[maniacmurray]

Hi guys. I just got a 2004 Bayou 250 from a buddy of mine for free. Up until about a wekk ago it was in great shape, but as he was riding it to retrieve a downed deer through the woods he hit a stump. Now it pulls like as a car or truck pulls when the alignment is bad!!! I figure the suspension is bent somewhere? He looked at it real good and said the frame is not hurt, so more than likely the front suspension, but I won't get home til the 20th of November to look at it, but it does still run and drive, just pulls. My question w/out seeing it is what all could be hurt to make it pull seeing how it is pretty much just an A-arm front? I hope the front hub isn't hurt as this can get pricey from what i've seen by way of parts browseing, lol. Is there any problems I can expect to run into with this machine? The only other ATV I've owned was a 1996 Kawasaki Lakota 300 and that thing was awesome til my step brother rolled it while I was overseas working, lol. What tires being as it is a 250 2 wheel drive would be my best bet for being used at the deer lease (mud/red clay) and around my home (5 acres of dirt, grass and sticks)? All I plan to do to it is install a winch and a gun boot and a new plug as the old one was taken out and misplaced before he brought it to my house yesterday. Other than that I think just the tire ? sums it all up, lol. I have read many reviews about the Bayou 250's and am quite impressed with overall value, reliability, durability and performance. Thanks, Frank.

 

[99prairie400]

Tie rod ends, ball joints, bent control arms, bent control arm mounting brackets.

You can run a tape measure across it when you take the front end apart to confirm that the frame isn't bent. Once you know that, work down to the hubs confirming everything's straight and finally adjust your tierods to straighten the tires.

My Bayou 400 had a busted front end when I got it. I confirmed the frame was straight, onced over the control arms and bent the tie rod ends and tie rod back straight, replaced the part of the hub where the outer tie-rod end mounts, did a poor-man's alignment and been rockin' ever since

If you are using it on a lease you'll want to stay out of the "mud tire" category. Some you might try; the interco swamplite's come in a lot of different sizes (9, 10, and 11 inch rims sizes cause I'm not sure what size rear rim the bayou 250 has). They ride good and don't tear up the ground like a mud tire without sacrificing TOO much in the traction department.

 

[maniacmurray]

Pics!!!

Well here are a few pics that my wife took for me. I was told it was a 250, but looks more like a 220 to me and not sure nout the year of it being a 2004 either, lol. Anyway, look at the front end and check the tires, looks like a bent tie rod or rim to me, the rest is apparently ok as far as I can tell. Let me know your thoughts if you can gather any from the pics, thanks, Frank.

Let me know if you might have a good guess of the year model. I plan to have my wife find the model and SN on the frame, but I work offshore so it will be a while, lol.

 

[99prairie400]

It's a 220 bayou. It doesn't look like the frame has taken the whack, mainly the front bumper. Probably bent a tie rod end or at least popped over a few threads. Are you handy with some "custom" bumper work?

 

[MrGiggles]

There are few differences between the 220 and 250. I have a 99 220 and my bud has an 07 250 and 90% of them look the same.

 

[99prairie400]

except that in the 5th picture it says 220 on the side LOL!!!

 

[maniacmurray]

Bumper Work?

Yeah, I am thinking the tie rod myself... As for the bumper and rach, well I'll have that thing fixed in about an hour or less, just some minor rebending here and tweaking there, lol. As soon as I get home I have to put in a new spark plug and gas and check the tie rod, but it will still ride just pulls a lil bit.

 

[86klf300guy]

if the tire is a radial and it took a hit it may have broken a belt and thus causein a pull.but if they are byas ply it will do the same thing when hit hard enough. from what i seen in the pics nothin looks bent enough to cause a pull.try rotatin the rear tires to the front and front to rear. straight back and forth they are directional tires. so the left need to stay on the left and right on right.and see if that pull goes away.if so just bye some new tires.

by the looks of that pic that shows the front tires they look straight. but look at the inside tire wear of the right front (lookin at it from the front) its bald and the other has no tread left in the center contact patch.

try this also if all else fails .but you gonna need new shoes any how shortly
carsile makes a good all round tire for all applications of ridein terrain and they ar enot to bad on price plus they are 6 ply tough-corey-

 

[maniacmurray]

Yeah, the front right tire if looking at it from the front, looks to be kkicked out just a lil bit to me, i dunno? anyway, i need to just get under it to see what, if anything is messed up and make the necessary adjustments, thanks. i had some of the Carlisle tires u forementioned on my '96 Lakota and they worked well, so i imagine they will work for me this go around too and yes, they are inexpensive and in Texas can be found at my local Walmart, lol.

