How To Destroy Your ATV in Six Simple Steps

ATVs look tough (and they are) but they still need maintenance! Here’s a quick guide on how to ruin your ATV in six easy steps. Pro tip: Do the opposite! Please! The great service team at Specialty Recreation & Marine can usually repair any damage done, but we’d rather there’s no damage in the first place. 

If you’d rather ride than do basic maintenance, that’s OK - we can do it for you. Just schedule a service appointment and we’ll keep your quad humming and happy, so you can have fun. We look forward to seeing you at our showroom in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, just 30 minutes west of Spokane, Washington.

1. Never Change the Oil

Riding often and riding rough increases the chance that your oil is contaminated with dirt, debris, or water. Change the oil as often as the manufacturer recommends. This is usually about once a year but change it more frequently if you ride often. It’s ideal to change the oil before you store your quad for winter, and after riding through deep mud or water. It’s easy to do, it’s cheap, so please don’t skimp!

2. Never Clean the Air Filter

This part is easy and cheap to replace, so please don’t neglect this one! Engines need air to run, and they shouldn’t suck in gritty dirt particles or work too hard to get air past a clogged filter. ATV riding is usually a pretty dusty affair, so clean your air filter often, and replace it as needed. 

3. Never Check or Tighten Your Bolts

Have you ever counted how many bolts keep your quad together? Neither have we, but it’s a whole lot, and you want every single one of them to do its job. Please check them periodically so nothing falls off. Off-roading means lots of bouncing and jouncing, which can loosen bolts. This increases the chance that parts and components will flex and crack. Wheel hubs, lug nuts, axle nuts, skid plate bolts, sprocket bolts, pivot bolts—check and tighten everything when you’re doing other maintenance. 

4. Let the Radiator Get Clogged

A clogged radiator is a great way to overheat your engine. Have you been riding through dirt, mud, or sand? We certainly hope so! However, your radiator is sure to be collecting some sedimentary souvenirs, so hose it down with low pressure, from the engine side toward the front. If the water splashes back at you, it’s still not clean. Keep hosing until the water flows through instead of splashing back. 

5. Never Wash Your Quad

Yes, it’s fun to end a day of riding with a ton of caked-on mud and crud, but it promotes corrosion, so clean your rig regularly. Don’t forget hard-to-see, hard-to-access spots like the undercarriage.

6. Let the Fuel Go Bad

Fuel can go bad over time, so this is only an issue during storage or for infrequent riders. Bad fuel clogs the lines and causes poor performance at best and engine damage at worst. Use a fuel additive or drain fuel for long-term storage.

These are all simple tasks that are easy to DIY (do it yourself) without a ton of expertise, time, or tools. Make them part of your routine and your machine will perform well and retain its value, plus you’ll be much better prepared if your rig has mechanical problems, because you’ll know the terrain. We’ve got the parts you need for the job here at Specialty Recreation & Marine in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, just 30 minutes west of Spokane, Washington.