I have a 1996 300fw fourtrax 4x4, and replaced front bearring on right side. The balljoints had a little play so while it was torn down I went ahead and changed them. The new ball joints did not come with new nuts or snap rings, I put it back together with the old nuts untill the new came in. Do you suggest the new nuts and some blue locktite. My friend told me about a lower balljoint coming apart, the a-arm sticking in the ground and throwing him resulting in a broken shoulder. I always used locktite when replacing balljoints on a car or truck but this is new to me. It just scarred me alittle and so I tightened the old nut pretty tight because I didnt plan on getting the new ones, so my question is can you overtighten the balljoints or how much is correct, I just want it to be safe. Thank you
1996 300fw fourtrax 4x4
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Welcome to the forums. The old nuts would probably be fine, as long as the threads aren't damaged, but if you have new ones, that would be better. I usually don't use locktite, but if you feel more comfortable using it, that's fine. The cotter pin should keep the nut from loosening. The balljoint nuts torque at 22-26 ft-lbs.
1996 300
Thank You very much for the quick response. I,ll do that. How can I make sure the ball joint threads are all ok after tightening the old nuts, and how can I make sure the new nuts are not too tight or to loose, being you cant get a torque wrench to the uppers, or is a torque wrench really a necessity? Also if you tightened a balljoint nut to tight and did hurt the threads, could it back off and come loose? Thank You, sorry, just concerned
Thank You very much for the quick response. I,ll do that. How can I make sure the ball joint threads are all ok after tightening the old nuts, and how can I make sure the new nuts are not too tight or to loose, being you cant get a torque wrench to the uppers, or is a torque wrench really a necessity? Also if you tightened a balljoint nut to tight and did hurt the threads, could it back off and come loose? Thank You, sorry, just concerned
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I don't use a torque wrench, but I've done it enough that I know how tight to get them by feel. If the threads on the balljoint studs and the nuts are good, you should be OK. I would just tighten them moderately tight, not extremely tight. 22-26 ft-lbs isn't real tight. The cotter pins will keep the nut from backing off. I've never had any problems with a balljoint coming loose. The thing that usually makes the balljoints come loose is the ball pops out of the socket due to wear. With new balljoints, you shouldn't have a problem.
1996 300
Thank You, I just got the bike and I am fixing things first, the left side front has a little play in the bearring, and the tie rods have a little play. The back right is tight and the back left has a little play in the bearring. What would you suggest on fixing these things or a time line of some sort. Also how do I know the treads on the ball joint stud are ok, and if one is overtightened and damages the treads can it back off and come loose? Also do they make a torque wrench for that in the shape of a wrench? Thank You
Thank You, I just got the bike and I am fixing things first, the left side front has a little play in the bearring, and the tie rods have a little play. The back right is tight and the back left has a little play in the bearring. What would you suggest on fixing these things or a time line of some sort. Also how do I know the treads on the ball joint stud are ok, and if one is overtightened and damages the treads can it back off and come loose? Also do they make a torque wrench for that in the shape of a wrench? Thank You
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If the nut is overtightened and damages the threads, it might get a little loose, but it can't actually back off, because of the cotter pin through the hole in the stud. Don't forget to put a cotter pin back through the hole in the stud after you get the castle nut on. Also, it would be pretty hard to overtighten it enough to damage the threads. It would take quite a bit of force to strip those.
If the rear axle bearings have play in them, I would fix them as soon as possible, because it will let the axle move and this causes the ring and pinion gears to come out of line and it will damage the gears if run like this too long. The front wheel bearings and the tie rod ends are pretty important too, but it depends on how bad they are as to how soon they would have to be fixed before they became a danger. I would say that it would be important to fix all those problems as soon as possible, just in case.
welcome allstar your fine on the balljoint with cotterkey in place your friend either separated the joint or someone didnt put a cotter key in it ive seen them driven through the control arm on a older chevy (abusive driver ) helmut and shadetree got you covered in info
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new ball joints don't come with the nuts or snap rings, i always just use the old ones..that is..unless you broke them ?..lol..as for them comming apart if you don't get them tight enough..well..in all my years of doing them..i've never had any come loose..now..i have seen them come apart from the ball joint itself...but not the nut comming off..if you snug the nut's down really good..and put the cotter key back in..you will be fine. as for loctite..never have used it..if you get the nut tight enough ( and from the feal of it..you will know )..it shouldn't come apart. if you happen to break one of the cotter keys..and don't have any spares..i take a piece of wire..bend it around..form the shape of the cotter key..stick it into the shaft hole..then bend it like you would a cotter key...it works !.
