DarkRider

Thanks! Believe it or not, most of that is off the top of my head since I've owned them all and pretty much remember everything I've had to do. But gas mileage is the one that's fuzzy, so I had to just look up ranges and then I averaged out low to high for all of them. Can-Am (more specifically, the Outlander) was on my list of things to consider. From what I understand though, they have a less traditional AWD system maybe similar to what Polaris has. I've seen of videos of people riding them and showing that sometimes it takes a while for AWD to engage when you need it, and that turned me off to them. I had the same issue with both my Sportsman and Scrambler where the AWD stopped working on either one or both of the front wheels. Then you have to start checking the fluid and seals in the hubs, and go from there. It's a bit out of my comfort zone. I think I'm probably narrowed down to the Yamaha 450's as a first choice. And I'm curious the mid to late 2000's Suzukis or Arctic Cats I think I've ruled out Polaris and Kawasaki. But every now and then, I see an Outlander for sale and it does tempt me haha. I've had to do so much fixing on a lot of my stuff before I've gotten to enjoy them, that I'm trying to just find something with lower hours and that I'll enjoy and keep for a long time.

Hey Everybody, I am always curious about any ATVs I haven't tried yet. I'll probably be in the market for something different soon, currently looking to sell my 05 Brute Force 750. I decided to note my favorite features of any 4x4 ATV and compile them into a list. These are all models I've had in the past, the King Quad 300 and Brute Force 750 are my current models. I'll most likely consolidate to one. Really just wanted to get some ideas on what other people have owned in a similar range, and maybe get ideas for my idea quad (used). So far, I keep finding myself back at the 05 Yamaha Kodiak 450 or Grizzly 450. Not sure exactly what years they made which, but they seem pretty similar. Some of the features I tend to like best (aside from durability and reliability) Engine braking (good for hill descent) Park gear (the regular parking brakes always seem to be finicky) Mid sized engine for better fuel efficiency (Seems that anything 500 or above really starts to guzzle gas, and they fit better on narrower trails) IRS (more comfortable ride) Diff Lock (can't live without it) **Side note: I know Durability and Reliability might seem like they'd be the same, but the way I am defining them is: Durability is how long I can go without something breaking. OR how often things break with seeming not much of a good reason. Reliability is about the on-trail experience of having everything work properly as designed (i.e. Starting up and being able to get going without much issue, the 4wd drive engages without quirks, I can park it on a hill when needing to help someone else without worrying it'll roll away, etc) My Brute Force 750 is a perfect example of why Durability and Reliability were rated so differently. With durability, I really never felt like I've had anything break on the thing that was really from riding it. Which is great in that regard. But all of the things i've had to fix on it seem more so in it's design. The infamous KEBC code on the dash that refused to go away even after completely cleaning and lubing the KEBC and confirming it functions properly. Hard starting issues. 4WD requires you to roll about 10 to 15 feet to engage, so if you get stuck in 2WD, you're in a pickle. The infamous bus connector that goes bad and stops your charging system from working. I've worked through all of these, but these are all things I'd consider reliability issues that happen really at no fault of mine as I ride it pretty gently. Writing up this list has actually put a lot into perspective for me. The King Quad 300 really is a superb quad. The inclusion of the Super Low range provides stellar engine braking down pretty much any hill you can think of, it seems like it's unmatched. It has great gas mileage, and it's been dead reliable despite being a 1994. It's got 4x4 AND Diff lock, and the semi automatic transmission also help with not letting the quad get out of control down a hill. Plus it's more fun to me and gives me a bit more to do while riding. The biggest annoyance so far has been the parking brake. No matter how much I adjust it, it just doesn't seem stay adjusted after some time. I believe this might just be flawed on these models. Also, parts availability is not the greatest on these since they don't make anything newer with any similar parts. Front axles are quite expensive, rear drive shafts go for $400 to $500 brand new, etc. And that's where the Park gear on Yamaha's Ultramatic eliminates that issue. That's where I keep landing on the older Grizzly or Kodiak 450s. They have a park gear, IRS and Diff lock, a lot of power and they're super fun to ride (got to test one). But I'd be giving up fuel efficiency and the Super Low range. The Ultramatics still have good engine braking, but still not comparable to the Super Low on Suzuki. With ALL that said, curious about what other people out there have had and enjoyed, and I'm just looking to get some ideas of what other smaller/mid sized quads are out there with similar features. I don't really know anything about Honda, Suzuki, or Arctic Cat models from the mid 2000's. Curious to hear other perspectives! Make Model Year Parking (gear/brake) Engine Braking Fuel Efficiency (mpg) IRS Diff Lock Durability (1-5) Reliability (1-5) Overall Rank (1-5) Suzuki King Quad 300 1994 Brake Super Low range 20 Yes Yes 4 4 4 Honda Rancher 350ES 2002 Brake (none?) 17.5 No No 5 5 4 Kawasaki Brute Force 750 2005 Brake KEBC Module 12.5 Yes Yes 4 2 3 Yamaha Grizzly 660 2006 Gear Ultramatic 12.5 Yes Yes 5 5 3 Yamaha Wolverine 450 2009 Gear Ultramatic 17.5 No No 4 5 3 Polaris Scrambler 4x4 4-Stroke 2002 Brake (none?) 14 No AWD 2 4 1 Polaris Sportsman 500 4x4 2000 Brake (none?) 15 Yes AWD 2 4 1

