How to Keep Your ATV in Peak Condition
ATV Maintenance Tips
Whether the sun is shining brightly or the rain is falling hard, it always seems to be a good time to get on your ATV to go trail riding. That’s part of the freedom of owning an ATV. The enjoyment you get from it, however, comes at a price – maintenance.
Maintaining an ATV is not all that difficult or time consuming, however, it’s incredibly important and crucial to extending the life of it. In this article, we will explore the steps to take to ensure that your ATV lasts as long as possible, so that you can spend more time enjoying the trails rather than shopping for a replacement sooner than you have to.
What is the Average Life Expectancy of an ATV?
The average lifespan of an ATV is somewhere around 20 years if they are properly maintained. An ATV with over 1,000 hours can still run like new when they’ve been regularly serviced. Like any vehicle, ATVs can start giving you problems once they reach a certain number of kilometers.
How to Extend the Life of Your ATV
It all starts with the manual. Read it. No one knows your ATV better than the manufacturer who built it. Learning about the individual parts in your ATV and how they operate can help you tremendously in understanding how each component works and how you need to maintain it. Let’s dig deeper into what maintenance habits you should get into to extend the life of your ATV.
Beware of Too Much Heat
Be aware of how your cooling system, radiator, and coolant fluids are performing. Check your levels and keep them topped up, unclog dirty radiators, and service your cooling system. The last thing you want is for it to fail on you when you need it the most.
Use Synthetic Lubricants
Your ATV will perform at its best with synthetic lubricants.
Keep it Clean
A dirty ATV can cause serious problems that can be costly in the long run. If you’re mudding a lot, be sure to clean it when you’re done. Even the parts you can’t see.
Treat Your Fuel
Put a fuel additive in the tank to keep the fuel from going bad. It is the same as an air filter. You want to make sure that your fuel is in the right shape. Old gas breaks down and a few moments of time to take care of this can save you hundreds of dollars in repairs.
Know Your Limitations
If you’re inexperienced in riding or maintaining an ATV, learn and/or plan ahead. Understanding your limitations when it comes to riding specific terrains or maintaining your ATV is crucial. If you’re not sure, it’s best to play it safe.
Check Your Oil Before Every Ride
The last thing you want is an engine failure in the middle of a ride. It’s inconvenient, but most of all, it’s a costly mistake that most likely could have been avoided simply by checking your oil level.
Check Tire Pressure
Check your tire pressure after each ride. Enough said.
Keep Your Radiator Cap in Good Condition
If you go mudding, splashing, or riding through swampy territory, your ATV’s radiator could be struggling. Clean it out with a power washer. A good rule of thumb to follow is that if water is splashing back towards you, then the radiator is not clean yet. Keep going until it flows through.
Keep Your Air Filter Clean
Considering the atmosphere you expose an ATV to, the air filter is going to fill up far more quickly than an everyday vehicle. Give it a good once-over after every ride. If it looks clogged, clean it out. If it has seen better days, it’s time for a replacement.
Stay on Top of Your Coolant Level
Your ATV needs fluids to perform. The wrong fluid can cause serious damage to your engine. If your levels are low, top them up before your next ride. If your engine oil has become unstable or is no longer protecting your engine, consider a synthetic oil change in place of a top up. Your owner’s manual will recommend the best fluids to use.
Maintain Tire Pressure
How well you can power out of a mud pond can depend heavily on the pressure in each of your tires. Before each ride, spend some time adjusting the tire pressure in anticipation of the terrain you will be taking it through.
Monitor the Boots, Bolts, and Nuts
We certainly don’t ride our ATVs on the highway or on smooth surfaces. The friction and rough rides can cause your bolts, nuts, and boots to loosen. The last thing you want is to have them fall off, leaving you without a wheel in the middle of nowhere. It’s a simple thing to do. Tighten your bolts frequently to make sure they’re solid.
Check the Belt
Almost every modern machine runs on a CV belt transmission. Beware of how the machine feels and drives. When the belt starts to go, it will not shift smoothly, and you will start to notice significant performance issues. You may also notice a rubber odour. Belts can become stretched and worn. Especially if you ride it hard or you’re often in water crossings or extreme terrain.
You Can Easily Add Years of Life to Your ATV
It’s safe to say an ATV is a decent investment. You want to protect that and provide yourself with years of worry-free riding. So, when you’re purchasing an ATV, factor maintenance costs into your decision and plan to invest some time in maintaining it regularly. Get into the habit of following the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule because whoever made your quad, knows how to care for it best. Also visit your local ATV dealer and ask plenty of questions. Get excited, and get riding.