Just a little warning to all you proud ex owners. I noticed a little oil around the skid plate. Further investigation proved to be oil from the rear shock. My warranty will be over in 6 days. Lucky for me it will be fixed for free.
A few other things to look for are the screws that hold on the foot guards. The cap for the tool box falling off. The plugs on the ends of those great handelbars. Do not buy an RCM pipe kit. They are notorious for leaks between the head pipe and silencer.

 

Have to agree with you on the tool box cap. Try putting a piece of flat plastic behind the foam. It may make the cap seal better, or require a little more pressure to remove.

The end caps on the bars are long gone.

RM

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99 400EX 95 Scrambler 400 85 LT250R

 

I wish you would have posted this a little sooner. Took my 400ex out for the first time this Saturday and lost the cap for the tool box, luckily the toolkit didn't fall out, but I still have to order a new cap now. Thanks for the post and I look out for those other problem areas.

 

The easiest way to prevent losing the cap on the tool box is to drill a hole through the end of it(where the cap screws on), and insert a long screw down through the hole. At the bottom put on a washer and a wing nut. Hope this helps you guys out. Anyone else have any little tips for the 400ex?

------------------

 

LOCTITE.
LOCTITE.
LOCTITE.
and some LOCTITE.

Gabe

 

I have a few other problems to watch for. I seem to have had all of these problems, minus the screws in the foot guards. The bolt to adjust the parking brake has vibrated loose twice on me. Should have put loctite on it after the first time. Beware, this bolt is quite soft. I bent it almost instantly while adjusting it.

I also had a problem while changing the oil. First time I have changed it, had the dealership do it last time. Well the damn thing broke right of off. And I don't mean the bolt!!! The damn tank in the front broke perfectly out. I can not believe it - when you look at it you have the part the bolt screws into and its broken away in a perfect circle. Damn outta warrenty and this is gonna cost me 170 bucks and been with out my quad for two weeks now.

Another problem I have ran across is my front shocks rubbing on the black plastic that covers the top half of the shock. It makes a real annoying squeak. A bit of grease takes care of the problem.

Dustin Tenney
tenney@icebox.org
http://www.icebox.org/~tenney/400ex/

 

For my tool cap, I cutout some round pieces of sill seal foam that I had left over from my house. I put it in the cap and thread it on. It seems to help keep water out and the cap has not fallen off for over a year now.

8 psi in the tires.

Refer to 86atc250R's post.

When I am filling the oil, I tip the whole machine up and prop it with a stick so the funnel will better direct the oil into the reservoir.

Check the rear brake pads often.

When starting in cold weather. Give the throttle a few pumps, as you would an old Chevy on a frosty morning.

Next time you check the valves, write the clearances on the motor mount. (Unless you have a good memory...)

 

For my tool cap, I cutout some round pieces of sill seal foam that I had left over from my house. I put it in the cap and thread it on. It seems to help keep water out and the cap has not fallen off for over a year now.

8 psi in the tires.

Refer to 86atc250R's post.

When I am filling the oil, I tip the whole machine up and prop it with a stick so the funnel will better direct the oil into the reservoir.

Check the rear brake pads often.

When starting in cold weather. Give the throttle a few pumps, as you would an old Chevy on a frosty morning.

Next time you check the valves, write the clearances on the motor mount. (Unless you have a good memory...)

nice software....


[This message has been edited by philzie (edited 11-10-1999).]