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2002 Foreman TRX450FM

65K views 583 replies 33 participants last post by  fishfiles 
#1 ·
What are you'll thoughts on the 2002 450 Foreman foot shift 4x4x2 , I have a guy wants to trade me my Polaris 1999 500 for it , I am asking $1,200 but would take a $1,000 , he works for my friend and I have know him a year or so , his bike smokes 2 days after he bought it for his wife ---- mine cuts off electrically after about a minute and after 10-15 cooling off it starts back , think it is the cdi by feed up with dumping money into this unreliable money pit Polaris ------- I know a couple of people who have the 350 but no one with the 450 , good bike or not , can you pull the jug without pulling the motor out the frame
 
#2 ·
450 is a pushrod engine. I can have the jug off mine in an hour or less. Pull tank plastics/tank/heat shield and you're looking at the head. I have 2, just as reliable as my 300's any day to the week. Plus use some of those 300 parts you have lying around for a free gear reduction. 300 primary and clutch basket make a 14% GR in the foreman, straight bolt in.
 
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#3 ·
I would have felt happy trading the Polaris for just the tires and rims off this bike , for those of you that notice , the jug is off the bike , I think they put a new stock piston in a jug that was extremely worn or previously bored -----double snorkels is double trouble , I am breaking one of my Golden rules , never buy a snorkeled bike , but I want to get Polaris out my life , permanently ------- good luck Ben
 

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#4 ·
Made the trade and got this 2002 TRX450FM , I was told they bought the bike for his wife and after 2 days it smoked , he took off the jug and found this piston , I didn't mic it but the piston fits very loose in the jug , it will wobble around in the hole , I think maybe they put a stock piston in a hole that was bored already ----------- what would cause a piston to deteriorate like this , no markings on the piston of who made it
 

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#6 ·
that is the question , the pieces of piston must be down in the case , I drained the oil and didn't see any chucks or specks from the pieces being ground up , I have a flexible tube inspection camera , I hope to be able to get it down there and see if I can see the pieces --------- what is weird is there are no bad marks in the bore
 
#7 ·
I bet the piston fit loose and the gap made the piston bust apart
 
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#8 ·
I think you are right LBZ , you can see the gap between the piston and the wall of the jug ----going to mail the jug off to G+H this week ---------- what about a manual down load for the bike ? ------------ the search on this site never seems to work for me , when I do a search for 450 manual or ol'Pleasant Hill I don't get anything even closely related to the subject
 
#9 ·
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#10 ·
Thanks Mel , they are $6.95 which isn't bad , giving them my credit card is another story ---------------

I put the inspection camera down into the engine and never found anything , drained the oil . then flushed a couple of gallons of diesel thru it into a clean container and changed the filter , very clean , I doubt it has been sunk , really looks like some one put a piston that is marked standard into the cylinder that is worn or has been bored .010 , boxed up the jug , talked with G+H , mailing it tomorrow , $188 gets the boring , Shindy piston , rings , all gaskets and return shipping-------------
 
#12 ·
Thanks Mel , they are $6.95 which isn't bad , giving them my credit card is another story ---------------



I put the inspection camera down into the engine and never found anything , drained the oil . then flushed a couple of gallons of diesel thru it into a clean container and changed the filter , very clean , I doubt it has been sunk , really looks like some one put a piston that is marked standard into the cylinder that is worn or has been bored .010 , boxed up the jug , talked with G+H , mailing it tomorrow , $188 gets the boring , Shindy piston , rings , all gaskets and return shipping-------------

Can't beat G&H.. lol I got one I'm sending them tomorrow as well..
 
#11 ·
The manual is free download from this site. I think kentco has the link in his signature. I downloaded one for my 450s a while back.
 
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#14 ·
300 motor is completely different than 450.
 
#15 ·
Honestly I have seen many atv engine taken apart. And the 450 seems to be the easiest by far. Could easily have top end apart in less then an hour.
Their good four wheelers all around. Like it's been said the 300's big brother
 
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#16 ·
Does any know the offset of the stock rims of this 2002 TRX450FM ? --------------right now the bike has after market rusted chromed rims with 27's Black Water tires , I like the tires but the rims are very deep dish , it is a little hard to measure but it looks like 10 inch wide rear rims with an offset of 7 inches out and 3 in , they stick out pass the fenders which I don't like for reasons of getting dirty unnecessarily and hitting trees on the tight trails ------ I am think maybe a 8 inch wide rim with a 4x4 offset would work but would like to know what is the stock offset ?
 
