I've just gotten into the sport on mud riding and I would like to know if there are any tricks you can do to your quad to make it better siuated for mud and water? Also, do you know of any ways to get unstuck or not to get stuck?

-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-
400EX LT250R



[This message has been edited by boger (edited 07-16-1999).]

 

Mud Riding "needs" in order: (my opinion)

#1 - 4x4
#2 - tires
#3 - ground clearance
#4 - locker (if limited slip)

Riding expieriance in the mud helps too. Every machine seems like it needs to be ridden just a little different, depending on tires and the motor. I can say you won't be able to make it through much mud on the 400ex and LT250. But your first step would be getting a good mud tire for the the back. A 2wd can do ok in the mud, if it has good mud tires. A utlity 2wd though can do really good with good tires and rider. Try to make the front tires float and skim, not dig down. Never stop, once you stop it's hard to get the traction to get going again.

One really hard thing that ranges from machine to machine is speed/momentum. Not enough wheelspin will get you stuck, too much will just dig. Find the spot where your going fast enough not to get stuck, but the tires aren't spinning so fast that they just dig holes.

 

Yep, Adam is on the right trail... Here's a few more..
1) Inflate front tires to about 10 p.s.i. for extra flotation and ground clearance.
2) If possible, install a basketball or football somewhere in the front-end and air it up to 15-20 p.s.i. (also to help with flotation)
3) Completely seal your airbox lid with silicone and run a snorkel for the air intake.
4) Snorkeling your exhaust pipe helps alot, especially if you stall it out in deep water/mud.
5) If its a CVT/PVT machine.. snorkel the exhaust vent for the belt drive. Put a hose-clamp on the pull-cord handle to seal it TIGHTLY (also apply a little grease to the inside of it before tightening the clamp.)
6) Replace your sparkplug before EVERY weekend excursion.. before re-installing the wire, put RTV (gasketmaker) on the plug. This helps to keep the water out.
7) Ice Chests and other crud shoud be placed on the REAR rack...
8) WINCH on front, Tow rope attached to the rear with a hook on it.. (so you can anchor the rear of the quad to a tree and winch your buddy out!!)
9) A-Arm guards by OXLITE or STICK STOPPERS are the most commonly used..
I KNOW there are many more.. but ive ran out of time....
SOMEBODY add to the list!!!

 

4x4 is not an option. Its not deep deep mud, its going down the trail and then making a quick left into a streem and just going and then the water gets deep and mud comes and crap like that. Nothing too hardcore I use Realters on the 250 and Razr on the 400EX(sorry for the mix up) and most of the time do wheeliein the water. Helps a lot.

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400EX LT250R Blaster



[This message has been edited by boger (edited 07-18-1999).]

 

Buy a Max, 'nuff said.

 

He don`t even want the 4x4, I don`t think he would want 6x6, what do ya think ?

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Sylvain Belec 400 scrambler - 225 moto4

 

Hard to handle much mud on a 400 ex. You should probably have a buddy on a fast 4x4 quad (scrambler 500/400) ride with you so he can pull you out when you get stuck. I personally think a winch would look a little out of place on your 400ex.

 

I have a 96 warrior with 22 inch Mud Machines
on the rear and 23 inch Titan 489s on the front mounted to Douglas .190s.
This thing will suprise the crap out of you
what it will go through. It had some 20
inch Holeshots on the back and 21 inch Fast Treckers on the front and would get high centered on every litle log or rut. The MMs
and Titans work great in the mud and the Titans float very good. I have some super swampers on my old TrailBlazer and they do realy good (i dont think there as good as the Mud Machines) I took the Tblazer to the Marango Suicide run and did very, very good
for a (sport) four wheeler. Some tips for riding in the mud are:
1. lean back as far as you can but dont sit,
if you feal your momentum slowing punch the gas and sit down as hard as you can.
2. rock the the four wheeler left and right as hard as you can on the very end of the foot pegs.(body english is so important on a sport quad in the mud)
3. if your tires start to ball up punch the gas realy quick to roost it off(you may have to slip the clutch)
4.if you know you cant make it and theres no way around it walk the four wheeler across the mud
5. if you get stuck stand on the grab bar and
act like your trying to kick it to the ground as you hit the gas trying not to dig this works must of the time
6. momentum is the key you want to hit it goin preaty fast but not so fast that you will have to down shift. i will hit them in second on the warrior and slip the clutch if it starts slowing shifting takes to much time
and momentum.
hope this helps you some.

 

I would also suggest a 4x4 quad. I have a 1999 honda 300 with vampires all around, a 2500 lb WARN winch, and stick stoppers. I do very good in the deep swampy muck. Does anyone know what to do if you get stuck while your quad is completly submerged under water? Any way to get it out with out sucking water in the engine?

 

A very good mud riding tip for limited slip 4X4's. Sometimes if you are in a hole and one tire will not spin, turn the handlebars back and forth and tap the front break a couple times. SOMETIMES it will be enough to get all 4 tires spinning again! Good luck. My friend taught me this trick when my atv was still stock. I thought I was stuck but he got it out.