Artic cat

[starmac]

Wow Wasalmonslayer, it sounds like I need to pick your brain a little, well maybe a lot. lol

[osteodoc08]

I've had 2 polaris models. A 500 and a ranger 800 XP. Both ran without any major issues. I took good care of them, kept them clean, lubed and was a fanatic about fluid changes. Never had a problem. I had to sell them late last year when I was in between jobs. I miss them, especially the Ranger.

My understanding is that Polaris and Arctic Cat share a similar beginning and being owned by brothers or family of some sort. They're the only ones with a single brake lever. Some like it, some don't. It never bothered me.

My favorite ATV was the 2008 Yamaha Grizzly 700 EPS model I had. Put that thing through hell and back and always started no matter the temp down to 10*F, which was the coldest I was able to test it in. Loved the 4WD diff lock set up.

My best friend still has his 1996 Honda 300 4x4. May not be the latest and greatest, but is probably the best quad ever made as far as reliability and capability in a manual shift package goes.

[starmac]

I hopefully will always have my 99 honda 300 4x4. Just from getting this cat ready to ride, I can see it will not be taking the hondas place, at least not on back country rides just yet. It has the 2x4 t04x4 and the diff lock, along with a low range, all of which is nice, but there is way more to go wrong than there is on the honda. lol

[Wasalmonslayer]

You need not worry about that stuff. Just put it In 4x4 and go. Hi low is a solid linkage to a shift for set up in the gear box. If you ever drove a manual tranny car it is the same stuff.
In all the years of electronic 4x4 shifting 2 actuator motors. The belt drive is a tight belt set up it has an internal oil bath clutch that slips to get you going. Never replaced one yet. The only very important thing with that set up is you have to use atv motor oil. I would stick with the cat acx full synthetic. It has the correct stuff in it and you can run it 600 mi between services.
Front and rear diff are bellow sealed no way for water intrusion. Changing the motor oil does the transmission also. Very easy machine to maintain.
It has a serviceable foam air filter made by k&n.
Our routine maint service is oil, filter, clean air filter, new plug, and you are done.
Machine does not have a fuel filter do yourself a favor and put one on it.
It takes us less than an hour to do a full service.
Oh and on a side note I have owned several Hondas great product for sure my last one was a 350 foreman 4x4
It was rock solid!
The cat suspension is hard to beat I have a funny I tell people when they ask about the ride and handling I tell em it rides like a catillac.

Wasalmonslayer

[starmac]

This one has a clutch like a snow machine. I made the mistake of checking the belt yesterday, and unplugged the belt switch, now the belt light is flashin, which by what I have been able to determine means it is in limp mode. It also has some sort of electric motor on the belt cover that is unplugged. When I plugged it in, it will sometimes constantly cycle even with the key off.

Yesterday when I reinstalled the tank it fired right up then died as the fuel pump was not running, for some reason it had lost ground. I pulled the pump again and checked it it, then run a ground to it and then I didn't have any spark. I then unplugged the cdi and plugged it back in and had both a ground to the pump and spark for a minute or two, then lost ground to the fuel pump again, but not the spark. does this mean I am probably loosing the cdi?

[Wasalmonslayer]

I almost forgot about the 650 v twin. It is a Kawasaki prairie motor set up.
We only sold a couple of them and they were plagued with issues.
I would not trust it to ride to the mail box and back!
Everyone we sold we almost wore them out working on them.
That was the one red headed step child in the line up.
I thought they would have all been recycled by now....
There is a special reset procedure for that belt switch it requires a special plug. They came with it check under the seat to see if the tool kit is still there.
It will not run until reset. It should idle but it will not take throttle.
They also require a really good battery. A weak battery will trip that stupid belt light issue also.
Cat had 3 updates for that issue.

Wasalmonslayer

[starmac]

Man you know how to make a guy feel good. lol
It does have the original tool kit, so I will check, BUT I know my luck so am not holding my breath. lol
I will find a way to bypass the switch, as I don't need it tripping in the middle of nowhere. lol

[Rangefinder]

I had an Arctic Cat 500-I for a few years. It didn't have all the cushy bells and whistles like most others at the time. What it DID have was serious power, the highest clearance, slightly wider wheel base, more travel in suspension... You know, all the things that really matter. The beast would climb a tree if you could hold on till the top. Traded it in towards my road bike though.

[starmac]

Well I did have a little luck. The special plug was in it, so I am no longer in limp mode, at least the light is not flashing. lol

[RugerFan]

My buddy has a 1995 Arctic cat 500. The main problem with it was water getting into the belt drive area during creek crossings which caused belt slippage (Another friend had the same issue with an older Yamaha). Once he got it water proofed good, it's been a pretty solid bike. Personally, I'll stick with my Hondas. No belts to worry about and they have been bullet proof for me.

[starmac]

From what I understand some of the 2014 hondas will have the front diff lock everybody raves about.

[osteodoc08]

From what I understand some of the 2014 hondas will have the front diff lock everybody raves about.

Only on the Foreman. And the switch looks like it was lifted of a Zuki.

To be very honest, I never had a diff lock get me unstuck after being stuck in 4wd on my Yamaha Grizzly 700 EPS that I lost during my divorce. But if I started through a nasty section with it on to begin with, it would get me either through it, or just more stuck. LOL.

[starmac]

Well I got the A-arm in and on, a new rear seal in the motor/transfer case (what a pita, but it stopped the oil leak) and the new instrument cluster came today, so with a new battery, she is back together as of 11 pm. Went for a short ride, and she seems like a powerhouse. As soon as I can get time and someone to ride with me, I will take it for a fifty or so mile ride, and see if she is going to cut the mustard.
I also took the winch motor apart and cleaned it up, got it working good, and installed a new synthetic rope on it and got rid of the cable.

[Lloyd Smale]

ive got a neighbor with an older one and its been a good bike. A little crude in the fit and finish compared to yam and hon but and the ride is a bit rough. My best friend just bought a new one last year and fit and finish on his has come along way. Its as good as any machine ive seen. Still doesnt ride as well as my grizzly and ive road others that made my grizly seem a bit rough.

[starmac]

This one has some real aggressive tires that you can feel pretty good at slow speed on hard ground, but it rides like a cadillac compared to my honda, of course newer hondas ride better than my old one too. lol

I owe a lot of thanks to Wasalmonslayer with his help on this rig.