It's just around the corner. Your first trip out to the sand dunes in probably six months. That's the last time it was cool enough to go out and shred some sand. Where has your quad been since then? Stuffed away in the garage or still sitting in the trailer where you last parked it? I'm sure some of you're still waiting to get one of the new machines that are now starting to roll onto the showroom floor of your local dealers.
If you're waiting on your new ride or if you already have one that you haven't looked at in a while, it's OK. We've taken the time to contact some of the most well-respected names in the industry and picked their brains. We wanted to know what they recommended be done when getting ready to hit the dunes.
Sit back, take notes and prepare to be educated.
Allen Knowles, Owner, CT Racing
ATVR: Allen, thanks for taking the time to go over this with us. When you hear of people prepping machines to go out to the dunes, what comes to mind?
AK: Are we talking new or old machines?
ATVR: Let's start with new quads.
AK: If someone has just purchased a new four-stroke ATV and is an experienced rider, hold off on getting paddle tires. The new four-stroke ATVs are really strong and the radial knobby tires give excellent traction in all conditions. Running the stock tires allows you to slide the quad at will and throw a monster roost. Unless you're an inexperienced rider, you should have no problem getting up anything.
ATVR: That's a good tip. How about maintenance? Is there anything that absolutely needs to be done on either new or old machines?
AK: Well, many people neglect all of the pivot points of the quads. Before you head out to the dunes, take the time to clean and lubricate all of your A-arm, swingarm and linkage components. By doing this you can find worn-out parts while improving the overall ride of your machine.
ATVR: That's a great suggestion. My guess is while you're doing that, it would be a good idea to service your shocks if they're rebuildable. How about in the engine?
AK: It doesn't hurt to check the condition of the top end of both two- and four-stroke engines. You want there to be adequate compression or else your engine will not perform to its fullest potential.
ATVR: What are your recommendations for top end service intervals?
AK: Two-stroke top ends should be serviced every 40 to 50 hours. The newer high-performance four-strokes should be on that schedule as well. The older style four-strokes such as the 400EX, Warrior and the like can typically go 70 to 80 hours between servicing.
ATVR: When you say servicing you mean
AK: Replacing the piston, piston rings and hone or bore the cylinder as necessary.
ATVR: What about the valves on four-stroke machines?
AK: The valves should be checked after 20 hours of riding, and after 40 hours I recommend to pull the head and have a valve job done. Once you let the valves get too far out of adjustment, they sacrifice horsepower and do serious damage to the head.
ATVR: As far as airflow into the engine is concerned, do you have any preference on K&N style or foam filters?
AK: If you run foam filters, you have to have a fresh filter for every day that you're going to be riding. After a day of riding, sand will definitely find its way through a foam filter and into your engine. For dune riding I like running a K&N filter with an Outerwears cover. Those keep out sand much better.
ATVR: When it comes to fuel, what do you recommend? Pump or race gas?
AK: The best fuel to run is race fuel, but the downfall is that it's very expensive. The higher octane in the fuel helps the engine run much cooler which in turn prevents the loss of power. If you're completely against paying for race fuel and will only buy pump, purchase the highest octane possible. The 87-octane fuels just aren't good for the engines that are in quads these days. I'd say to at least run a 50/50 mix of good race fuel and high-octane pump fuel.