Thank you! Been busy with other life stuff too and just a lot going on. Can't wait to go on my first real ride with it now

Thank you. I actually bought the oil and filter to change it, but it appears to have been changed quite recently. The previous owner also did brakes and shocks as well, so I'm pretty sure it's good for now. If anything, I might check up on it in the spring and see how it's holding up.

Well I thought I'd post an update on this, as I had some idling issues and the torn boot. The past two Saturdays, I got some help and we got all the issues sorted out. And there really wasn't much wrong to begin with, but here's what I tackled: Torn Boot: Turns out all the front boots were torn. Both my dad and I were so excited to get this thing that we really didn't look certain things over too well. I don't seem to be having any problems with the axles acting up, so I got both inner and outer boots and we replaced those. Went pretty smoothly! Idling Issues: One thing that threw me off with this is that the service manual shows a picture of a thumb screw in a very accessible place on the quad, which I couldn't find anywhere on mine. It turns out mine doesn't have an idle cable, but instead has some kind of hex screw. I'm not sure if this is a replacement carb and that's what it came with, or someone just decided to replace the cable with a screw. It is EXTREMELY difficult to get in there, there's no room at all for your hands to do anything in there. Finding a tool to get in there and on the screw by itself... it's a pain. However, we did eventually get in there with a 1/4" ratchet, extension, and universal. I believe the socket size is a 5.5mm. We couldn't get the socket on perfectly, but it was enough to catch and turn the screw. Got the quad warm, made sure the choke was off, and adjusted the idle to a good spot. Clutch adjustment: Now i know I already mentioned this one being taken care of. We haven't had to do anything with this since the first time, but I'm just nothing it in here as the third main issue Now I say past TWO Saturdays because I'm a dummy. The first Saturday we set out to fix these issues, I only thought I had one measly boot to replace. We got to the garage and saw that all the front boots needed replacement, so we didn't even bother with it, and I had to order the others. Secondly, I bought an idle cable for the carb, so we worked on that after realizing we had to delay the boot replacement. After taking out the carb, replacing the screw with the cable, and completely wrestling the stupid thing back in there.....the quad wouldn't start. Turned over fine. We triple checked the carb connections and it was pretty obvious, the cable was the only major change. So we had to take the carb back out, put the screw back in, wrestle it back in there, quad started fine. SO... since this is way too much work for what I was trying to accomplish, I figured the easiest thing to do was figure out a tool to get in there and adjust it properly. If I was dying to have an idle cable, I could have bought a brand new carb off ebay that includes one, which I think the cable I bought will probably work with an aftermarket carb. But this thing runs great and I wanted to stick with "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". So no new carb. So anyway, that's when we got down there the second Saturday and got everything done right. Boots replaced, and the idle adjustment with the right tool. and now we know the socket size required. Took it out the following day and the idle is great. When I first got the quad, it was shutting off on me a bit, more so on declines with the nose pointing downward. Now... no issues at all, even on major hills. Clutch seems to be fine, I was able to back up some very steep hills as a test. Now I can finally enjoy this thing, and it really is a blast to ride. Small and agile, yet it'll go nearly anywhere. Barring any unforeseen major mechanical problems popping up (engine, clutch, trans), I am definitely feeling this is worth it despite the age.

