<< Brent, how many problems have you had with your 500i?
Do you contribute any to things that you changed?
Do you have any on going problems?
How many miles do you have on it now?
What's the most major repair you've had and did you do the work yourself? >>



This is my second axle to break on me, last time it was the other side and it was a little more severe. Other problems with the cat are:

-The starter hates the water
-The electronics always blink on the dash
-The quad has many vibrations at different speeds
-My friends who bought 400i's have starter problems and they also vibrate

I don't think the fit and finish of the quad is up to par, things should not vibrate and the starter should always work. At one point the starter would start to spin all by itself if I left it in neutral and then it started to do it in gear. That only happened one time and after that it was worked for me but my friends have had starter problems too. I just don't think Arctic Cat makes the good quality quad everyone thinks they do, its starting to remind me of Polaris!

Last time the axle broke the dealership did all the work, this time I'll be doing all the work. Its rather simple really. I got my parts this morning but there looks to be something wrong with the replacement parts, so I'm going to wait for my Dad to take a look at it.

I don't call going over a monster 3 foot tall log being hard on the quad, being hard on the quad is revving the crap out of the motor, not letting off the throttle when shifting, etc. If the log was in a mud hole that would be considered hard on the quad but this was dry ground!

Before I got my 500i, I had my Dad's Quadrunner with the outlaws and it never once had a problem with them on, never! I even drove it harder than I did this one. The cultprit is not the tires, its the weak *** rear end on these things. A solid axle is required if you run big tires and do lots of mudding. IRS is only good for stock tires and trails.

I can't run my 500i with the stockers because its just no fun at all with stock tires, you can't get anywhere. I tried to go in the mud with my stockers before and I just spun, pathetic! I slapped on my outlaws the next day and didn't even spin going through the same spot!

I know about Gorrila Axles, they are tough as nails but then I have to buy new axles and they cost an arm and a leg. I would have to spend over $1000 to make my 500i reliable. No thanks.

I'm selling my 500i, selling my outlaws with the rims and I'll look at a solid axle quad next summer. IRS is no longer for me, IRS has no business on a mud quad.

This is one long post. I tried to answer everyone's questions.

Anyone want to buy some Outlaws with ITP Delta series Chrome and Black rims?

 

Sorry to hear that you're unhappy.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img] Not to kick you while you're but I think Cats are one of the more reliable machines. Yes, I've own owned a 3 machines (Bayou 300 2x4, a Cat 250 4x4, and the &quot;new&quot; 375) but I've seen guys on other brands have one problem after another. Everyone can and will get a lemon sometime. We have different views on abusive riding, yet one thing remains the same, parts will break when wheeling. Hope you find something that makes you happy.

 

You know what would make me happy? A Suzuki 650(P650 motor) with diff lock, solid rear axle and YELLOW!

 

The 500i is fixed now, I got the parts from my dealership very fast! I don't really know what i want to do now. I think I'm going to pay it off and just let is sit there and when next spring rolls around trade it off on something with a solid axle and a locker. I'll be selling my rims and maybe my tires. Anyone want to offer me anything for them?

 

I am sad to hear that you broke the cat again,esp when the rain season is coming.I do agree with some of your gripes such as the starter and the vibrations of the skid plate(the fix here is to get some clear silicone ,remove the skid plate ,and put a 3/16 thick bead on the frame,let dry overnight, replace the plate).I do however think that the breaking axle is do to over stressing the metal.The type of driving that you do is much the same as mine,and I to usually find large logs to crawl over,but if not on the first try I do not rock back and forth on the log while hoping to hook the rear tires up to get over the log,the stress would break a axle(I have seen it done)&gt;Before you bash the bike you must think of the situation you were in when something did happen.I think you should not give up on the cat,get rid of those big flat profile tires and get a set of rounded style such as titans,mudrunners.Anyway this is not to bash you or your opinion on the machine,just think of the cause before blaming the gear you are driving.

 

I wasn't playing on the log, it broke on my first attempt. I may have been to hastey earlier but I'll see how I feel in the spring. I do know a solid axle would not have broke.

 

bbertram,

&quot;I do know a solid axle would not have broke.&quot;

If that is the case then why do they bother makeing Gorrila axels for Honda's and other strait axel machines???? With the amount of power that quads are putting out these days compaired to a few years ago axels are bound to break.

You've got to pay to play!!!

I still don't think you should be badmouthing Arctic Cat over this. Reading your posts over the last few months it definately sounded like you were impressed with the bike until you broke the axel.

 

I had my dad's Suzuki Quadrunner 500 with my outlaws on and it never had a problem once. I went through the same stuff I do with my 500i. I don't think you can buy a Gorilla axle for the rear of a Honda, when they say have Gorilla axles for the Honda or any other solid axle machine they are talking about the front end, not the rear. I have never heard of a solid axle quad breaking its rear axle, never.

The reason I'm bad mouthing them was because I got caught up in the heat of the moment, I'm settled down now. But that doesn't let Arctic Cat off the hook when it comes to quality. There are a bunch of problems with the electrical on these quads and not just my quad. My friend's quads all have this problem, people just don't want to admit it on the forum.

Lucky its going to be winter soon and my outlaws suck in the snow, they dig down way to fast, so I'll be putting my stockers back on. I won't be wrecking my quad with stockers, atleast I hope now. Then in the spring, trade my quad off with or without the outlaws and get a Suzuki big bore solid axle quad, if they make one.

Also the power is very disapointing with the 500i, it just doesn't spin big tires. My dad's quadrunner with the exact same motor could spin the same tires better than my 500i.

Its a dead end subject, I'm disapointed and so are my friends. I would not buy another Arctic Cat or let my friends buy one.

 

It's hard to say if a solid axle would have broken or not. CajunKen has a point, quads are much more powerful than just a few years ago and with the addition of large extremely aggressive tires problems can be only a wheel spin away. Factor in a person's style and/or type of riding and some quads will only last half as long as others. A play toy that's not running right is sometime worse than not having a play toy at all.
I agree that Cat can improve their fit and finish, my biggest complaint right now being that the heat shielding on the air box, and tool box is starting to peel away from the plastic. Not a big deal but a little aggravating neither less. Some of body panels could fit a little tighter together also.

 

I had a 500i manual that gave me nothing but grief , one problem after the other. I finnaly found the cure, I sold it and bought a new Vinson .HAPPY AGAIN