I have a 95 fourtrax 300 2x4. when I use the left hand brake, for the front brake, it is very soft. will not grab. when I push it in the shop it will stop, but not when riding it.
Is their a way to adjust them or do I just need to see what kind of shape the brake paids are in first.
thanks

 

I feel your pain my friend.

My 1995 2x4 had the same problem, especially with the back brakes. Honda's "Triple Sealed" drum brakes on the Fourtrax and Rancher and Recon and etc., were the worst practical joke played on ATV enthusiasts. To have such a pathetic brake system design on an otherwise bulletproof ATVs for so many years truly showed their adherence to a "bottom-line" way of thinking. Ok, enough ranting.

Yes, you can adjust them, but my recommendation is that you should pull the drums off and check the brakes for corrosion...probably should check the rear brake as well. If you got them wet crossing a stream or pond, then all the seals did was seal in the water in the drums and set them up to corrode.

It's not particularly hard to do (I redid mine many many times) But you should get a factory service manual from Honda and it will be fairly easy to do with that info to guide you (it's what the Honda mechanics use)

 

On the rear dont you have to remove the axil nuts to get the cover off?

 

yes, I had mine off yesterday with a similar problem...you need to remove the axle nut.

 

what size are teh nuts? 22mm

 

Am I reading this right? Are you saying the left hand brake works the front brake?

Doesn't the left hand lever work the rear brake on this machine?

As for drum brakes on the front, I had a 95 Yamaha Kodiak that had front drum brakes that were shot when I bought it. So it wasn't just a Honda problem....as far as front drum brakes go. Granted they were slow in introducing front disc brakes to their machines.

 

ok I pulled a real good one. The RIGHT hand brake is the front and that is what I am haveing problems with. The left hand brake does other I think.
Thanks for correcting me.