#17 · (Edited)
Just measured an OEM front 6" rim.
Front: 4 1/2" + 1 1/2"

Didn't get a measurement for the OEM rear 7 1/2" rim. Sorry!

Just ordered Kenda Bearclaw EVO's yesterday ..... 26x9x11 fronts, and 26x11x12 rears. These will be mounted on the OEM 6" and 7 1/2" rims.
Like you, I don't feel the need to get dirty unnecessarily ..... therefore, OEM rims.
Good luck!
 
#18 ·
Thanks, Mac' .. from your measurements , just as I thought my front are the wrong offset rims also , I also just noticed the rear width is 3 or more inches wider than the front width , I would like them to be even -------- I was going to get a set of some sporty alum. rims , and now I am thinking of just going with some used stock O.E.M. steel rims and a fresh paint job , Plain Jane
 
#19 ·
Can't say how much I am pleased with G+H , the box has arriv'in , they bored it .025 and it had a standard piston in it , the walls were not scared , I think the P.O. stuck a new piston in a cylinder that was already bored for it to be that far off and show no signs of wear , $173 and the $13 it cost me to ship it to them , $186 total this time around for the bore , hone , piston rings and complete upper gasket set -------- but I didn't do my home work , I should have had every thing cleaned up and ready to go , just spent an hour cleaning the head and still have to change the seals and lap the valves , valves held the solvent test which is a good thing , dam dirt packed in the fins is a project , sure miss the bead blaster cabinet that went south on me
 
#22 ·
Thanks for the help with the rims sizes , I was able to trade and barter for 4 nice clean stock rims , I got Dirt Devil 26x12x12 in the rear that had 3 rides on them for $50 and 2 brand new 26x10x12 in the front for $83 a piece so I have $210 in 4 tires and rims , Dirt Devil might not be my first choice but they will do , I Hope

I have the head ready to go , lapped the valves and new stem seals still have to install the .025 over bored jug , new piston and head ------- so yesterday my buddy was over and he pushed me to do some work on the bike , and we found the problem with the wiring , the P.O. had run a toggle to the fan , the fan bearing is bad and barely turns , and it seems the wiringat the fuse box melted , cut the wires off the fuse box and installed a in line fuse holder , got the dash to light up , lights working , neutral , reverse lights but now I need a fan , Partzilla is $199 , wow think I will be buying used----Manny you copy that ????

4 boots for the front cv shaft are $80 from Partzilla , I see there is an after market axle set on e-bay , both axles complete for $ 106 , I can only imagine how cheap these must be , any try those cheap after market axles

Here is the real kicker , the part called the clutch which is on the front drive shaft , which kicks it out of 4x4 into 2x4 , I am not sure it is working , as I have all 4 wheels off the ground , when I spin the rear axle hub the front drive shaft turns but not the axles , when I shift the 2 to 4 button on the handle bars the front axles still don't spin , have not yet got to check if voltage is making it to the clutch , I see that the clutch is listed on Partzilla for $419 , hope that is not the problem , wondering if Open country ( Warn424) is available for the 450 I think I would rather swop to it then buy a clutch
 
#23 ·
Thanks for the help with the rims sizes , I was able to trade and barter for 4 nice clean stock rims , I got Dirt Devil 26x12x12 in the rear that had 3 rides on them for $50 and 2 brand new 26x10x12 in the front for $83 a piece so I have $210 in 4 tires and rims , Dirt Devil might not be my first choice but they will do , I Hope

I have the head ready to go , lapped the valves and new stem seals still have to install the .025 over bored jug , new piston and head ------- so yesterday my buddy was over and he pushed me to do some work on the bike , and we found the problem with the wiring , the P.O. had run a toggle to the fan , the fan bearing is bad and barely turns , and it seems the wiringat the fuse box melted , cut the wires off the fuse box and installed a in line fuse holder , got the dash to light up , lights working , neutral , reverse lights but now I need a fan , Partzilla is $199 , wow think I will be buying used----Manny you copy that ????

