pink machine (four wheeler build)

[Loganwayne]

So a family friend gave me this after he got a rhino. Its a 96 polaris xplorer 400 4x4, its a two stroke. he only rode it maybe twice a year since 05 when he had a bad wreck on it at coal creek. i knew it was gonna need a battery, and a new chain when i got it.

we pulled the carb and cleaned it. pulled the plug and it was dirty but still worked will replace it later. still didnt have a battery so we used the pull start. it started right up lots of smoke but its a two stroke lol. so now that we knew it would run we looked it over and realized that i needed to replace all three chains and drive belt.

 

[Loganwayne]

pulled all the plastic so i could clean it really good and pulled the dive belt cover. we couldnt get it to go into gear thought i might have to replace the shifter or the linkage..... the housing that the drive belt was in was packed full of rat nesting stuff and didnt have any room to move right.

 

[Loganwayne]

right now im waiting on new chains, new sprockets and a new drive belt. hopefully then it will be able to go under its own power. then ill get some new handle bars and grips a new back rack and paint it. in the spring its gonna get some new kenda tires

 

[jeepinmatt]

I've got a Polaris Sportsman 400 4x4 of the same generation, also a 400cc 2 stroke, and man it's a blast!

Here's a post I stole from one of the ATV forums regarding the Polaris 400's:

Ah, a question near and dear to my heart. Believe it or not, there are quite a few places to go for the Gen III Polarises. http://www.aaenperformance.com/ATV_Home.asp
http://www.hotseatperformance.com/
http://www.hpd-inc.com/
http://rittercycle.com/polaris.htm
FMF, Dynoport, DG as well as others make some performance parts for Polaris as well.
The 37hp, 378cc 2-stroke Fuji motor has ALOT of hidden potential and can be modified to produce over 83 Hp. - which is 46 over stock. The motor is actually a very close copy of the famous Honda 250R motor - just enlarged a bit (so close they actually take the same reeds as well as a few other internal parts). The 1999 model was a transitional model as it was the first year for the new front 8.2" long travel struts, but it still retained the 8.2" rear geometry. It also had a different, lower performance, non reservoir Fox shock then the Scramblers. The best thing about them though is they have to concentric drive system.

Performance wise, there are quite a few things you can do liven them up. The one thing they have over manual clutched machines is you have quite a few variables in performance adjustment with just the clutch settings alone. If you ride in deep woods trails, the stock spring settings via the adjustment tab holes in the secondary clutch sheeve and helix, can be adjusted to give you less top end power and more bottom end snap. If you are on fire roads or the desert - you can adjust it the opposite way. Its kind of like adjusting sprocket sizes on a regular quad or trike to suit your needs - except this controls the transmission and you can also adjust polarises sprockets if you want. Most of the companies I listed offer "Power" packages which include usually a pipe, clutch kit, filter, reeds and sometimes a 38mm carb. Power upgrades on Polarises are always called "Stages" i.e. Stage 1 or Stage 2 performance etc. and they go up to Stage 5. While they are no slouch in stock form, they can be made into a rocketship just by adding a pipe. When you add a pipe though, you usually have to get at least heavier clutch springs to handle the extra horsepower properly. Therefore adding a pipe and adjusting your clutching on a Polaris go hand in hand. The good thing is, the clutches are easy to work on and the springs alone are cheap. I have had two 400L's (a "Stage 2" 1996 400L Sport & a "Stage 1" 2000 Scrambler 400L 2x4) and I have used AAEN's Top End pipe exclusively on both for excellent results. Its good for 10hp over stock and it gives the machine alot more top end power and overrev. There also is a Trail pipe available from them good for 5 hp, but you don't have to change out your stock clutching. As far as clutching goes, like I said before you can control alot of the machines power delivery characteristics through its PVT - you have quite a few choices as well - but - the most popular upgrades also come in a package form. I have used AAEN's kit on my '96 Sport but I went with Hot Seats "hypershift" kit on my '00 Scrammy. It consisted of a stronger primary spring and secondary spring, new weights and a new angled helix. I am probably going to change the helix over to a dual angle one soon though. After that you should change out the stock reed cage with a better flowing one from V-Force, Boyesen or FMF. I use a Boyesen radvalve and its good for another claimed 5 hp. from AAEN (I suspect probably 2 though). Not only will it increase your horsepower, it offers a quicker reving and better breathing engine that helps out all over the powerband. Along with the reed cage I would also invest in a good airfilter. They make all kinds of airbox modifications for the quads - but - I ride in alot of mud and water so I keep my airbox sealed tight on all of my rides. You can get the terrific Mikuni 38mm TMX flatslide carb kit from any of the vendors above and it makes a world of difference in performance. They come with a built in adaptor for fitting into the intake holes and work with the stock choke. They are good for 5 hp and help out all over the powerband. If you add all of the "mods" I listed into one kit, you would be at the top limit of "Stage 1" " bolt on" performance and currently my Scrammy is around 52hp with all of them mounted. "Stage 2" includes head porting and they go up from there with 440 kits, race pipes etc. That being said, "Stage 1" mods will give you a machine that will beat anything stock out there in a 300ft drag race.

