[YellowRancher]

Last time I was on here I talked to some people about how to fix my frame which was rusted in half on my 1998 450 foreman. Took a while but finally found a good frame for $150 wireing harness, rear swingarm( which I needed also+ rear shocks) and the front end control arms. I noticed my 1998 swingarm and my 2002 swingarm are different. My 98 has a lip where it goes into the Chunck and the 02 is just flat. Is anything else different? The 02 foreman was the 2wd/4wd lockout.

 

[shadetree]

rear swing arms are not the same, neither are the part numbers.

 

[YellowRancher]

Not talking as much as the swingarm and the whole atv. Wondering if things bolted up different, and things like that.

 

[shadetree]

Not talking as much as the swingarm and the whole atv. Wondering if things bolted up different, and things like that.

don't know ?, i've never bothered swapping parts like your trying to do ?. why not replace the swing arm with the correct part..like the one that should go back on it ?. do as you wish..but I gave you the correct answer .

 

[fishfiles]

yello', I just happen to have a 2000 and a 2002 450 , and in the course of the 2000 build used parts from both 1st gen and 2nd gen 450's parts bikes , there are a lot of parts on the two gens that carry a different part number but are the same part or will work ----some of the things that are different , wiring harness , dash display/module , speedometer sensor location , rear axle tube has hitch welded to it prior to 2002 , it is bolted on 2002 up

 

[YellowRancher]

Shadtree, I know where your coming from. I can’t figure out if only the 98 foreman’s have the lipped swingarm or if other years have it also. I’m having trouble finding 98 specific parts that I need, so I was curious what all interchanged.

 

[YellowRancher]

Also, I figured out that my 350 rancher oil cooler ( which is bigger than my 450’s) bolts right up, so I don’t think I will have to worry about it over heating. Just a tip if anyone is having trouble with overheating on their 450.

 

[retro]

The 98-01 450 has a different wheelbase (& overall length and width) than the 02-04 450 models as well. Frames are different among several other odds & ends.

 

[fishfiles]

Then not only is there 98-2001 and then 2002-2004 , if you throw in ES , S / FM into the mix , it makes for a lot of different combinations


I am building a 450 swing arm right now , I hope I have the right two swing arms

 

[YellowRancher]

The 2002 I can tell a difference besides that it had the 2wd/4wd lock out. A lot of my stuff bolts right up to it, but I haven’t put in the driveshafts or anything like that. Would I be better off trading my frame back in for an older one?

 

[retro]

I don't see any reasons that could prevent you from swapping parts to the early frame. There will be minor differences between ES/FM models of course. The specs show the '02 has .2" longer wheelbase and is longer overall, which might be beneficial. A while back @SamUK swapped an early 450 ES frame with a late FM frame with very few minor (brackets?) issues.

 

[YellowRancher]

Okay, because I am swapping my harness and all to the new frame. Brackets shouldn’t be a big deal since is has the front diff mounting brackets and whatnot. The engine mounts look about the same. I guess I will just put it together and find out. Thanks for all of the helps guys, means a lot.

 

[retro]

Keep us updated on your progress (and any differences/workarounds encountered) so we can learn from your swap whenever you can.

 

[SamUK]

So what’s the swing arm differences? I’ve got my 04 swingarm mounted into my 98 frame, zero issues. I’m curious to hear about this.

Two main differences are front diff clearances in the frame, a few minor cuts have to be made due to permanent 4x4 diff and electro diff in the Gen2’s....
other differences was Cdi mountings in the front of the frame, other than that frames are the same as far as I could see.

 

[shadetree]

So what’s the swing arm differences? I’ve got my 04 swingarm mounted into my 98 frame, zero issues. I’m curious to hear about this.

Two main differences are front diff clearances in the frame, a few minor cuts have to be made due to permanent 4x4 diff and electro diff in the Gen2’s....
other differences was Cdi mountings in the front of the frame, other than that frames are the same as far as I could see.

pull the fich up, compare the years side by side, notice the rear brake attachment flange area. the swing arm bearings are different too.

 

[YellowRancher]

On the rear of the swingarm of a 98 your have a lip where the swingarm bolts to the rear diff, it also has a rubber seal around it. On my 2002 the rear of the swingarm is flat and has no way to make that factory seal.

 

[shadetree]

On the rear of the swingarm of a 98 your have a lip where the swingarm bolts to the rear diff, it also has a rubber seal around it. On my 2002 the rear of the swingarm is flat and has no way to make that factory seal.

post a pic of your 2002 swing arm that you speak of on the lip not there.

 

[YellowRancher]

The 1st one is a 1998 swingarm, the 2nd one is a 2002.

 

[shadetree]

The 1st one is a 1998 swingarm, the 2nd one is a 2002.

ok, i see what your saying now. it won't make a difference anyway, because you still have to use a large o-ring in the differential groove. either way, it still will seal up. that lip does not serve any purpose that I see ?. as long as the bolt pattern matches up at the diff and rear brake and left rear axle tube ?, then I say use it.

 

[YellowRancher]

I enjoy buying stuff off farmers, their definition of new seals in a rear diff is Using a tube of Honda bond. It actually looks rebuilt, but as soon as I took off that case cover I could see a lot of metal shavings. Debating on if i should rebuild it or if that’s just from the rebuild and he never changed the fluid afterwards. Front diff looks like it has never had an oil change in all its years. It’s straight black, going to see about a rebuild kit for it.