I bought my first 4-Wheeler 1 year ago. It is a 2002 Honda TRX-450 Foreman ES. I am not very mechanically inclined. I live in an apartment and I have very few tools, but the maintenance I have done so far (myself) is: 2 Oil Changes (at 150 miles, and again at about 800 miles), and 1 Air Filter Change (at about 1000 miles).

My question is this: Currently I have about 1700 miles on my ATV. Is there anything critical that needs to be done at this point? I will be changing the oil and the air filter myself. But I don't want to just take it to the dealer and say "get it tuned up" and have them "take me for a ride" and charge me unnecesssarilly for stuff I don't need. I just want to keep my ATV in new like running condition, and would appreciate any advise. So far it runs great, just like new, and I just want to keep it that way.

 

Just keep doing what your doing. Also chack the cv boots for tears once and a while, and also your diff fluids, on the front there is a big 17mm plug that the oild should be level with, and on the back there is a 10mm bolt to check on the left side of it. I'm sure more people will post their help.

 

If you haven't done it yet you should consider having the valve clearances checked.

 

some other things you can do yourself....check the fluids in the front and rear difs if you havent already.

i agree on the valve clearence, it seems to find some lost power for ya. if you cant do it or dont feel comfortable doing it, its only $60 at the dealer. this is also not something you have to do very often (check your manual to be sure).

mainly, just stay on top of the fluids.

 

Thanks to everyone who replied. Based upon your advice, I am going to schedule a service appointemnt at my dealership where I bought my Foreman and I am going to have them check the CV Boots for tears, check the valve clearences, and check the front and rear differential fluid levels. I hate to admit it, but this is all "foreign language" to me. I love ATVing and I love to ride, but I have no knowledge about what a CV boot is, let alone valve clearance, so...but I am thankful for your help, because I'll know what to say and ask for when I call the dealer for this apointment.

Laters, and thanks again for all your help, guys.

 

good for you in knowing your limits.

its cheaper to know what you can and cant do than to do it half @$$ed and end up paying someone else to fix it and whatever you broke trying to fix it. some of the things you can check are easy and require minimal tools and knowledge but if your not sure, its best to take it in and have peace of mind. check the owners manual, it should have illistrations of some things you can do yourself.

 

It was a good Idea to bring it to your dealer althought don't be scard to do the next service your self their's nothing that deficult about doing any service unless it's major. One more thing why are you buying new air filters the one that that machince takes is serviceable you just need to reoil it after it dried Honda does offer foam ait filter oil you should talk with your dealer and how to maintan the filter

 

I buy NEW yellow Honda air filters because, for one thing, they are only $13.00 and secondly, mine tend to get very, very dirty, at first they just get real dusty, but over time, due to heavy mudding and swamp riding, they get slightly damp, causing the dust to get like a muddy type pasty film on the sponge / foam material of the air filter. I figure, the wokr invbolved in cleaning it, I would just rater save myself the work of cleaning a sponge / foam part, when for $13 bucks, I can just get a brand new one, install it, and be done with it.

 

If you haven't already, go pick yourself up a service manual. It will tell you the right way to do minor and major repairs including fluid capacities and torque specs. Your book that came with your quad will also refer to your service recomendations of what to look at and what to replace and when.