1996 300
Thanks, I put the new nuts on yesterday with blue locktite. I got the old ones pretty tight, when I took them off the threads all looked good, so the new ones tightened up good. The upper was just past the cotter pin hole, I didnt realize there were two holes and I didnt want to loosen it back, so I had to get it tight to line up. My questions are, could I have hurt any threads, can getting the nuts tight cause the balljoint to have too much pressure and make the ball and socket come apart with use. Or sould I have taken it off and did it over with a new nut. When I change the other side do you recomend squeezing the parts together by tightening it up with the old nut and then taking it off and putting on the new one? Thanks
Thanks, I put the new nuts on yesterday with blue locktite. I got the old ones pretty tight, when I took them off the threads all looked good, so the new ones tightened up good. The upper was just past the cotter pin hole, I didnt realize there were two holes and I didnt want to loosen it back, so I had to get it tight to line up. My questions are, could I have hurt any threads, can getting the nuts tight cause the balljoint to have too much pressure and make the ball and socket come apart with use. Or sould I have taken it off and did it over with a new nut. When I change the other side do you recomend squeezing the parts together by tightening it up with the old nut and then taking it off and putting on the new one? Thanks
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That should be fine. You're never supposed to loosen the nuts back up, once you tighten them. If the hole isn't lined up, you're suppose to tighten it on up to line the hole up, so you did it right.
Not likely, it would have to be extremely tight.
No, just use the nut you plan on leaving on there. It will be fine.
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i've got the mudlites on my trx350d foreman..and simply love them.
My 1996 300fw fourtrax 4x4 has 25/8-12,25/10-12 mudlites. My dad has a 1999 300fw 4x4 with 589s. I really like his and was thinking about getting a set. What would you recommend, mudlites, at589s, or swamplites? Some people have been talking about the maxxis zillas. Thanks
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didn't you already post this same questiona above ^^^ ?..depending on your ridding style..and you don't go through very deep mud holes..i highly recomend the mudlites..they are 6 ply..very smooth on hard pavement, super traction all the way around.
What happened is I bought this bike and they had just put itp 12x7 rims and mudlite xl tires. It was dark and I thought the tires were 26s, when it got morning I looked and it had 25/8-12 front and 26/10-12 back. I asked a couple different guys , being full time 4x4 didnt they have to be the same. One said yes, one said it didnt matter on that honda because it came with 23 front and 24 back and the ratio was not effected. I had a bad vibration and I thought it might be the tires and I talked to the honda dealer and a person at itp. They said they would ride a little rough untill you got over about 5mph and would smooth out, they both said the varying tire sizes would cause a vibration. So they suggested just changing the two back to 25/10-12, being the fronts were only a few months old, so I did and most of the vibration was gone. I still have a little, the tires on the font are worn very little but should all four be changed at one time on that, being it is full time 4x4? Like they said with varying sizes it might be trying to strip something out. Also, I dont know if tire pressure will effect tire height being they are little worn on the front. bike specs are
5psi front , 3 psi back. itp says 7 psi for all. I do not want to tear anything up, if I should change the fronts too. What do you recommend, what should I do? Thanks
5psi front , 3 psi back. itp says 7 psi for all. I do not want to tear anything up, if I should change the fronts too. What do you recommend, what should I do? Thanks
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The Fourtrax 300 4X4 was designed to run 1 inch smaller tires on the front. That is why it has a transfer case, to make up for the different size of the tires in the gearing. You will notice that the 4X4s that run the same size tires don't have a transfer case. Personally, I would run 1 inch smaller tires on the front. Tire pressure will change tire height. Some people will run the same size tire all the way round and just add a little more air to the back tires to make them an inch taller.
I doubt the 1 inch taller tire in the rear was causing the vibration. It was probably just the tires themselves causing the vibration, not the size.
I doubt the 1 inch taller tire in the rear was causing the vibration. It was probably just the tires themselves causing the vibration, not the size.
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