I have a question about the brakes on the 2017 Alterra 300. I've looked at the owner's manual and the service manual and I haven't found a definite answer . . .

Is the hand brake for the front wheels and the foot pedal brake for the rear wheels? This would be similar to a motorcycle. The manuals just says the hand brake and "auxiliary brake" for the brake pedal. This leads me to believe that the hand brake controls all four wheels, a linked brake system ???? What's the real answer here?

If I had the machine in front of me I could trace the brake lines and see where they go . . .

 

I'm only guessing, as all of the 4 Cats that I've owned, hand brake controls all 4 wheels and foot brake is only rear wheels. However, read the owners manual. Especially about= Burnishing Brakes. It's important to burnish them for optimum stopping performance. At least on the bigger models you need to get it up to 30 mph and stop with the hand brake several times, getting the discs hot enough to transfer pad material to the discs. I find that I use foot brake when plowing snow as left hand is busy with winch.

 

I've read the owner's manual and it doesn't state that the hand brake controls all 4 wheels. I just figured it did because it calls the foot pedal brake an "auxiliary" brake.

Thanks for your response.

 

Does it just have one lever for brakes? If you have separate front and rear brake levers, you'll have one on each side. If it only has one lever, then yes it should be for both front and rear brakes with the foot brake for the rear. I use my foot brake mostly just for shifting into and out of gear. Mine does have separate front and rear brake levers. In order to shift into any gear on a cvt auto quad, you do have to be completely stopped and use your brakes or it won't allow you to shift. Well its not supposed to, if you try to do it while the machine is still moving it won't like it and will make really bad grinding noises.

 

There is only one hand lever, on the left. The right hand has no lever -- well -- except for the throttle lever.

This quad has two discs up front and only one disc in the rear -- on the left rear. From what I've read all over the net, the left hand brake controls all three wheels, two front and the left rear. The foot pedal brake only controls the left rear brake.

Yes, I read that in the owner's manual: Must be at a dead stop to move the shift lever. This quad has four positions: (from bottom to top) reverse, neutral, high, low.

 

The rear end is not really a differential, the 1 rear rotor controls both rear wheels. Now, you'll have to buy one for yourself, ATV's are fun, even for us "geezers". I'm 66 and been trying to get my 95 year old dad to get a side by side UTV.

 

Thanks. Very interesting. That explains the single disc brake in the rear.

I just did, two days ago. I pick up my new 2017 Arctic Cat Alterra 300 on Monday. But it's not for me, it's for my wife to putt-putt around the neighborhood. I may ride it occasionally but I doubt if this quad ever sees anything tougher than a well-maintained gravel road. I have four motorcycles to ride and wonderful riding season is here.

BTW, I'm 66 also. My wife is 68.

 

You may use the Alterra for some light duty work at times. You can haul stuff on the racks and pull a small trailer to haul stuff if you want to for yard work or something like that. The towing rating is 500 lbs and that's much easier than lugging stuff around by hand. Low range is recommended anytime the speeds are slow or you might be hauling or towing any significant amount of weight. Basically high range for putting around and low range for work.

 

I may just do that. I do a lot of yard work -- it's one of my hobbies.

 

Might as well. I bet you will find its more fun to ride than you expected, even if its just dragging some brush across the yard.