Hello, I have a 150cc redcat chinese atv. I just purchased it off of someone who bought it about 2 years ago from a dealer. I paid $500 for it. The engine rungs great, starts on the first try. My issue is with the front right wheel. It is loose. it whoobles a little. I removed the wheel and there is the front brakes. I need to know what can be loose that I need to tighten or what needs to replace. you can see it move when you take a right hand turn the wheel then movves left to straighten out and then back right and continues to move left and right really quick. please help

 

TNJ,

Welcome to the forums. It sounds to me like the tie rod ends are loose or shot, especially if you say it will turn back and forth while riding. If the wheel is loose top to bottom, then it's your ball joints and you'll need new control arms. Unfortunately, these weren't made to be able to replace just the ball joint, you have to replace the whole control arm. There is also the possibility of a loose hub nut, or the bearings are shot as well. If you need help checking these, let us know. I don't know how mechanical you are but if you need help, just ask. If you need parts, call John at Raceway ATV at 1-888-RACE-ATV. You did buy one of the better Chinese bikes though, I have an 06 Redcat 150 and it's been great. Not perfect, but great for the price.

 

thanks for the response.
I know some about these. I recently just rebuilt a yamaha mot 80cc back from 1986 and did some adjustments to this redcat with proper idling. Now it does move a little top to bottom when I jacked it up and tried to wiggle it. t. How can I check and tell if the bearings are shot? How do I check to see if there is a loose hub nut? I know more about engines then I do with this?
thanks

 

First thing check the hub nut. In the center of your wheel should be a rubber cap that covers a large castle nut with a cotter pin in it. Take that cap off and take out the cotter pin. Check to see if the nut is loose and if so tighten it. Then check to see if you have any play in it still. Also check your ball joints on the control arms by rocking the wheel out and in by grabbing the top and bottom and looking at the joint. If you have play in the ball joints you will be able to see it. Then check the tire rods by pulling them up and down and see if there is play. After all of that if you still have play, take the hub nut back off and remove the wheel bearings. See if there is any play in the wheel bearing cages and visually inspect for damage. Hope this helps.

 

how tight shoudl the castle hub nut be? it was not tight but I could move it left or right with my hand when the pin was removed.

 

Welcome to the forum tnjlaptops! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] I see that godIlove3ride is giving you some good advice. As for the how tight should the nut be. i usually tighten them pretty tight at first and then back off the nut until its loose. And then snug up the nut so there is no movement.

did that make sense?

 

after thourough inspection I see it only moves left and right not up and down. Now the ball joints are pretty stiff and not moving when I move the wheel left or right. It is like it is moving by the cheap I think rubber brake. Thanks for your response mwq I tried your advice and it is now just snug on there and it still has that move. My question is the white brake piece is the wheel supposed to be tight with that or is it supposed to move freely from that white brake piece?

 

I mean when I tightened up that castle nut to snug it make the wheel harder to move then when it was just hand tight.

 

I can tell you with certainty the brakes aren't your problem. The brake rotor bolts to your hub, and your wheel bolts to the hub. If the rotor is loose it will not affect the wheel. That only leaves the tie rod ends. Check them for play.

 

thanks to all who helped. I will check that out when I get home.