[Cat Mandoo]

Good morning everyone.

New member here.

I just got my new-to-me '96 TRX300FW. I love it so far.

I am an auto mechanic by trade. I want to buy a physical copy of the factory repair manual for this model. The owners manual says it it part #61HM401

I like, and have always liked having the actual manual in front of me, rather than something on a computer screen, or some pages printed out where I inevitably have to either print more, or didnt print what I needed.

Here is my question...

Would the 1995 #61HM400 work for all practical purposes, or would the 1995-1998 #61HM403 be the better choice? I found both.

I can also buy the actual 1995-2000 #61HM405 which I have already downloaded or I can have it printed and bound, depending on cost.

I know it is a lot of info I am throwing out there, but I want to properly maintain my machine, and I KNOW 99% of the information will be the same for most years.

Any help or advice will be MUCH appreciated.

Thanks in advance. Great site. Lots of great info.

 

[Goober]

Here’s the one you want at a great price–a factory Honda service manual. It’s on fleabay. The difference is that the service manuals covering only 95 were printed in 95; with each year the new models were added and the manual revised to incorporate the new info.

Don’t get the clymer or haynes

 

[_Wilson_]

don’t get the clymer or haynes

x2 ^^^^^^^^

 

[Cat Mandoo]

Here’s the one you want at a great price—a factory Honda service manual. It’s on fleabay. The difference is that the service manuals covering only 95 were printed in 95; with each year the new models were added and the manual revised to incorporate the new info.

Don’t get the clymer or haynes

don’t get the clymer or haynes

x2 ^^^^^^^^

Agree 100%!

As a car mechanic it always made me laugh how the factory manual covered one year and was over a 1000 pages long, the haynes or chilton covered maybe 10 years and was 150 pages long!

They like to use terms like "typical". It covers them for a multitude of sins!

Don't get me wrong, for the most part they are fine. Like torque spec's and basic procedures. But I am an information junkie. I need info! And nothing compares to what the factory puts out. My Tacoma manual is like 8 volumes and weighs like 25 pounds. More info than I'll ever need, but I have it if I want it! :grin

I am looking at that one on eBay.

 

[Goober]

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/113585684622


https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/113435010486

 

[Cat Mandoo]

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/113585684622


https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/113435010486

Thanks!

Those two didn't come up in my search.

Big help. I'm just going to order one and be done.

 

[shadetree]

once you get as many years under your belt working on them as I have ?, you wont need a service manual anymore. then again, a lot of what they cover in the manual I over look, like torque specs, feeler gauges, spec tools, don't use it, don't use them, never have, never will, but this is me !..lol.

 

[retro]

I'm sure you'll appreciate the Honda ATV service manuals, no other manufacturer takes them as seriously as Honda does! Their ATV manuals cannot ever help those folks who can't/won't read & follow step-by-step directions/recipes, or harbor many bad/sloppy habits, or bring along don't care/don't-wanna know-how-to-diagnose attitudes (just tell me which part I need to buy! LOL), or those short on patience with attention spans resembling those of gnats. But they are excellent enough to allow every determined amateur to become an accomplished tech on their own machines, whom is not afraid to supplement by asking for guidance with detailed questions! They're required reading & study in my opinion, especially as I have aged and tend to forget stuff.

 

[LedFTed]

i have a clymers, manual, for my 2000, it reads most like the service manual. it has some better pictures, then the service manual. especially with the wiring section. color coded wires are in color. i cant say much more on this. my clymers, just has better pictures.
i got the service manual for $5.oo, before i found this site. my clymers, is the same as the service manual. dont know about older model's, or newer one's, then mine...

 

[Cat Mandoo]

Just to give some insight into Haynes manuals.

I'll try to keep the story short!

I got an 03 Subaru Forester given to me with a good engine and extensive rust. I am going to put the engine in my 84 VW Vanagon. The owner of the Sooby gave me his Haynes manual that covers Forester & Legacy for a bunch of years.

My brother in law brought his sons Legacy over to replace the front wheel bearing. Before we got started, I wanted to see if the bearing pressed in from the inside of the hub or the outside. So I checked the "repair" manual I had.

It tells me that wheel bearings involve special tools and procedures so it should be taken to a "professional mechanic"!

Well, being that I am a "professional mechanic", that didn't help me one bit.

I ended up just doing it! Presses out to the inside, if you're wondering, and has a cir-clip.

At least I have torque specs from the book. Other than that, it would make a pretty good fire stater!