I'd pay 400 bucks all day every day for a four wheeler like that. Even with all the work you had to put into it. There's still plenty of life left in it.
Semi pro tip (aspiring to be a "Professional youtube keyboard Wizard)- light gas in airbox, burn ATV. The rest of it (you already had the tip) Do it in garage, prevent mice from getting in your home. (only affective if house is attached to garage)😂❤
I have had 5 of these over the years. They are great, super reliable even when completely worn out. The suspension is stiff but robust. Great machines, not as refined as the Honda Recon but there is a reason Yammy never really changed anything but the plastic for 20 years. It works, every time.
The Honda recon is the greatest 250 class atv ever made. You will not change my mind. Easy to work on, lots of torque for its size and super fun to ride.
😮That is what I’m talking about. Makes us feel that sellers are honest now and then. The good weather is coming again. Really good video. Now sell it and on to the next. 😊
Dang. That thing had a rough life! The definition of “deferred maintenance”. 😂 I’d want to drain and fill the differential lube a couple times. Looks like fun!
That neglected drive train was shocking. You really got lucky there was no major damage. But the tires alone were worth near $400, so it was a solid buy, even if the quad had turned out to be junk.
Great video. When I was 7 or 8 years old my dad bought a red one like this brand new in 1996 it being a 1997 model except ours was a two-wheel drive and not a 4. I drove that thing hard for many years, it never stayed in the garage whether it was summer or winter it was always outside, we used it to plow snow and since it was a two-wheel drive we had to put tire chains on it with multiple bags of sand on the rear rack, when I turn 12 I got a job at a farm about 3 miles away one way and I drove this thing there everyday back and forth for 2 years. We never had a problem with this thing, it always ran greet until we put these ginormous balloon mud tires on it. They were so big that they just barely rubbed against the fenders in the rear. Anyhow one day I was pulling a small spring tooth with-it to work up the ground for a garden I was making and all the sudden the rear end started making a grinding crunching noise then it stopped moving so we pulled fulfill plug and looked in there with a flashlight and all you could see was chunks of gear laying at the bottom inside the rear diff. Now looking back at it and now being smarter and wiser I wish I would have replaced the diff which would've not been that hard but being young and clueless we just junked it out. Anyhow great video, it brought back memories after watching this video
For a quad that was passed down in the family a lot they sure didn't take care of it😢, you would think they would have. Because you would think it would have some sentimental value to it but I guess not lol. My Dad has a Yamaha Kodiak 450 that I grew up riding and those Yamaha quads last forever when taken care of properly. It has a slight stutter but never fails to start up and is very reliable. I love that quad.
yeah easy fix lol....find a dry rusty rear diff and just add oil then call it good ....nothing really got fixed just a carb clean ..battery and basic checks to get it to run
I have the same Timberwolf. The entire drive line and diff were wiped out. Found ring and pinion as well as bearings. But if anything else is bad i couldn’t find any parts. A few very rough used ones. But even then just rebuilding the diff and replacing the axle was about $500. Valves were mid adjusted and a manual timing chain adjust was put on it before me. Fixed all of that. I also had similar carb issues. I simply replaced it with with a new $26 unit. While the carb was the same, it had all of the wrong jets. I just cleaned up the originals and used them. I also lowered the main jet a few percent. It was too rich for my elevation. I also had to replace almost all of the rear brake parts and all of the cables. But the battery was good! It’s been a year round rider and still runs like new. I also have a 1980 AC Panther that runs like new. Love fussing with old junk too!
During this era, Yamaha made some of the best ATV’s. My dad still has a 96 Big Bear 4x4 that is strong as ever. My brother bought a 97 Wolverine that was sold to my grandfather and then to my uncle that is still going. Fun to ride and comfortable.
Last Oct, I bought a 2000 Polaris Trail Boss 325 for $400 beans. I went through the entire machine. I had bent valves and a snapped timing chain. Replaced all that and put in a new piston and rings. New front and rear rotors, calipers, and pads, tires, both brake handles, seat cover, rear shock, a-arm bushings, exhaust seals, CVT belt, drive chain and sprockets, used OEM carb, and new handle bar. I have 1600 into it, and it runs out nice. Not the most awesome ATV, but it's fun for me (I'm an old man).
