[josefresco]

I'm going to take a look at and possibly buy a 1996 Honda FourTrax 300 today and am looking for some advice.

I'm not an ATV mechanic by any measure but I've ridden plenty and am looking to finally own my own quad.

What should I check when I look at it today? What should I look for mechanically and what price range should I consider reasonable?

Keep in mind that I will have access to a family mechanic who is very experienced, so I'm not looking for a "new ATV" experience. Just a solid used ATV to ride and share with the family.

Looking for any advice from experienced owners that will help me make an educated buying decision.

Thanks, looking forward to joining the community.

 

[YYZ]

Hi: The Fourtrax 300 is a great machine...Check the frame, listen to the engine for any strange sounds, knocks, etc...make sure the oil level is good, check wiring, make sure the clutch shifts smoothly...You could probably get this ATV for $700--$1000 depending on the condition of the machine..These 4 Wheelers are well made, very tough...Enjoy !!

 

[josefresco]

Dumb question; I'm assuming these are a 4-5 speed manual with a clutchless pedal shifter? Excuse the lack of proper vernacular.

 

[shadetree]

I'm going to take a look at and possibly buy a 1996 Honda FourTrax 300 today and am looking for some advice.

I'm not an ATV mechanic by any measure but I've ridden plenty and am looking to finally own my own quad.

What should I check when I look at it today? What should I look for mechanically and what price range should I consider reasonable?

Keep in mind that I will have access to a family mechanic who is very experienced, so I'm not looking for a "new ATV" experience. Just a solid used ATV to ride and share with the family.

Looking for any advice from experienced owners that will help me make an educated buying decision.

Thanks, looking forward to joining the community.

welcome to the forums. the honda trx300 is one if not the best atv honda ever made..they simply don't make them as good as they did back then, depending on what shape the atv is in..depends on what price range you want to offer for it..first..start it up..does it crank up easy ?...if not..means it needs a carb cleaning or over hauling..does it smoke ?..if so..means it probally needs new rings if not boring out. does it make a ticking noise ?.if so..means the valves need adjusting...or a new timming chain. does it leak oil anywhere ?..if so..needs a new gasket on that side cover ( easy fix ). does it shift easy ?..if not..means it needs new clutch disk, or adjusting from wear...next..take a multimeter with you if you have one..after cranking it up..put the leads on the battery..with your tester set on 12dc volts..rev the bike..watch the meter..does it climb in volts as you rev the bike ?..if so..your stator is good. check the front and back bearings...i doubt yu'll carry a jack with you..lol..but..it would be easier...but..in this case..don't worry about it..just grab the bikes front and rear racks..shake it side to side..is there alot of play in the axle/tires ??..if so..means the bearings are bad..and will need to be replaced...most older model hondas on the rear either have/get bad rear bearings. which brings me to this..is there any grinding/thunking or any kind of noise from the rear differental ??..if so..this is a majoir repair money cost wise !!..remove the fill cap off the rear differental..how does the oil look..is it muddy looking ??..if so..means your seals are bad in the rear axle. does it have any silver/metal in it ??..if so..means you may have some bad wear from the ring gear.and pinion gear..see if you can rotate the bike..and with a flashlight..look at the ring gears teeth as you roll the bike. if any of this is bad..your looking at some high priced repairs. shake the front as you did the back...does the front tires wobble alot ??..if so..means your front knuckle bearings could be worn..and will need to be replaced..and if it's the trx300fw 4x4..you will need to inspect the front differental like you did the back...sooo..there you have the most things to check..as for the price..like i said..depends on what all needs to be replaced..but..for a decent fair price..don't offer more than $ 1200.00 for it..this is a going fair mid range price for that year around here..if it's in really good shape..no plastic damage..no engine damage/wear..you can go up to $1500.00..i wouldn't offer no more than that for sure..hope this helps. oh..if you do decide to purchase it..you can always find help here for repairs if you get stumped.

 

[shadetree]

Dumb question; I'm assuming these are a 4-5 speed manual with a clutchless pedal shifter? Excuse the lack of proper vernacular.

no such thing as a dumb question here !!..the dumb question around here..is the one you never ask us !..to answer your question..and yes..they list this atv as a 4 speed..don't ask me why..because it has 5 gears..they list it in this order R-N-SL-1-2-3-4 on the 4x4 models anyway...they really are a 5 speed..the SL is called super low ( you won't break any speed limits with it .thats for sure ). lol..the atv has a auto clutch..no need for any handle bar lever to pull every time you shift.

 

[josefresco]

Thanks for the great (and timely) advice guys. We ended up buying it and it's sitting in my driveway right now. Ended up getting it for $950 (asking price), as it was in great shape and were able to start it right up and drive around the neighborhood. Guy who owned it is an older mechanic who (from the looks at his other toys including a classic Ford) took great care of it and worked on it himself. A rusty plow came with the deal, which when cleaned up and painted will be nice. Overall I'm pretty happy with it although I'll check back when the first thing breaks! Will upload pictures as well so you have something to picture.

Thanks again for your help. Now back to work which is going to be difficult with a new toy sitting right outside!

 

[Helmut]

The Fourtrax 300 is a great ATV, pretty much bulletproof except for the rear axle setup. The rear axle bearings are prone to going out and causing the diff gears to wear. Keep your axle bearings checked and in good condition and your gears should be fine. If the axle bearings are neglected for any length of time, the diff gears will be damaged.

 

[1996fourtrax]

honda fourtrax

The 1996 honda fourtrax is a great fourwheeler the only problem i have had with mine is that it is lighter in the front end than i am use to. I recently rolled mine off a bank, but when i got back up and got to my fourtrax, it was still running laying on its side so i tipped it back over and rode it home. All in all they are very durable.

 

[Deeperinthabush]

You'll be very surprised as well as pleased with the performance of that little 300 engine..It's almost bulletproof,requires very little maintenance other than oil changes,and once every year,or two valve adjustments..Pay attention to the rear diff as Helmut said above,and the run/off switches can be troublesome after a decade,or two...Honda reliable through,and through,parts are easy enough to locate,or get,feeBay has most any part you could need,or want,plus they're a relatively easily modified machine if that's the direction you want to go...Add a clear inline fuel filter if it hasn't already got one as it most likely still has a metal gas tank which will eventually rust internally...

 

[Deeperinthabush]

The 1996 honda fourtrax is a great fourwheeler the only problem i have had with mine is that it is lighter in the front end than i am use to. I recently rolled mine off a bank, but when i got back up and got to my fourtrax, it was still running laying on its side so i tipped it back over and rode it home. All in all they are very durable.

Welcome to the forums...Free downloadable manuals in the Schematics/Manual help section on the Technical discussions board...

 

[Helmut]

The 1996 honda fourtrax is a great fourwheeler the only problem i have had with mine is that it is lighter in the front end than i am use to. I recently rolled mine off a bank, but when i got back up and got to my fourtrax, it was still running laying on its side so i tipped it back over and rode it home. All in all they are very durable.

Welcome to the forums.

 

[Manny]

what a deal! fourtrax 300's are gold around my neck of the woods. i got $2100 out of a 97 6 months ago!