Razor,

Just because others chose to do things different does not mean you should laugh at them. You did not even know that Honda had an electronic 2wd/4wd actuator but yours is better! I think both can be used and might have different applications. Honda thought enough of it to put it on production machines so maybe it is built to last, yet you are sure it can and will break. If you have something positive to add to this thread please do so but if your only purpose is to make fun of other forum attendees then maybe you need to find another thread to participate in because your only wasting everyones time.

 

Quicksilver, to close out this thread and get away from Razor let me sum up where we are and what has happened.

Your instructions on the electronic connections was right on the money and I just finished the connections and they work just as advertised.

As for the gear ratio question, I went back through the maintenance manuals and both ('01 Rancher 350 and '04 Rancher 400 AT) front diffs are geared 49-13 ring and pinion so we are going to be OK. The question was a great one and I should have considered it during planning but did not. Thanks for raising it and the good news is it is not an issue.

Your help has been very valuable and has saved me a couple of sleepless nights. Your assistance was informed and started with gather understanding before providing solutions and was very helpful. As for Razor It is that kind of forum member that makes me hesitate to even subscribe. I will give this thread a day to close and then will unsubscribe and leave R to his/her own devices.

Thanks again Quicksilver

 

what did this cost? all said and done?

 

Hey don't get mad at me because you made a mistake.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]




It's a free country I can laugh if I want.

 

Little Bill,

The project from start to finish was right at $1,100.00

I purchased all of the parts online except for the Rancher '04 400 AT maintenance manual.
Parts include:

'04 Front Differential
'04 Main Propeller Shaft
'04 2wd/4wd handle bar switch
Dirty Howie Locker
Progressive Suspension Adjustable Shocks - front and rear
90 grade differential fluid
Loctite - medium
Miscellaneous Fuses, wires and electrical connectors

The new shocks are longer and allowed me to remove a HighLifter lift kit I had installed a couple of years ago. This was a good thing as I have never been happy with the lift kit. It worked, I just thought it was poorly engineered.

All told, I spent 2 years preparing and planning for this project and life just kept getting in the way of getting started. Too much hunting and ATV riding to take a month and get it done. This project is doable, with what I know now, in less than 8 hours including the locker and shock install. A long Saturday would do it. I did not have a long Saturday and was waiting on parts I had not planned for, or had ruined during the install so it took 3 weeks of 2 hour evenings once or twice a week.

There was one serendipidous moment when the new main propeller shaft I thought I would have to cut, shorten, weld back together and balance was the right length and had the correct sized spline ends to match the '01 engine splines and the '04 differential end. That cut out a weeks worth of work.

I enjoy these kind of projects. They need a lot of planning and engineering thought. The embarrassing moment was when Quicksilver asked me about the matching gear ratios of '01 to '04 and I had not even given that more than a passing thought. It is necessary to consider what the original bike engineers considered as they planned and put this bike on the drawing board. I was always ensuring that as much as possible the changes I was making would align with the original engineering. The other thing I learned, again, is that you really need good OEM documentation so that you can verify electrical and mechanical installs against the OEM recommendations and tolerances.

I hope this thread has givenyou some insight into how this project went and where the pitfalls lie. I will install the 2wd/4wd switch on Friday and have a 6 hour mud ride scheduled for Sunday so it is time for the annuals to be pulled on Saturday to ensure fluid levels, torque values and electrical is all up to snuff. Short of a disaster on Sunday this thread is closed. Tthanks to most of you for your comment, questions and ideas.

 

This is exactly what this site needs, more people making technical posts where we can all learn. If people like xo what ever were banned, the place would ne be worse off!!!

Congrats on getting your differential set up right!!!

 

Action,

I have not been to Newfoundland in a couple of years but cruised there a while back, beautiful country and very nice people. Thanks for the spirit of your post. I came to this forum because I had a technical issue. The good news is Quicksilver had the answer! The project might be viewed by some as unattractive to others it is very interesting. Obviously I found it interesting or I would not have invested in it. I have had quite a few private emails indicating interest from other readers as well. Most did not have any technical assistance to give but were interested in what I did and how much the project cost. That is what this thread is about so I am glad to answer all of those queries in whatever detail I can.

It is time to go get dirty! The locker should keep me out of using the tow rope Sunday! Thanks again.

 

MOSD, interesting thread and project. I too like to take on projects that are complex and yield good results. I modified my Rancher AT to have backup lights that work off the ECU. They turn on when I move the shift lever into reverse, but only when the headlights are on.

I have another project in mind that I want to toss out again, I posted months ago with no respose. I have a Recon, and its carb slide is directly connected to the throttle cable. Our Ranchers use a CV carb, the slide is controled by vacuum. This leads to sluggish response. The recon is so quick to accelerate, it beats the 400 Rancher with ease. I'd like to get a new carb to put on the Rancher, that has a directly connected slide. I bet it would scream.

I thought I'd throw it out there again and see what others think.

 

Dirt,

I appreciate the comments.

One of the reasons I have stayed witht the 350 is I get a little more responsiveness than I felt when trying out the 400 AT. I really need low end power and torque with out a larger framed bike. I make about 3 miles of railraod tracks each way to my property and ride between the rails and do not need wider just more responsive. I also do a lot of ice breaking in my flooded fields of about 18-20" of water and torque is essential and responsiveness is how you get the breaking ice to start flowing.

Somebody must be making competition carbs for the 400 Honda engine. The trick is getting the ecu to behave with the new carb. I have seriously looked at the Suzie just for the EFI feature. It will be nice to see EFI on Honda Utility ATVs some day. For those that trail on the prairies and in the mountains adjusting the carb seems like an extra effort or expense when EFI technology is available. This would allow the chip guys to get involved and give you the power range you want without all of the hassle. The responsiveness can then be improved without an entire new carb. My experience with Honda is that they have the fuel system so tightly integrated with the rest of the engine compenenets that monkeying with them seems to start a long chain of problems that can't be resolved without better documentation than is provided by Honda.

Again, thanks for the feedback. Good luck with your fuel system if you decide to take this on.

 

MOSD,

I have enjoyed following your thread as your topic was of great interest to me. in response to your last post i just wanted to let you know that honda has now added efi to the rincon this year. i am hoping this will be put into the smaller bikes within a few years. thanks for your insight and the forum needs more like u