Like I said before I usually ride in tight woods type of terrain. With all of these mods, my machine is really more suited to top end and not great for the woods. To combat this, I added a reed block spacer - which gives you more bottom end (or more top end, depending on where in the intake tract you mount it) and I adjusted the clutching to give me more accelleration verses top speed - well just a bit. At this point, I'm pretty happy with the bike and shes almost perfect for the woods - adding the new dual angle helix will make it just right I think. It basically gives the quad a steep transmission angle for the bottom half of accelleration then changes over to a slighter angle that gives the machine good top end. Its supposed to follow the engines power curve. I had one on my '96 and it worked well.

You mentioned graffics kits and looks upgrades - well Polaris is the only maker of plastics right now - but - they make the Gen III fenders and seats in just about any color you want. I put 2004 Scrambler black metalic fenders on my '00 (red). Hot seat currently makes a decal set and I have seen others out there (probably from Factory FX). Hot seat and HPD offer seat covers as well as Hi-Flight. DG, PRM, UMperformance and ProArmor all make various bumpers, guards plates for the Gen III quads.

 

[Loganwayne]

I've got a Polaris Sportsman 400 4x4 of the same generation, also a 400cc 2 stroke, and man it's a blast!

i have rode this one several times before he just let it sit. its has alot of corrosion on the drive clutches im hoping that i dont have to replace them. other wise it will stay stock for now.... i dont make much cash in the winter lol but its just about a dirtbike with 4 wheels so between me my roommate and his dad we could pretty much do anything to it. but i couldnt find any after market parts like a pipe or reeds got anywhere i could look?

 

[frankenyoter]

I've taken bike clutches out and lightly sanded them and they worked great when reinstalled.

 

[jeepinmatt]

i have rode this one several times before he just let it sit. its has alot of corrosion on the drive clutches im hoping that i dont have to replace them. other wise it will stay stock for now.... i dont make much cash in the winter lol but its just about a dirtbike with 4 wheels so between me my roommate and his dad we could pretty much do anything to it. but i couldnt find any after market parts like a pipe or reeds got anywhere i could look?

It may be more challenging to find an exhaust, but all of the 400cc Polaris 2 stroke engines were the same regardless of what frame they came in.

http://www.aaenperformance.com/2S_P1.asp
http://www.hpd-inc.com/400model.htm
http://rittercycle.com/polaris.htm

 

[Loganwayne]

this thing is slowly turning into a money pit. i put on the new drive belt that i got and still nothing. i started looking at the drive and secondary clutches and neither one are working due to corrosion. so i pulled them and i dont think they will ever work right agian so im going to order some used ones off ebay that are in better shape. that should have it to the point of driving (fingers crossed). its looking like the only thing thats not going to get replaced on this thing is the motor trans suspension and bushings. oh well it was free and im still way below what people are asking for one of these on craigslist.

 

[Loganwayne]

well all the mechanical parts are finally back on it and working right... but im still having some major electrical issues. i put a new battery and starter solenoid and its still not right. we jumped it off with my jeep before i had a battery for it (with out the jeep running) and i think that might have fried CDI/ECM box or the regulator. or it could be its not grounded good somewhere. the key and kill switch are still working cause i can pull start it and turn it off with the switch or key. im kind of stuff if anyone has any ideas that i could try it would be great.