 

[maniacmurray]

Ok guys, I had my nephew and Bro-in-law check out the 4-wheeler as far as running condition... So I ask my nephew to check the 20amp fuse behind the battery and I can honestly tell you I have no clue what he was looking at, but it obviously wasn't the 20amp (yellow) fuse, lol. So I had my Bro-in-law step in and he found it almost immediatedly and said there was a black (burned) spot in the middle of the fuse which means no jueno (no good), lol. So as my luck would have it all my spare fuses from my tool box have seemed to have grown legs and walk off. Coencidence, I think not, lol. Anyway, I went to the store while onshore briefly as I work offshore and I bought a 5 pack of 20amp fuses to carry on my Bayou as spares, a 2nd NGK plug (NGK-DR8ES), and 10gallons of gas, lol. All I gotta do now is pick up a set of inexpensive lights to replace both headlights and air up the tires. By the way, is the plug I mentioned the correct one? I saw it being referred to as the correct plug in a previous thread and went with it, seems to fit well. Also, will just about any same size lights work to replace the factory ones, kinda like the ones you get from the auto parts store? Thanks, Frank.

 

[99prairie400]

The short answer is; with a little rigging, fog light style lights will work.

The long answer is; fog lights style lights only have one element and it's usually a 55w H3 bulb. The stock lights have a dual element 35w bulb (like a tailight bulb but special to "aim" the high and low beams separate). Replacing a 35W bulb with a 55w bulb obviously puts a bit more strain on your light switch ( It's not much, I replaced both my highs and lows with fog light style lenses and haven't had a problem) and you'll only have one headlight setting (your switch will have two off positions and only one on position)

What was wrong with the suspension to cause it track? Tie-rod out of adjustment?

 

[MrGiggles]

The plug you need is an NGK D8EA IIRC.

 

[maniacmurray]

So the NGK-DR8ES is not the correct plug?

 

[maniacmurray]

Oh, the gap on the plug is what? And the bayou was ran into a stump as the previous owner was hauling butt to retrieve a downed deer and accidentally ran into a stump. I don't think it did much damage by looking at the pics, but never can be too sure. The guy said it still rides, but it pulls to the left so I figure a bent tie rod and/or a bent rim also.

 

[99prairie400]

Ok so you haven't actually been by to see the quad in person yet. I assumed that when you said you picked up parts you were back home and had already worked on it.

 

[maniacmurray]

no, not been home yet, not til the 20th, this Friday. I am assuming what is wrong with it from pics cuz my bro-in-law has no idea what he is looking at or looking for in the suspension. Does n e one know if the plug i mentioned is right or will work fine?

 

[maniacmurray]

Well guys, i replacecd the spark plug, changed the oil, put in a new 20amp fuse and hooked up the jump box to the battery and nothing but a click. no starter whirring over, no nothing. lights work, but nothing else. tried to pull start it, but nothing, the back wheels just drag the ground. the pull start comes out about 6-7" and then won't pull out n e more. my nephew is gonna recharge the jump box and then see if it'll crank, if not then i believe she is gonna be locked up? nothing else i can figure, any help is requested, thanks, Frank.

 

[John Taylor]

If its been sitting up it may have stuck valves or rings. Take the spark plug out and put some penetrating oil in the cylinder and let it set a day or so. If it is just slightly stuck it may free it up. Have done it with old tractors and old vehicles Dad had on the farm that were only used a few months a year.

let us know the results. Hope you get it going soon.

John

 

[99prairie400]

This is going to sound stupid, make sure it's in neutral. Not just that the light is on, but that it's actually in neutral. Run through the gears up and down and make sure that you return to the neutral position. If you do that and it still doens't try to turn over, try what John Taylor said but look for some stuff called "Marvel Mystery Oil" it's in a red bottle with a black label. It's penetrating oil of the best sort and I've actually had success freeing up stuck motors with it.

 

[maniacmurray]

Well the thing is that it only sat for about 4-5 days after he hit the stump cuz my neighbor is his girlfriend and she even said that they rode it after he hit the stump, just pulled while driving. So i am at wits end to why the thing won't start. I have my nephew recharging my jump starter and he will try it again today and see if maybe just needed some more juice to it, lol. i am not mechanic illiterate, just not there to look at it and work on it first hand. trying to get it running so i can load it up when i get home after my fight friday the 20th, then go to the deer lease. i fight in MMA (mixed martial arts)/cage fighting and won't return home friday til late at night. and yeah, the neutral light is on and will only roll if the atv is in neutral, even if it is in 4th gear, won't roll forward.