Found a 2001 rubicon on ebay close to my home town which almost never happens... i've been lookin for another quad something to work on and this showed its face... Like i said its an 01 rubicon 500, plastics look real nice says the motor runs great has 5000 miles on it. But now the bad, said he went to ride it to the pasture and the tranny started making a grinding noise so he loaded it up took it to the local mechanic and he told him the tranny was shot. Also said it would take 3 grand to fix it.. Just wondering if there is anyway to fix this in my own shop fairly cheap or if there is a way to change it over to a foot shift maybe... Would prefer to just fix it and use it ala cheap. Help please only have a few days to make a decision.

 

The Rubicon doesn't use a real transmission, it uses a hydrostatic pump that has an adjustable swash plate that simulates gears .. The hydrostatic pump costs approx. $1100 US and the oil pump costs approx. $150 US ... And you would need gasket kit A & B .. The Hondamatic unit takes about 10 hours to install because the crankcases must be split ...

 

If it would be possible to find a foreman 500 s motor and trans would this bolt into the frame.. I know that i would have to change the plastics for the shift lever and also would need the left handle bar brake lever assembly for the reverse **** etc. But was wondering if the elec. connections would be usable and if the driveshafts would be the same.. Or would it need a whole new wiring harness. If the display unit doesn't work properly it really wouldn't bother me all to bad.

 

I would think that the ECM and other stuff that would be different would likely make the project not worth attempting.

If you look around, maybe you will run across a 500 Foreman or a Rubicon in useable condition...

 

Hondamechanic i just talked with the guy who owns it and he said that it still moves until you try climbing a hill or give it alot of throttle then it slips. Does this sound like a pressure valve maybe or is this something that happens when the hydrostatic pump takes a dive?

 

Sounds to me like the oil pump relief valve is stuck

----- Gimpster -----

 

would this also account for the grinding noise he was hearing while riding it?