Tech Tips

PRE-SEASON PREP IS IMPORTANT.   OUR CHECKLIST OF A FEW BASIC MECHANICAL TIPS THAT WORK FOR EVERY MACHINE WILL HAVE YOU READY FOR THE TRACK OR TRAILS. 

My wife's aunt and uncle, who own a farm in North Dakota, exemplify the typical ATV or SXS owner. Their stable of machines is used to round up cows, herd sheep, inspect miles of fence line, pull a trailer loaded with firewood or other supplies, and, of course, pin the throttle through a muddy slough or across a freshly cut soybean field to blow off steam. And that's just in one day.

Brakes are quite possibly the most overlooked system on an ATV or SXS. We take them for granted because they usually work when we squeeze the lever or step on the pedal. But over time, our brakes will lose their feel and performance. Since it happens slowly, we often don’t realize how bad they’re getting. Routine maintenance is very important to proper brake function, and unfortunately, throwing on a new set of pads won’t necessarily restore all of the lost performance.