I just read an article in the newest issue of Sand Sports in which they found the cause of the 01 tranny failures. To sum it up, it was all due to heavy footed rookies with no knowledge of high performance quads. It had nothing to do with a poorly designed tranny and Yamaha just did you all a big favor in redesigning many of the gears.
Gyauuuugh. That article made me want to pull my hair out but I'm runing dangerously low already. I don't know where they came up with this load but it reallly ticked me off. I've always enjoyed this magazine before.
To start with they have an 01 Raptor and want to upgrade it. They look at a purchasing a new Raptor and the fairly low market value of theirs and through some convoluted way of thinking come up with spending $6500 on the 01. This they call a budget build. They find the frame is bent beyond repair but don't include a replacement in their budget, also they get parts given to them. Their build up mainly consists of new suspension (some people call this a DS but I won't go there) a HID light and a bigger tank, all for only 6K!!! They still have the 01 tranny and somewhere along the line it gave out. The next article is about how they took it to some tranny guru who fixed them up with an updated gearset.
Anyway, I guess I just came over here to get that off my chest. I think that article was a slap in the face to anyone who has paid good money for a product that was poorly designed but not acknowledged by its manufacturer. I'm going to write to them to let them know how I feel and I hope others will to. We already have enough Dirtwheels stlye journalism in the world already.

 

Yet another magazine that isnt worth the paper its printed on. Thanks for the story.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

yeah i bought a sand sports mag once becuase it had the dune buggy buyers guide, that was the worst layed out guide i have ever seen and all they gave you were rough specs and nothing of any good. i have neve bought one again;

 

Please don't give up on the magazine, I've read it since 96 and it's really been pretty good although it could stand some improvements. I just don't know what happened with this article, they must really be trying to win some Yamaha advertising.

 

its wierd what people think about the 01 raptor trannys.

I know there are alot of my buddies around here that have 01 raptors with stock trannys, as well as me. None of us have ever had one slip, miss, or problem with thr stock tranny.

Although i am not siding with them about the problem, i think its somewhat wierd how no one around here has had any problems and i get on here and other forums and theres been tons of people with trouble.

not to start a riot or arguement, just thought i would add my opinion and thoughts.