Thinking about purchasing a C-Dale, but I'm wondering about the maintenance schedule. Is it a pain in the butt, and is it very often?

 

From what I've read the Cannondale maintenence is fairly often a kind of a big deal. I guess thats what you get for having such a high tech motor. Kind of it's biggest draw back.

 

Maintenance usually isn't hard at all. If you foul a plug, you're probably gonna be pretty p!ssed off due to having to take EVERYTHING off to get to it. Everything else is pretty simple though (atleast as simple as high performance maintenance gets). The extra maintenance is WELL WORTH the ride.

 

Not any different than any other high performance quad as far as the schedule. Just that doing the maintenance takes somewhat longer. Exept the spark plug which takes a lot longer! :0 Oh and the valves , even longer! I've not checked either in 80 hours, and the quad keepsgettin better. Its a new breed of quad though and has a learning curve for riding and maintenance. Takes me about 2 1/2 hours to do Engine and Trans oil and filters, lube, sevice air filter and check most of the nut/bolts. And i'm nearly incompetent in the garage. I don't mind working on the cannon though and do it far less than my yamaha's.

 

The maintenance is a little more time consuming for a C'dale, but not much more than the maintenance was on my Raptor when I had it. In other words, the maintenance should not be the reason why you don't purchase one because you'll have a big smile on your face every time you ride it!!

Plus it's built in the USA!!

 

Well, Im real interested in getting myself a cannibal, but im not hearing what exact maintanence needs to be done. I hear generalizations. If you will, please tell me what maintanence needs to be done on this quad that everyone keeps complaining about.

 

The maintenance isnt realy that bad except for adjusting the valves. You have to drop the engine to get to them. I think most people dont like the fact that you have three oil drains + the trans. oil drain. I drain the engine oil and transmission fluid at the same time as the right frame spar drain. I drain the left spar first with the front of the quad lifted, the rest have to be drained with the quad level. although the air filter is behind the front plastic and you need tools to get the plastic off it only takes about 2-3 min. to get the filter out once you find your tools. The inline fuel filter needs replaced every 5hrs. About a 3-4min job. The rear brake disc needs checked before every ride for side to side and up and down play. I've had to adjust mine quite a few times. It takes a small flat head screw driver, a hex wrench and a phillips screw driver (or a punch is what I use) to fit in the holes of the brake disc preload nut to adjust it. This job takes about 2-3min. The spark plug I dont know how long it takes but I can guess pretty good. I havent fouled one yet although I'm going to change it anyway since I have my engine out. Everything else should be no different than any other quad.

 

Hmm, seems rather high on maintanence eh? Even if it takes 2-3 minutes for each job. Why do you have to change the fuel filter so much? If the brakes keep coming out of adjustment, that doesnt sound like a good design for the braking. Even though changing the oil would be a pain, I dont think I'd mind that part. But taking plastic off all the time, I dont know how much I'd like that. and the valve job, but usually you never need a valve job anyways.

Another thing that would suck hard, is having a plug foul. For a 4 stroke, that doesnt happen often, but if your in the woods with a fouled plug, I wouldnt be too happy whatsoever. Makes me wonder if i should just get the raptor.

 

The manual calls for the fuel filter change every 5hrs. They are cheap so I guess its better safe than sorry. You wouldnt want to clog the injectors. I know most people dont change the filters this often and I've never heard of anyones injectors messing up. I've had my FX since June of last year + I've raced it a few times and practiced even more. I'm pretty hard on brakes, so thats why I've had to adjust the rear brakes. I think I've adjusted them 5 times. Its about time for new pads. I think the C-Dale brakes are some of the best. Better than my old 250x's and the 300ex I had before thats for sure. I rode with out brakes at all more than with brakes with those two quads! You have 6 bolts to take off to get the front plastic off to service the air filter. One + on removing the air filter is you dont have to loosen a clamp to get it off. Fouling a plug in the middle of the woods or in the middle of no where would suck! If you start it up right you wont have any plug problems though. Like I said I havent fouled one yet. I still have the spare in my glove box from when I picked my quad up. The valves are supposed to be adjusted every 25hrs. As far as the Raptor or C-Dale? Go ride both and decide. The C-Dale will leave a larger grin on you face though I bet.

 

Hey prs311, you need to go ride the raptor and the C'dale, I owned both at one time. The C'dale is a superior quad and the little extra time it requires for routine maintenance is more than worth it. I no longer own the raptor, and still have my C'dale, say no more!!