Hi all! I just found this great forum when doing some research for my new purchase. I'm glad to actually find an active AC forum, so I thought i'd hop in and give a shout.

Anyways, I'm going to pick up a new '05 500 4x4 manual from a local dealer on friday. Of all of the manufacturers, AC was the only one that had the features I liked like a stock locker, low gear selection, and great ground clearance. I allmost ended up taking a '04 from the dealer untill another salesperson started chatting with us and mentioned the '05's had lockers. SWEET! My main use for this is actually to cart around my main toy, a Honda Aquatrax R-12X Turbo personal watercraft, when at the races. The thing weighs upwards of 900 pounds with fuel and water in it, so I needed something big... and this AC should fit the bill (I hope).

On to a few questions for everyone... This is my first quad in quite some time (family had a old ~ '87 warrior 350 a long time ago) so I'm a bit of a newb at them. Anything in general I should watch out for? I know I'll have to get used to the handeling. How about mechanically? Is there any known issues, "bugs", or gotchya's I should watch for or fix ahaid of time on this atv? Anything I should watch for before accepting delivery? Necessary Accessories? etc... etc....

Lol, oh and it seems like the rest of the new buyers, I'm taking advantage of that $60 winch upgrade.. I didn't even know about that untill looking at their site today. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

Thanks everyone! I can't wait to get out and put some miles on this thing...

-Robert

 

Robert,

I was thinking some more about what you are going to pull with your AC and how you are going to pull it. I assume you'll be using your new AC to back your WC Racer in/out of the water. Thus, a possible steep loading ramp bank. As a safety suggestion, don't install a rear storage box on your AC unit. Instead, you may want to install a storage box on the front. This will keep the weight on your front tires and reduce the risk of a wheelie - especially if pulling up a steep ramp. Your AC 500 will easily pull your 900lb WR Racer - assuming your trailer is properly balanced when loaded.

If wondering, I sometimes pull huge loads of gravel and dirt with our AC 500i. Our loads are sometimes 4 times more weight then our quad (re: 2,000lbs) - but as long as our trailer is balanced, it pulls it NO problem. As another safety suggestion, install a jack on the tongue of your trailer. When loading or unloading your WC Racer, ensure the trailer jack is down. Say, 1" off the ground. This 3rd leg will stop all the weight of your WC Racer from fully compressing your AC's rear suspension. Once you have your trailer re-balanced, then swivel this 3rd leg (adjustable jack) back into a horizontal position. I use this on our trailers and it works great. Especially when "some idiot" unloads the back of our trailer first. Hence, the trailer's load is resting on the trailer tonge jack - not on the rear suspension of our AC unit.

As another suggestion, purchase a 20ft long automotice pull rope. We have a 8,500lb rated pull rope and use it more then our front winch. A toe rope can quickly slip on / off a trailer ball and hook into the item you want to pull. A winch is much more powerfull but takes time to unwind and wind back up. For us, a tow rope is much quicker to use.

If you know you'll be using your winch a lot, you may want to create some tire triangle blocks for your tires. Especially when pulling something where you can't wedge your AC against, or get its tires to "dig in". Triangle blocks much like the ones they use on airplane wheels.

Hope these items help as well...

.

 

Hay, thanks Spike!

Yes, you are right that I will be using it for putting in and pulling the craft out of the water. Sometimes it will be on a steep ramp, but probably more often it will actually be done right on the shore in the dirt, mud, rocks, and sand. This is why I opted for the '05 with the locker. I borrowed some other racer's lesser quads throught last year's season and had some serious digging in action going, so most of them went no-where. Only the big atv's or mule's could pull me out with ease. As for the trailer, it's actually got four big floaty wheels on it, stands by itself without a toung jack, and can be pulled by hand on the flat ground... so that's no problem, but still a good idea for something to watch for when trying it out.

As for the winching and pull ropes, I actually have been a jeep fanatic for a while so I know my way around that stuff.. Good idea in making some blocks, though, I'll have to do that. I never trust parking brakes. Lol, stupid jeep brakes.

