6 Ways to Prepare Your ATV for Desert Season
Getting your quad in good running order after being in storage
Before you head out to your favorite riding destination, there are several basic tasks you will want to complete to ensure you don’t spend your first trip back to the sand lamenting how your machine isn’t running as smoothly as you remembered; or even worse, stuck at camp playing mechanic, trying to fix a broken quad during your limited amount of play time.
Here are a few tips for simple maintenance and preparation to ensure your Polaris ATV is serviced and running as fast and strong as it was when you hopped off of it for the last time in March or April.
Servicing Tips for your Polaris ATV:
1)Check Your Fuel:
An ATV’s fuel system is one of the 3 key components you need to make your internal combustion engine work. The other two are air and fire, or spark.
If the fuel is old or gets water in it you could have a poor running engine, or worse, a no running engine.
It may all seem very easy; you go to the gas station and get some gas in a can, take it home and top off the quad. Right?
Basically yes, that’s it. But there really is a lot more to it than just fillin’ her up, especially if your ATV has been sitting for any length of time.
Here are some do it yourself fuel maintenance tips for your ATV that will help you keep it in top shape for riding season, or work if that’s what you do with your quad.
2) Kick the Tires:
Your tires are your only connection to the ground. They not only allow your Polaris ATV to roll, they can also allow it to slide, which is important when riding offroad.
Tire pressure needs to be adjusted to match the conditions you will be riding in. The drier the sand, the lower you will want to set your tire pressure. Anyone who’s spent any significant amount of time in the dunes will tell you that sand conditions shift and change every day.
What may have been the right pressure settings for your tires in March may not be right after a long dry summer in October. Best to check the weather forecast (and maybe how much rain the area you will be riding in received over the summer) and make your determinations accordingly.
3) Clean Your Air Filter:
Your quad won’t run without a good supply of clean air. When you ride in the sand dunes it’s even more important because sand gets into everything.
In addition to being a potential hazard the accumulation of dirt and grime within your intake system robs you of horsepower that would be better spent on making the wheels spin really, really fast.
Taking a few minutes to remove and clean your air filter and air box at the beginning of a new season will go a long way to allowing your quad’s motor to reach its’ maximum potential.
4) Chain Reaction:
Your drive chain is what take power from the transmission and sends it to the rear wheel. It is just like the chain on a bicycle except it is a little thicker and stronger.
It also takes a lot more stress and is usually subjected to a lot more abuse. That’s why it’s important to maintain your drive chain more than you would on your bicycle. If your chain fails while your out in the middle of the desert or miles into a wooded trail it could be a long trip back.
5) Don’t Forget the Spark:
To check your spark plug(s) and oil levels before any and every trip. You won’t necessarily need to replace these at the start of every season. It all depends how much use your ride has endured since last replacement. If you’ve gone more than a full season, chances are your ATV could do with a few fresh quarts of oil and a new spark plug or two.
Know more about Polaris ATV Servicing and get it serviced by us. Visit us at www.polarismumbai.com
You can also drop an email at info@polarismumbai.com
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