advice from an old timer that took forever to click?

Trail boss told me my tire pressure was killing my ride, he was right on the money

Last month at a group ride near Moab, this old timer walked up and asked why I was running 12 psi in my stock tires. He said that was fine for mud but terrible for the slickrock we were hitting. I dropped to 8 psi in the rear and 7 up front, and the difference was night and day on the climbs. Has anyone else gotten a similar setup tip from a stranger that just completely fixed your handling?

Stripped lug nut took me 4 hours and a torch in the rain

Was changing tires on my 2019 quad last weekend and one lug nut was seized on there something fierce. Rounded it off with my socket, then tried the extractor set and that failed too. Ended up cutting it off with a cutoff wheel and using a torch to heat the stud. Four hours for one nut. Has anyone else had a lug nut fight them this bad? What did you end up doing?

Synthetic winch rope was snake oil to me, until I watched a cable snap in Colorado

Tried a paddle tire for the first time in 15 years of riding

I grew up on old Blaster dunes around Glamis and never felt the need for one, but last month I bolted a 20 inch Skat-Trak on my 450 for a trip to Dumont... it hooked up so hard the front end came up in 3rd gear when I wasn't ready. That thing flat out changed how I attack the sand, but it's a nightmare on any hard pack if you gotta cross a road. Anyone else switch back and forth depending on the trip, or just leave it on and deal with it?

Overheard a guy at the trailhead mention tire pressure and it saved my ride

Last Saturday at the Hatfield McCoy trailhead, some older fella was airing down his tires before unloading. He told his buddy he runs 8 psi on the rear and 10 up front for rocky stuff. I always just ran whatever the shop put in, usually around 14 or so. Figured it was worth a try since my arms were killing me after every ride and I kept bouncing off roots. Dropped mine to those numbers before a 20 mile loop and honestly the difference was night and day. The quad tracked way better on the loose gravel sections and I wasn't fighting the bars the whole time. Still getting used to the feel on hardpack but for slower technical trails it's a no brainer. Anyone else run different pressures depending on the terrain or am I late to this one?

Hit 5,000 miles on my old quad and it surprised the heck out of me

I rolled over 5,000 miles last Saturday on my 2010 utility quad out near the Pine Barrens. I bought it used with 3,200 on the clock three winters ago, so I never really tracked the total. When I stopped to check the odometer at the gas station, I just sat there for a minute. Every belt, bearing, and axle is still original, which feels like a small miracle. Has anyone else passed a big milestone on a machine they secretly expected to quit early?

That comment about axle boots at the gas station stuck with me

I was filling up my quad at the Shell station off Route 9 last Thursday when this old guy pulled up on a beat-up 400EX and said, "You check those boots before they check your wallet." He pointed at a cracked rear boot and told me a $12 part can turn into a $300 shaft replacement if you ignore it. I went home, popped the clamps off, and sure enough, there was a tiny split letting grease sling everywhere. Fixed it with a new boot in 45 minutes, but now I'm paranoid about the front ones. Anyone else had a cheap rubber piece cost them big time, or do you just ride until something makes noise?

Just realized my air filter was choking everything after I switched to a pre-filter

Ran 3 muddy rides last month and kept getting bogged down, figured it was the clutch but it was the foam filter caked solid. Added a cheap outer pre-filter for $12 and the throttle response is night and day, anyone else run one on sandy trails or is it just overkill?

Took me 3 seasons to admit that my 4x4 was the problem

Bought a used utility quad two years ago in Spokane and blamed the mud tires, then the differential, then the cold weather for why it kept bogging down on hills. Finally pulled the front driveline and manual locked the hubs, and the thing climbed everything in my back 40 like it was nothing. Anyone else find that their stock drivetrain setup was actually holding them back more than any aftermarket part?

Best riding day I've had in 2 years, then the trailer tire blew on the way home

Went out to the Hatfield-McCoy trails last Saturday with my brother and two buddies. We hit about 45 miles of single track before noon, conditions were perfect, no dust and the mud holes weren't too deep. My old 400EX ran like a top all day, not a single stall or bog. Then we loaded up and about 20 minutes from the house the trailer tire shredded at 65 mph, felt the whole rig wobble. Took us an hour to change it on the shoulder of Route 119 because the spare bracket was rusted shut. Has anyone else had a great ride completely ruined by trailer trouble, or am I just cursed with bad luck on the drive back?

