So I take my Raptor in yesterday to get new brake pads and a new rotor put on (the rotor was badly bent and I couldn't get it off). I also mention that I've been having trouble keeping my chain adjusted. The estimate is $130. An hour later I get a call that the reason my chain won't stay adjusted is that I have bad axle bearings and seals, add another 3 hours of labor at $65/ hr. plus parts. About a half hour later they call and say the bearings must have been bad for a while because my axle has a groove worn in it and that is shot. So I price axles (only to find out that a Durablue costs $400+ WTF?). Add another $200 for a stock axle plus another hour of labor.

It went in for brake pads and a chain adjustment and turned into a $700 dollar disaster.

 

This is all work you can easily do yourself in a garage with some pipe wrenches, a small butane torch and the proper sockets/wrenches. That sucks you paid so much, but quads are not that hard to work on. Particularly when it's just the suspension components and not internal engine parts. Next time, try taking the rear end apart yourself and inspecting it.

You must ride pretty hard to do all that damage to an '03.

What dealership did you take it to?

 

I am guessing it is a raptor 660 not a 350 or 700 but that really sucks it would be easier to do it yourself and teach yourself and if you keep messing up it will prob not cost you that much...They could just be messing with you if the chain fell off then most likely both bearings are broken and if one is shot then the chain will seem to be loose and the axle won't go straight all you have to do if the chain is loose and the bearings are good is adjust the chain by the rear and I believe the raptors you tighten the bolts to pull the carrier back but not pos or you turn the carrier around...If the rear rotor was torn up then yes our bearing was bad as it was rubbing for a while so then atleast one bearing was shot so atleast they are right on that but its easier to do it yourself I guess you will know for next time.

 

Yea, the stealership screwed you, do it yourself from now on and use the money difference to buy more tools [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

It really your decision to have someone else fix it....if you don't like paying somebody then you better start picking up a wrench.....

 

Settle down everybody, I tried to do it myself.

I tried to get the rotor off but I stripped all the bolts holding it in because the hex wrenches just couldn't do it. I adjusted the chain constently this summer and broke four chains from April to August. I didn't know about the other problems until I took it in. I am far from a master mechanic and I try to do everything I possibly can before I go to the dealer. I put a ton of hours on this bike in the summer and riding hard in MI, OH and Hatfield McCoy took its toll.

I took it to Honda East Toledo, the biggest dealer in my area and the closest to me, and a notoriously overpriced place. My first purchase when I get it back will be a skid plate for the swingarm to hopefully keep rocks and roots out of the brakes and chain.

 

Sorry...sounds like what yammi needs is a renegade slayer ....maybe a 4x4 would be more suited for harsh conditions.....

The guy who owns the cammo kodiak in my pics....makes me laugh cause he will take his bike to the shop for any simple thing..............like adjusting the idel N' stuff

 

Id say the reason you stripped your bolts is you was using the wrong size hex they can be tricky sometimes i found starting out working on thing's you will use ose one that feels like it fits but it really doesnt because if it really fit the bolt would break before you stripped it out i did it many times plus i made the mistake using the one's that made a like an L< those are handy in some cases but go to auto zone or whet ever part store and buy the hex heads that are made in a socket they fit a half inch ratchet they dont cost much and they will not strip out bolts' the reason the L shaped ones suck is that most people when they use them on a tight bolt they bare down on it and it gets a lil sideways and wollars out the hole ive done it many time,s.But anyways just carry you about 50 bucks and go to the part store and invest in a few tools they will be worth it. good riding to you....

 

Get a heat gun and heat up the hex nut before you try and take it off, it will work wonders. Im donig a rebuild on my R6 transmission this winter, if i can complete that by myself i think its safe to say i will never go to a stealership for work unless it involves boring or port and polish.

 

My hex wrenches are pretty cheap and I don't even know if they were metric, but it seemed like a perfect fit on the bolt, they just bent when I tried turning them. Also I did try heating the bolts up with my dad's torch, but even that wouldn't break them loose enough to work.