4 boots for the front cv shaft are $80 from Partzilla , I see there is an after market axle set on e-bay , both axles complete for $ 106 , I can only imagine how cheap these must be , any try those cheap after market axles

Here is the real kicker , the part called the clutch which is on the front drive shaft , which kicks it out of 4x4 into 2x4 , I am not sure it is working , as I have all 4 wheels off the ground , when I spin the rear axle hub the front drive shaft turns but not the axles , when I shift the 2 to 4 button on the handle bars the front axles still don't spin , have not yet got to check if voltage is making it to the clutch , I see that the clutch is listed on Partzilla for $419 , hope that is not the problem , wondering if Open country ( Warn424) is available for the 450 I think I would rather swop to it then buy a clutch
fish, BEFORE YOU GO SPENDING ANY MONEY !!!!..lol, start the atv up while all 4 wheels are off the ground, put it in gear, then see if the front drive is turning ?. I had this problem with my '03 trx450fm I just restored, could not figure out why the 2wd & 4wd light on the dash wasn't going from 2wd to 4wd ?. well, come find out, the motor has to be running, and the tranny in gear before my light went from 2wd to 4wd. if that is not your problem ?, then odd are, it's either the speed sensors ?, or, then control unit for the front dfferential ?. this is under the front fender. I replaced mine with a brand new one from Honda, about 142 bucks ?. but my old control unit was good !..lol. I learned this the hard way about the tranny has to be in gear, and motor running !..lol.
 
#24 ·
Thanks Shade, I hope that is all it is that it needs to be running , this is my 1st 450 , so far I like it , except that there are some parts that are expensive and there are things to learn , it is going to be a little while before I can start it , I still need to install the jug and head

Another can of worms I'd like to fix is to do away with the toggle switch on the fan and hook it back up so that it will cycle on it's own
 
#25 ·
....finally got another step finished , it will roll , got a set of freebee stock rims , sanded primed and painted , 2 used rear 26x12x12 Dirt Devil used 3 times for $50 , 2 new Devils tires 26x10x12 new for $160 , mounted with some 1 inch spacers in the front , hope to get the bored jug and reconditioned head on this long weekend and been eyeing up the Super Atv rear and front disc conversion kits for my Christmas present
 

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#26 ·
looks great fish !. I guess you still don't know the shape of the front drive yet ?. if and when you get the motor running , and gears to shift ?, see if the front drive differential is working ?. I've got this spare front drive differential left over from mine when I thought it was the problem ?, i'll pay it forward to ya if you pay shipping if you want it ?. hopefully the motor just needs to run and in gear like my '03 was ?. keep us posted on what you find out ?.
 
#27 ·
Shade , the front end needs alot of work , going to do 4 new ball joints , 4 new cv boots minimum , plan on doing bearings and seals in the knuckle even though they don't show slack while I have it apart , the front differential I was planning on the minimum of new seals and flushing it out , the tie rods ends are new already and the only thing I plan on not doing
 
#28 ·
Shade , the front end needs alot of work , going to do 4 new ball joints , 4 new cv boots minimum , plan on doing bearings and seals in the knuckle even though they don't show slack while I have it apart , the front differential I was planning on the minimum of new seals and flushing it out , the tie rods ends are new already and the only thing I plan on not doing
keep me posted when you get far enough for it to run, and find out what condition the front differential is in ?.
 
#29 ·
...funny how time slips away from you , decided to put the engine back together , gathering up the stuff and found the Honda Bond was hard , so went to Honda dealer for a $14.50 tube and ran into some buddies and wound taking 2 hours before getting home and had friends coming over for 12:00 so I didn't want to start and not finish the job , so I decide to recover the seat , and run out of staples , so off to the Home Depot , another hour gone , got the seat covered and it was time to take a shower and start cooking , I put a surprise on everyone including myself , I was going to cook deer , pork and ground meat burgers and just mixed them all together , about 5 lbs of ground deerthat was 60/40 with pork , about 3 lbs ground wild pork and about 3 lbs of ground meat , a couple of eggs , bread crumbs , seasonings and made hamburgers , they were a hit , everyone was like WOW , what is this ----so we went for a 2 1/2 hour day ride , then at 8:00 we took off on a night ride and got back at 11:30 only cause we got hungry again , after munching out we blew off the ride and watched other people ride on You-tube , 5 bikes had a 4 mile track thru the woods to get home , never heard from them yet --------- I am kind of sore from all the riding , and today we have a BIG ride going on
 
#30 ·
Have not done much to this project , a few loose ends here and there , redid the seat covering and put on a good used master cylinder , I was thinking about the new or used fan motor I will be needing , they list for $199 on Partzilla , I know the first trip out the yard and the water is going to over the fan motor no doubt , so I am think about relocating the fan and cooler to the front rack , any suggestions , idea or pics , is there maybe a universal type shroud available or is it build your own
 
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