4 wheeler transmission stress?

[Matt Pfalzer]

Hello, 

I have only been riding for a few years now but encountered a situation today where I needed to tow a riding lawn mower out of a ditch. It was going well but I had to stop in the middle and place the 4 wheeler in park to turn the wheels on the lawn mower so it would glide out of the slope easily. I am wondering if it is going to cause damage with all of that weight resting on the transmission when I had the 4 wheeler in park. It was only for about 45 seconds, then I got back on and tugged it the rest of the way. This 4 wheeler doesn't have a parking break so that wasn't an option.

Thanks!

[Ajmboy]

So you are concerned that having it parked with the weight of the lawn mower caused stress on your ATV transmission? More than likely I would think it's ok because its a locked position but what kind of ATV is it?

[Frank Angerano]

I would think it would be fine.  

[JacobSlabach]

I got a polaris sportsman 500 that has park (an 04 model).  I dont think from my experience it is bad for your tranny.  Does it put stress on it?  yes,  the more weight you put on it, the more pull will be on the parking system--  but its made to handle that stress and its not bad for it.

transmitions are tough on those quads---  btw what quad you got?  My friend pulled his family's 4x4 ford Excursion out of the mud (this thing was a monster diesel with a lift and over sized tires) using his 02 polaris sportsman 500- tranny never even wined...  he just had to get his fam to sit on his bike cause it didnt have enough weight on it.......😎

[Matt Pfalzer]

NICE!! Thats some power to pull out a Excursion!! Thanks for the replies everyone!! @JacobSlabach @Frank Angerano @Ajmboy Just got it, its a Yamaha Kodiak 450. Love it so far, Really nice 2018 with the fuel injection. Been taking up through mountain trails in KY and wow she is definitely a trooper in the mud. Fun stuff

[Ajmboy]

10 minutes ago, Matt Pfalzer said:

NICE!! Thats some power to pull out a Excursion!! Thanks for the replies everyone!! @JacobSlabach @Frank Angerano @Ajmboy Just got it, its a Yamaha Kodiak 450. Love it so far, Really nice 2018 with the fuel injection. Been taking up through mountain trails in KY and wow she is definitely a trooper in the mud. Fun stuff

Nice, I used to have a Kodiak 450 years ago and loved it. Today its a much better quad than it was then...this photo was over 10 year ago I think. Good luck with your Kodiak and post some pics!

 

[Frank Angerano]

Very cool replies to this topic.  Also the pics are awesom.  Anyone feel old yet ? 

[JacobSlabach]

11 hours ago, Frank Angerano said:

Very cool replies to this topic.  Also the pics are awesome.  Anyone feel old yet ? 

not me.  still 15.     those kodiaks are among my top fav utility atvs!

[Frank Angerano]

Dam I remember 15! I had a CR 80 worked to the gills! I used to race my as* off and come home wash it down with “simple green” every time I see or smell it I go right back to that time. 

[Matt Pfalzer]

Well this is her in the show room...I haven't been out to the shed to take pictures in a few days because we have had some flooding and I've had to put off riding....I know not as good as a nice trail pic with mud splatters but hopefully soon.

Should've gotten the bag rack 

[Frank Angerano]

Wow nice looking bike.  Good luck with it! 

That is a nice bag set up! 

[JacobSlabach]

@Matt Pfalzer   duuuuuude what the heck?  Thats an awesome bike!  Take care of it and it'll last you forever!😎🤘

I would have paid the extra $$$  and gone with the camo 700 sitting right beside it tho

btw look at that first pic.....  she's missing a rear lug!!!  might want to check the others make sure they're tight...

[Airborne]

Nice machine , enjoy your new quad , nice bag system. , it only gets better from here on out buddy be safe , enjoy 

Wife loves her 450: got her a new kodiak this winter and i think its a fantastic machine , smooth , responsive , just a great quad , 

[Frank Angerano]

Nice eye @JacobSlabach def a good catch. 

That machine is a sweet ride.  It will last a long time! 

[Matt Pfalzer]

Thank you everyone, it is a great machine. very happy I went with the Kodiak. Cant wait to see where it takes me

Wow, @JacobSlabach that is a good catch. Going out to the shed right now to go check on this!!....truthfully did not see this myself 😮 

[JacobSlabach]

Also, just in general what I've found with products is if they are put together by the dealer, sometimes some of the bolts are not torqued down correctly.  I would give the bike a good look over as if it was used and I was looking to buy it (I know you already bought it, but its never too late, better safe than sorry-  If someone left a lug loose or some other important bolt, it would be a bummer to be out riding at 40+mph and have a wheel come off or apart..)

[Matt Pfalzer]

Looks like they put the lug on before they delivered it so those look good. Will keep a close eye out. Wondering if its best to do the first 20 hour service myself or bring it somewhere. The issue with bringing it somewhere is that I would need to rent a trailer to get it there. I brought the 4 wheeler to the house on a moving truck so there was no need for a trailer to transport it to the new house. Is it really hard to do by ones self or is it better left to them?

 

[Frank Angerano]

If your handy and have ever changed oil on a car you can do it yourself.  It’s just a s matter of draining the oil and putting a new filter in. The only thing I would recommend is being careful with the drain plug re oval and reinstall. Make sure you don’t  over tighten it and spin it in the proper direction. Remember “righty tightly lefty loosey” !

The manual for the bike is very explicit and walks you through it. 

So if you’ve  turned a wrench before then your good.  

[JacobSlabach]

The thing that always gets me is that its backwards if the screw/bolt is upside down-  always remember that cause the drain plug is on the bottom of the bike

It helps me if I go ahead and get down on my back and look up at the drain plug....

[Frank Angerano]

Even upside down the socket wrench still goes right to tight. 

[JacobSlabach]

heh good point.  I use a 18 inch breaker bar on mine--- just dont crank it down when tightening it back up.  My dad is a general contractor, and he taught me from a young age how to be sensitive about overtightening nuts (especially on those new faucets-  they have a copper supply line out of the fixture and I learned that if you hold a wrench close to the neck, you cant accidentally get too much leverage on it and break or twist something...  same with a breaker bar and engines....

[Frank Angerano]

I’ve never used a breaker bar and always used my own internal breaker bar method. Lol but you have to be careful either way.  

[JacobSlabach]

haha yea well I'm not really what you would call ripped...

[Frank Angerano]

Lol no mean I tighten them down to a certain point and back off when I feel comfortable. 

[JacobSlabach]

oh haha yea thats what I do.