Old trail maps vs. my phone now, I still carry both

Back in 2011 I rode Hatfield-McCoy with a paper map folded in my chest pocket, and I got lost twice near the Browning Fork trailhead. Now I just pull up the GPS app on my phone, but the battery drains fast after 4 hours of riding. Last month in West Virginia the signal dropped completely in a hollow, and that paper map saved my ride. Anyone else still pack a physical map as a backup, or am I just old school?

Had to choose between mudding a trail or turning back around a fallen tree

Last Saturday I was out on the Pine Ridge trail and came up on this massive oak that had come down overnight. I could either try to plow through the thick mud around it or backtrack 3 miles to the truck. Went for the mud route, sank my front tires up to the rims, and spent 20 minutes winching out with a tree stump. Got caked in mud head to toe but made it through. Anyone else ever take a gamble on a sketchy bypass and regret it?

Had to choose between a 4x4 and a 2wd utility ATV back in 2018

I was looking at a used Honda Rancher 4x4 for $3,200 or a brand new 2wd for $3,800. Went with the 2wd because I figured I'd save money and rarely need the extra traction. First time I hit a muddy trail near my buddy's cabin I got stuck twice in one afternoon. Should have just spent the extra cash up front.

Had to pick between a Can-Am and a Polaris for trail riding

I spent 3 weeks going back and forth on whether to get a Can-Am Outlander or a Polaris Sportsman for the trails near Shawnee Forest. Ended up going with the Polaris cause the dealer offered me a $500 discount and free first service. First ride out I hit a deep mud hole and the thing just pulled right through no problem. But after 6 months I gotta say the steering feels heavier than I expected on tight turns. Anyone else regret their quad choice or am I just being picky?

Chat with an old timer at the gas station changed how I look at tire pressure

I was filling up my quad last weekend and this guy maybe 70 years old rolls up on a beat up Honda 350. He saw me checking my tires and said I was running them too hard for the trails around here. He told me to drop them to 5 psi for the rocky stuff we got in the Poconos. I always thought lower pressure just meant more flats but he explained it helps the tire grab the rocks instead of bouncing off. Tried it on my next ride up trail 7 and it was a night and day difference. Anyone else had an old school rider give advice that totally flipped your setup?

Saw my uncle's 2003 Polaris 500 get a full rebuild over a weekend

My uncle finally tore into that old 2003 Polaris 500 that's been sitting in his garage since 2018. It went from a dusty, non-starting mess on Friday morning to actually ripping around his field by Sunday night. The biggest change was after he cleaned the carb and replaced the fuel lines everything just clicked. Has anyone else had an old quad come back to life way faster than you expected?

PSA: Stop calling every ATV a four-wheeler if it isn't...

I was out at the trails near Payson last Saturday and heard some guy point at a side-by-side and call it a four-wheeler. That's just wrong... a four-wheeler is a quad, you know, the one you straddle. A side-by-side is totally different, they have steering wheels and seats next to each other. It drives me crazy because then people get confused about what parts fit what. I literally had to explain to my friend that his Can-Am Commander is not a four-wheeler three times before he got it. Has anyone else run into this mix-up out on the trails?

Old guy at the shop told me my tie-down method was dangerous

He watched me ratchet strap my quad to the trailer with just two straps and said 'you're asking for trouble with that setup.' Now I use four straps cross-patterned and haven't had a single shift in the bed on the highway since. What's your go-to strap count for a 4-hour haul?

Fell for a cheap ATV winch on Amazon, what a disaster

Bought a $60 winch off Amazon for my Honda 400. Looked fine in pictures. First mud hole I got stuck in it just smoked out and died. Wound up winching myself out with a rope and a tree. Anyone else have bad luck with those budget winches?

Last Saturday I hit a stump so hard it bent my front rim

Was out on the trails near Lake Allatoona around 4pm. Rain had washed out a section I usually take, so I cut left through some brush. Did not see the stump under all that mud. Rim is toast, tire lost air in about 30 seconds. Had to walk 2 miles back to the truck. Anyone else ever bend a rim on something stupid and find a cheap replacement online?

TIL letting my ATV warm up for 5 minutes actually saves fuel

I used to just start my Honda and go, but last month I timed it on a cold morning and the engine ran smoother after idling for 5 minutes. Took a full day at Hatfield-McCoy trails and used half a tank less than usual. Has anyone else noticed a difference with warm ups?