46:30 if this little forest is yours, you could make a track around those trees and also the land and do like a competition between all the bikes you get and put it up on a board. Every time you would get a bike and fix it, you would then make your best time with it. Would be pretty fun 👍🏼
Compared to the last one like that I had come in here, That's a cadillac. Looks like a blast. It's cool watching you work on these like an old pro. Your doing a great job. It's hard to be a master of all the machines, but getting familiar with them is a great thing to have in your pocket for the future. Being a master tech is about specializing in specific brands and when possible, attending their service tech academies. It took me 3 years to get Yamaha, Kawasaki, Honda, Suzuki and Polaris. MMI was huge stepping stone for me starting my OHV repair shop. Wish my apprentice had half the natural talent you have. We love to chill in the shop and watch your vids when you post them. God Bless...
Hey, Joe, it's just one of my own tips if you put a little bit of a valve lapping compound on the head of the screw it will keep them from stripping out on really difficult ones.
All right, so I kind of need your help. I’m pretty handy with Lawn Mowers. I just purchased a 2015 hawk 250cc yes, is a Chinese bike. It’s been sitting since 2019. I purchased it from the original owner. He was too scared to drive it. It’s only got 5 miles on it. Clean the carb, replace the battery change the spark plug. Still can’t get it to start. I just remember when removed the old spark plug it was a little wet should I take the top head off or should I grease it? Well put oil down there and try to use let it sit overnight or something. Appreciate the videos a lot new subscriber about a week ago. Hope to hear from you soon thanks.
You should be able to cobble/ fabricate together a REVERSE lever in an hour, it wouldn't cost anything but time. I suspect that the rear differential was under water at some point. I've never seen one empty and only dirt left behind.
The carburetoor is the same as a YFM 225 Moto 4, you can check the diagram online and you'll see that there is a hose on the bottom of the carb with a one way valve :0)
The fuel in the air box probably came from the carb. With th condition the carb was in. On my go kart the pump pushes so much fuel into the carb the float don't hold it back and it flys out of every hole it can get to. Which is usually the intake side
if you want to move your hover craft, I would try to lift the back end and put a piece of plywood under. then do the same for the front end. then get yourself one more piece and put it length ways on a couple of 2x4's and you can winch it onto a trailer and take it back home and get it where you can work on it when you get what u need to finish it. great deal on this machine!
If you want to clean the plastics use boiled linseed oil and paint thinner just mix it 60 linseeds 40 paint thinner then rub it on with a shop towel let sit 30 minutes rub off excess looks like factory plastics ! Enjoy watching you younger cats in the repair game !
Love the use of that carpenter hammer when you’re breaking the side cover screws loose…I have the exact same one 👍🏻. Excellent videos….you are a favorite channel.
Looks like the trails need trimmed back a bit. All and all a fairly inexpensive fix. Battery prices are a bit outrageous don't you think?? Another enjoyable watch and learn...Pete
Great vid as usual .when using an impact driver on those screws,don't use a toy hammer.jusr a couple of taps with a big one will do the trick.cheers Joe.
It never ceases to amaze me how bad people can neglect their machines. When something breaks, fix it! Not just cut crap off. Maintenance the damn things. Jeesh!! Idiots own them, rod the crap out of them, half arse repairs, and blow off maintenance. Just blows my mind. Like cutting the brake cables, the reverse lever, and the end of the exhaust. This right here folks is why I buy my power sports new.
I dont see how the title made since? yes the diff was dry and the seat sucks. but it was only 400 dollars. Runs good enough for the money. May have to get a different more modern motor for the hover craft. they make more powerful motor upgrades. You could up grade the hover craft to make it better.
I've had one since new. My shifter handle broke off while using a similar blade setup. I just use a little lever bolted to forward and reverse shift shaft since the break. It will run forever. The fuel petcock drip leak on yours looks like it needs to be fixed too, a common problem. Maybe dripped in time with the jammed float and blocked vent into the airbox?
I had a 96big bear for bout 10 years, after the wife blew top end up 2nd time i parted it out abd sold it, great bikes, only bad, full time 4x4. Tajes getting used to but still scoots good with the 5 speed tranny and low range is torquey as hell great find, lot of life left.
