Fellow Kodiak Owners
After reading the Year 2000 anniversary forum, I felt it was a great idea and very informative. Here's the run down for my 1999 Kodiak

1999 Kodiak 400cc, Semi-Automatic 5-speed, single range, 4x4.
3,000 km

PROBLEMS
• Light bulbs were defective. Metal ring that holds them let go causing the bulbs to short out, blowing the fues. Left me on the trail with no lights, no dash lights, no starter, just recoil start. Dealer replaced bulbs No hasles
• Replaced front brake pads, rear drum 20% left. Didn't replace pads in time and skored the right front roter, Caution, when pads wear down they let go altogether and fly off.
• Replaced right front weel bearing. Factory wheel bearings are not sealed units. Rreplaced with sealed bearings. Left bearing still holding up.
• Warn winch, In/Out switch works sometimes.
• MufflersHeat Sheld cracked where the bolt fastens it on. Dealer replaced no hastles. 2-3 months later Cracked again, haven't taken it back yet. Seems to be a defect.
• Rear drum brake, can't ever seem to keep it adjusted properly, and never works very well either. Stoping power is 10% or less. The fronts deffenetly do all the work.
• Front shocks squeaked all the time hot or cold, Over torqued from factory, lossened off 1/2 turn, no problems sence
• Oil drain plug was over torqued from dealer. I striped it the first time I changed the oil. Design flaw, Bolt head is to smalll for the size of the drain plug. Trick. I use my winch to pick up the front end where I can properly lossen it off then drop it and remove plug with fingers.
Be sure to shut the gas line off and run untill it stops, I learned this the hard way. Filled the Air box to the top with gas.

POSITIVES
• Love it, fantastic trail bike, comfortable, lots of power, great work horse
• No problems with motor, starts every time summer or winter
• Many deep water crossing, no problems
• Fender skerts work exellent, have folded mine back on stumps many times and they never broke only bounce back.
• No carburator problems, haven even touch it.
• No vibrations, steering very tight
• Rides the same as when I bought it.
• Dunlop tires excellent, have riden over very rugged terrain with out any problems, seem to be a very good allround tire. I was suprised to here of so many problems with the 2000 model Dunlops. Maybe there not the same tire.

Love my Kodiak,
no plans to sell, I like shifting vrs. automatic
Highly recomend this year of kodiak

Thanks'
1999Kodiak

 

Yep its definitly a nice machine!and built tough.This machine has never let me down.... problems that i have had with it are just the front wheel berrings,oil drain plug,and the heat sheild cracking

 

Did evryone sell there 99 models. Surely there has to be some 99 kodiak's out there! Lets here how they have survived the last couple of years. All kodiak responses are welcome.

 

I guess we are the only 99 kodiak owners!What accesories have you added to your kodiak?

 

I haven't installed to many extras, as you know the machine doesn't really need anything, it awsome right from stock. But I do a lot of winter riding so I installed throtle and grip warmers ( highly recomend installing). My warn winch was included with my origingal purchase. I also do a lot of trail riding 150 km or so at a time. So I built a carrying box that fits on the rear rack. It is large enough to pack a full day's lunch in for 2 people, plus extras like maps first aid kit spare coat, it also serves as a back rest for the second rider. Up front I built a spare gas tank holder that will acomidate a 2 gallon gas tank. (This I also recomend for long rides). The Kodiak is great on fuel but there is nothing like the security of having extra fuel on a long rides in the middle of no where. That's about it everything else is stock and serves me well. How about your modifications?

 

2000 Warn winch and a high performance kit that is yet to be installed.I bent the side bar on my bumper the other day so im looking for a replacement possibly a Brute or oxlite i want somthing that has a built in winch mount so the winch doesnt hang out infront of it like it does now i love the kodiak tho

 

Will you be installing the high performance kit yourself? How much performance do you expect the kit will give you? My father and I both have 1999 Kodiak's, Identical. He too bent the front bumper after a roll over. There expensive, it cost him somthing like $250.00 canadian to replace it. I'm slightly confused with your winch problem, I too have a stock bumper and my winch is mounted on brackets but the assembly is mounted behind the bumper in front of the oil cooler. Is your's different?

1999Kodiak

 

High Lifter claims the kit will have a 20% increase in power.I can put the supertrapp,spark plug and k&N on but im going to leave the rejeting up to my dad because hes a mechanic and has delt with carbs alot of times b4.My winch Hangs underneath my bumper its a painnnn in the ****!I saw a warn winch mount in RockyMountain Atv catalog and it says it mounts under the "Hood" so im asuming that it will be inside the bumper infront of the oil cooler that would be alot nicer then its current location. Where are the rollers mounted on your Kodiak?

 

It sounds like you would like to mount your winch in exactly the same place mine is already mounted. I might be able to help you. Mine came installed from the dealer. It is mounted on the stock Kodiak Bumper that came with the machine. You may not have to buy aftermarket to mount your winch where you want it. (I agree mounting the winch under the bumper hanging down would be a pain)
Let me explain:
Take a look at your stock bumper. Just under the lights is the vertically mounted piece of your bumper with 5 holes boared out in it. Well, my winch is mounted just behind this. There is plenty of room for it here and it's very functional in this location. My winch rollers are mounted under the the piece of the bumper with the 5 holes. The entire assembly is mounted on a steel plate that is bolted to the frame of the bumper.

Maybe your winch plate is mounted upside down? That would explain why you think the winch is mounted to low!
Did you mount the winch yourself?
I could e-mail you a picture of mine if you are haveing a lot of trouble mounting in the right spot. Let me know.
• How did you bend your bumper in the first place?

 

That would be nice to see a picture of where your winch is mounted My e-mail is DODGECHALLENGER8@AOL.COM i could also send an old pic of where my winch is mounted.I bent the Bumper by hiting a tree. I was riding behind my friend who decided to stop and do a donut. Well i was a couple feet behind him i hit the brakes and cut the wheels 2 the right. The side tubing of the bumper that is in an arch shape hit the tree and got tweaked in enogh so it is touching the Plastic .i was lucky it didnt hit the controll arms it was a big tree! I love this four wheeler im planing on adding cvc boot guards, skid plate,lift kit and hand guards *** soon as i can get enough money