Hey thanks so much for this info. It's going to be quite a while before I can get around to this, with all my other stuff going on. I'm going to come back to this info when I get a chance to work on it. Thanks again for this good info!

Yes I agree. A lot of the ones I've seen in this price range are usually pretty beat up, missing the battery cover, etc. This one definitely isn't perfect, but everything works and the new shocks really help. It does have quite a few miles on it, but the frame seems to be in great shape. Still a couple pending issues too. The front left CV boot is torn, and needs replacement. No clue if it's going to result in replacing the entire axle which is a problem. They don't make axles for it anymore and so they're pricey on Ebay. And the idle is still a bit of an issue. It wouldn't idle when warm, so I turned it up and that seemed to help, but still seems to not want to idle at times once it's warm. It seems irregular, sometimes it will be fine for a little bit, and then I'll hear it get really low. If it doesn't shut off, it will take a second and go back up. So not too sure what's going on there, but one thing at a time!

Thanks! With that fixed and not seeing any major issues, I think I definitely god a good price on it.

Quick update on the slippage. Turns out there is a clutch adjustment that's really easy to do. A help full YouTube video How To: Suzuki King Quad 300 Clutch Adjustment by Schneids15 describes and shows the process. Only issue we ran into is that the screw had resistance at any depth. In the video, it's supposed to be easy to turn with your fingers. It wouldn't turn by hand even after backing it out quite a bit. After testing a few times and putting it in gear, we removed the cover again and it was turning much more freely by hand. Not sure if the wheels had to turn a bit or what, but after that it was smooth sailing. Turned the screw just until it met resistance, turned back 1/8th of a turn. Tightened up, reassembled, and I'm having no more issues. Reverse works regardless of 4WD or 2WD, and High, Low, Super Low. Tested it over the same rock I used as a test before, which it couldn't get over. Just wanted to share that in case anyone else has a problem. I think I've read that this usually doesn't fix this issue. Glad I got lucky! We'll see how long it holds up...

Thanks for that info! I'll have to check out that site. Although I'm running into a possible potential big problem. IT seems to have a lot of trouble going uphill in reverse with certain gear configurations. I wonder if this is going to foreshadow transmission problems in the near future. I don't have an owner's manual at the moment, so I don't have a way to check proper use of reverse. But this is what I've noticed so far: High - 2wd - It tries to move in reverse and just stops. It will move just a hair and stop. Low - 4wd - Does just about the same as above. Low - 2wd - It will go up the hill but I do hear/feel what seems like slippage or hesitation. I didn't test Super Low yet. If I could get some insight from anyone that owns one of these, that would be great. It does seem like possible trans issues to me, since out of all the quads I've owned in the past, none of the 4WD ones ever required me to take it out of 4WD just to get it to move in reverse.

Yes it seems to run fine, sounds fine as far as I can tell. We had to turn the idle up which seems too high at first. But once it's warm, it normalizes. I'm trying not to bite of more than I can chew at once. I still need to get the torn boot replaced. These are fun little quads though.

Wow, thanks for the reply. It's cool to get a perspective on that. I take it the good stuff was getting pulled so the workers could have it for themselves?

Believe it or not, I've had good luck with Pledge. Spray on and wipe in a circular motion, and do this for the whole surface. It makes the surface very slippery in general and things tend to slip off of the surface. I think this helps to prevent scratches for the same reason.

This is something I'm extremely curious about. Has anyone ever attempted to buy a quad (or any other vehicle) from an impound lot? I've always wondered if this could be a bargain, or a waste of time. Google searches do turn up some helpful results. Looks like the state of NJ holds auctions online which I'd be a bit hesitant about. My online searches haven't really turned up any results of anyone buying an ATV this way. I'd be really curious if anyone tried this, or knows someone who has. I've actually found a couple pages with online auctions for my state, but none had ATVs.

I'm also trying to get a service manual here that I can't get anywhere else. The community is very friendly though and I'm trying to make informative posts. 6 so far, this is number 7. I'll get there eventually haha