I picked up a 1995 scrambler this weekend. Nice machine for the age, but has the typical wear items that need to be addressed. Motor was completely rebuilt by the shop I always take my stuff to when I need machine work done. They went through the engine and put a wiseco piston in, new rod, crank and all the bearings. New motor mounts while they had the engine out also. Have all the paper work so I'm good in the engine department so I can concentrate on other areas of the machine. New Kenda Bear Claws with ITP rims. Fronts end components need some work because there is some play in the lower ball joints, tie rods and A arm bushings. Four wheel drive works, then doesn't work, then works. I am leaning towards pulling the hubs apart and cleaning everything up with new fluid and then checking all the wiring. Should keep me busy over the winter while I clean it up and go through it to make it a nice trail machine but there is one thing I do not like about it. It has a FMF pipe on it and I am not so certain that I will enjoy the noise it makes while riding it. Does the aftermarket pipe really add anything to the machine but noise? I am not a firm believer of opening the exhaust up to make power if there are really no other big mods done to the machine. All the years I was into muscle cars and hot rodding around, the exhaust never really responded much in horsepower gains unless you first got the air moving through the motor. The older I get, the less I care for the loud buzzing of an exhaust. If this really doesn't do much for making power on this machine, I would rather just go back to a stock muffler. If going back to the oem set up chokes it up too much, then I might consider keeping the FMF pipe on and live with the noise. Anyone have any experience in upgrading the exhaust or is it just for show only?

Thanks,
Mike

 

Without additional updates such as improved air filter system, mods such as porting, etc,all you're going to have is a noisy machine that a lot of riding places don't like to begin with.Tough enough to keep good places to ride open as it is.My son and I lost a good Corp of Engineer riding area years ago because of complaints from new home owners on the noise. Keep it stock to help keep places open to ride. Plus you can accomplish a lot by just installing a clutch kit if you happen to want it a bit more snappier.

 

Thanks OPT,

I'm not a fan of the louder exhaust. We have enough of that with the few Hondas and yamaha sport quads that buzz around here. I don't know how hard it will be to find a stock replacement muffler but I'm sure if I pull the FMF pipe off I will have no trouble finding a buyer for it. Maybe I will get lucky and someone will have a stock muffler laying around that would want to trade for this contraption I have now, lol.

Thanks ,
Mike

 

Lots of stock scrambler parts on ebay...mine is heavily modified, but I'm using a modified stock muffler to keep it reasonable...sound wise