Might want to drill out the main just one size to compensate for the exhaust having more flow. I would but it will be fine either way I'm sure it didn't make a huge difference. Although as you went across the feild she sure was loud! lol
That's a steal, a great deal, don't understand the topic headline comment. Attention to watch post. Perhaps. that's a great find, polish up the plastics, paint the frame and rims, that is a good atv there. Easily profit maker to sell, worth $1200, all day.
I bought a Suzuki Eiger not long ago . There was gas in the air box just like that. It was because the diaphragm in the petcock failed. When I took out the oil fill cap, it started gushing out because the gas had got in the engine.
After i just replaced carb on my coolstar, figured out that i didn't need to use pump system for fuel delivery "not a Moped" one option is to vent too the air box, bet carb fuel pump vented to the carb...
Them yamahas 200 225 and the 250 have aluminum callers on the cam shaft I would check that cam for up and down play that's where some of that noise in the motor is coming from it is in behind the cam chain sprocket just a little tip I found out
2vintage Take the bags off your hover craft and store them inside. They rot out quick especially if they are touching the ground!!! Love your show buddy you're the man!
Just add some automatic trans fluid in the rear end and put a jack under it and let it idle in gear. Do that a couple of times and then fill it with proper fluid. Trans fluid is a natural cleaner.
I wish I didn't live far from ya. I would have ya fix up this old fourwheeler that was givin to me a couple years ago. I done some work on a relatives's boat and he gave the quad to my son cause i fixed his boat motor. I'm in Indiana, about 3 and a half hours from Wisconsin. Would be nice if I lived closer, this quad would give ya atleast 2 or 3 good videos cause it needs some TLC, I haven't had any time cause I drive a semi for a livin. Love the video, keep up the great work man.
Timber wolf is a good rig. After ya'll cut that damn muffler off and put a good muffler on it. Now check the diff seals front and rear. Yee said the boots were toast on axels but after ya'll flushed the dirt out ya'll probably have to drain the front diff and get rid of all that and dump both while at it Joe. Sounds and runs great. Good job boyo. I would also move that blamed winch and heal that clutch cover, maybe riveted on aluminum.
When checking your float height use the other side of the caliper and rest the internal measure leg on the surface of the bowl flange…. Allows you to get a little closer to the float and steady reading cause you are holding it down to a surface instead of lining it up at 2 points
you should take the back diff apart and clean all the dirt out and put new seals and oil in it that dirt in there will take out the bearings than the gears and it wont be chjeap to fix -----great video
Looks like 2 stroke gas. Maybe they added some for extra upper cylinder lubricant. Wont hurt it but will smoke and foul plug out. Old timberwolves were decent quads. I think they were full time 4x4s to?
I love the simplicity of these types in regards to doing valve adjustments, as opposed to having to shim them. But I remember when I was younger we had an 87 trx250x, I've always preferred 2 wheels over 4 but I liked that biker it ran great and it was fun, BUT the valves would come out of adjustment EVERY SINGLE TIME IT WAS RIDDEN. I remember it being impossible to start and my dad doing valve adjustments Everytime we wanted to run it. Wonder if it was a fluke with that bike or if other bikes with that type of valvetrain were capable of the same issue? 🤔
Have you ever thought about just having the starter for your hovercraft rebuilt? You might not be able to find a starter but I’m sure that they can find parts to rebuild it.
I'm never buying a jump pack that beeps. My 2 packs don't beep and that's the way I like it. That is annoying, Joe. Great video as always. That turned out to be a nice machine.
He plug the vent to keep the gas from coming out which forced it into the air box.. I had this happen on a brand new carb once except I fixed the float needle and fixed it.. I didn't plug the vent tube..
Had one of these years ago that was 2WD. Did a few performances mods to her and it would lift the front wheels about 2” off the ground when you grabbed second gear. It was a fun and quick little 250. Actually buying it back from the fella I sold it to this week so looking forward to that. Ready to rip it again for old times sake. First quad I ever modded.
I bought a 05 Polaris for two hundred but everything on it was shot, except the motor I replaced just about everything on it I would have been better off buying a good used one live and learn I guess
For a starter on the hovercraft. Check with Kastner Auto Electric in Waukesha, Wi. They rebuild starters and i had them do some odd ball stuff for me in the past.
I wonder if that machine was actually ever run without fluid in that rear dif? Hard to believe that it would be perfectly fine now if it was act driven like that. They burn up pretty fast when not serviced properly.