Everything else looks like good ideas... I'll have to look at them. I expecially liked the reverse light. I may have to impliment something like that. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

For a reverse light, you can purchase one of those kits. Warm has a pretty good kit. Or, you can purchase an inexpensive automotive light or inexpensive utility light (for riding lawn mowers, etc.), 12V switch and inline fuse at your local WalMart, Zellers type store. Being at the back of the unit, it doesn't have to be an expensive light. A plastic case light works great. If wondering, we purchased our items individually. Total cost was approx $25.00 (or so). Regardless of what light you install, make sure it has a wide angle spread. With rear lights, it needs to shine more sideways and not as far (re: light pencil beam like some fog lights).

A rear light can be installed with a manual switch or with a relay. Relay is wired into your dash's "R" led. When your AC is in Reverse, the rear light automatically comes on. For me, I went with a manual switch. Much easier to wire in, didn't have to tap into the factory wiring harness with its dash and I can turn my rear light on when in any gear. When I tow something forward, I can still see the item behind me. Can't do that if wired in with a relay. What ever works best for you....

Hope these details help as well....

.

 

Oh, and another question.... After reading around, it seems that the new manual locker for '05 is in the front diff, right?? Does that mean that the back end is open or does it have a auto locker in it, or is it just a spool (allways locked)? My dealer was telling me that it was the rear end that had this new locker, so this is a bit confusing to read this differing info now. And, if there is a spool or an auto locker in the back end, how does that make it's pavement handeling caracteristics? I'm not going to be moving fast on road, but I want to know if I have to lift a tire to turn like the 'old warrior had to.

And Spike, thanks for the more sujestions. I'll have to look at what warn offers. But, it doesn't really matter, i'm an electrical guy so wiring in relays and other logic isn't a problem. I enjoy doing that stuff and tend to do a better job doing it myself than whatever aftermarket harnesses do... I just love using all marine grade wire and heat shrink in my projects. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

Thanks!

 

Welcome abord! The locker is only for the front, as the rear is always locked. It doesn't effect handeling at all, and works like a charm.

 

I have a '99 500 manual which I have loved owning since 99. One thing I wished I had was a locker. Anyone Know of any locker kits for the 99 500. Far feched but had to ask. But as for pulling the trailer that should be no problem. I would recommend if you are pulling through soft soil (alot) I would have to say the titan 589 series tires are great. They give good all around traction in all types of terrain. But that is just my opinion. I have a set on now and have worn them down to nearly nothing and I will be replacing them with exactly the same tire. I have no complants except from friends that catch the bad side of the tire. SLING Back. No one likes riding behind me due to the mud they tend to throw a good distance back.

 

Warn Backup lights are available at:

http://www.gowarn.com/atv-lights.asp
http://www.truckaddons.com/Catalog/s...atv_lights.htm
http://www.warn.com/atv/lights/ATV-BackUpLight.shtml
http://www.onlineparts.com/WARN+ATV+...T+(62017).html
** Shop around because the price for the same product does vary....

Another item you may want to investigate is a "backup alarm". Personally, I hate them. Their noise drives me crazy. Besides that, I couldn't hear a kid screaming over its loud noise if his/her life depended on it. But, others may like the alarm on their ATVs. Each to their own. For more details on this item, surf: http://www.truckaddons.com/Catalog/s...ackupalert.htm


Thanks for sharing your info on great set of "Titan 589 series tires". Come spring, I might get me a new set of tires on the back of my AC. Thanks for this tip....

.

 

hey red welcome to the site and if i could offer 1 word of advice i give everyone when they get a brand new wheeler. that would be to go and launch it in a mud hole or go get it dirty somehow that way the showroom prestige wears off right away and you won't have a tendency to be tenderfooting around [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] but i hope you enjoy your beast and i got the 04 650 with the locking front diff and it has saved my butt a few times i am sure you will love yours as well

 

may i ask, what prompted you to pick the manual over the auto?

enjoy it.