"question about front locker for ATV... - Pirate4x4.Com : 4x4 and Off-Road Forum

mudrunner78 · 10-12-2001, 04:05 PM

...I used to own a 00 big bear 4x4 loved it but didn't like the front diff, I want a locker for the front I am looking at either a 00 grizzly, or a 450 Foreman, do they make lockers for these quads, I use mine for mutiple things from trail riding to farm work, I heard highlifter makes a selectable model any info would be nice thanks Jesse

Dean Price · 10-15-2001, 01:09 PM

I have a 450 s and when I started talking to people about lockers they said that most guys end up taking them out.It makes it extremely hard to turn.
Although if you haven't bought your machine yet, most of the new ones have some sort of tourque sensitive front diff now.

I know that honda's new front setup is reliable.
Good luck with your new purchase.

KyTj · 10-20-2001, 07:17 PM

the selectable is 2/4wd shifter. Detroit makes the gutless and another locker for most atvs. you might look at a 02 Griz- has selectable front diff lock. You might try over at highlifter.com for some in put. <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

The_Law · 10-28-2001, 11:29 AM

My friend has a '98 Grizzly with a Highlifter lift, locker, 27" Vampires, etc etc.....It is an awesome bike BUT he breaks both cv's every ride because of the weak Grizzly CV joints. I have seen many 450's running lockers without problems with their 28" tires. I too run a Highlifter locker(not Detroit Gearless) and absolutely love it. That is by far my favorite of modifications including a lift/locker/big bore kit/ported and polished head/top end cam/bottom end cam/supertrapp pipe/lectron carb/etc etc........ Go to www.highlifter.com and give them a call for all of your questions. They have great service. I have pictures at http://briefcase.yahoo.com/the_law_300

lighterknot · 11-06-2001, 05:42 PM

i ride with someone who has an '02 grizz with 26" 589's. He wheels it hard and hasn't had any breakage. Also the locker set up is great, you just have to be stopped to engage it. Kind of a drawback but it least he can turn it on and off to still have the steering of a 2-wheel drive quad.

Phikap · 11-09-2001, 01:54 PM

The quality of honda machines is allways, without a doubt, better than yamaha. Yamaha makes some pretty good machines, and they are pretty good quality, but Honda makes better quality quads, hands down, no doubt about it. I have had many quads, and right now my brother has a yamaha big bear. Its a good quad, but not as well built as my honda 400ex. I have owned a trx 300, and can say that it is very well build machine, one of the highest quality quads ever. After you have been riding for a long time, and have seen a lot of machines in action, and worked on just about all of them, you will know.

If you want a locker in the front, suzuki king quad has had that option for a long time. I don't know much about the new suzuki's. The new 500 might have one, not sure. Suzuki is also a higher quality than yamaha, but not as good as honda.

The_Law · 11-10-2001, 12:22 PM

Phikap, I agree that the 400ex is reliable, but that is in a totally different area. Lockers are used for mud/snow/hills etc, where the 400ex typically does not go. That is where Honda goes to hell while Polaris and the like shine. Honda uses the absolute worst possible brake/bearing setup there is. The "triple seal" is pointless considering my brand new brake job lasted a total of 10 minutes. Because of this poor protection from mud and water, the bearings get trashed every few rides. Polaris, on the other hand uses sealed bearings from the factory. Another reason Honda is reliable is because they are extremely conservative in power and suspension settings. Honda's cv's have no angle from the factory which results in poor ability because of the lack of ground clearance. Yamaha and Polaris both have machines with a true 12" of ground clearance from the factory.
I have a 300, so it is not a "my atv is nice because it is mine" deal. Mine used to be bulletproof also. That was until I went over Honda's "limit" of 10" of water and put 25-28" tires on with a lift, locker, big bore, etc etc.... Almost all ATV's today are reliable in stock form. To be reliable to me means being able to take punishment and modifications. Honda is just not up to par like the 99+ Polaris', Grizzly 660, and Kawasaki 650.
Mudrunner, if you want a locker, go to www.highlifter.com . I am selling my complete locked differential for a trade for a non locked one since I am parting mine out to be sold. If our differentials are interchangeable, maybe we can work a deal?

Phikap · 11-10-2001, 01:56 PM

Wait till that polaris gets old and see how the frame holds up. Yes, sometimes the polaris is better for somethings. I don't like the reliability of yamaha, they have too many parts that break. My friends polaris's solid rear axle one day turned into an open differential. One of the hubs just rounded! Yeah, the axle seal is not so good, but you can buy aftermarket double sealed bearings to fix that. The cv joints are at no angle so they last forever. The 300 isn't the greatest quad to highly modify, but if you pay attention to all the details it can be done. Polaris's can be more modified, but I still don't like a lot of things about them. I don't know if they still have those weak A-arms, but those things are just plain out of line. My friend hit it on a rock and bent it. A quad should be able to slam into rocks and not take any structural damage. He rode for a few more weeks with the bent A-arm because the closest place to get polaris parts is 2 hrs away!! Everything else is within about 45 minutes or less. After a little while with the bent A-arm, the ball joint just seperated in the middle of the woods!! We had to throw the front end up on the back racks of the trx300, tie it down, and drive a long way over some rough terrain to get home. It was a funny sight, a polaris piggy backed on a honda. I also can't stand the way they ride. I am by no means rich and have had a lot of machines. I have had to buy them all myself, even before highschool. I fixed them all up and they all rode well, but they were older and with poor suspension, so I am used to stiff suspension offroad. With polaris's, you can't even feel the ground your riding on. Good if you want a smooth ride, but if your going real fast, its weird. I am not trying to be an @ss, I am just trying to have a friendly debate and get others oppinions.

The_Law · 11-10-2001, 10:02 PM

Hey man I can definately see your points. I am wanting a friendly debate too.... And you are right about the 300, I had to swap out alot to make mine competitive to my standards. It is too bad none of these bikes come from the factory built the way some of us would like them....

10-12-2001, 04:05 PM	#1 (permalink)
mudrunner78 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2001 Member # 6105 Location: cadiz ky Posts: 188	"question about front locker for ATV... ...I used to own a 00 big bear 4x4 loved it but didn't like the front diff, I want a locker for the front I am looking at either a 00 grizzly, or a 450 Foreman, do they make lockers for these quads, I use mine for mutiple things from trail riding to farm work, I heard highlifter makes a selectable model any info would be nice thanks Jesse __________________ 78 chevy under construction, 454/350/205 60/70 5.89s 39.5 boggers 78 f150 351M/435/205 44hp/9 36's swampers 85 F350 460/c6/1356 60/70 4.10s 33's

10-28-2001, 11:29 AM	#4 (permalink)
The_Law Registered User Join Date: Oct 2001 Member # 7791 Location: baton rouge, la Posts: 87	My friend has a '98 Grizzly with a Highlifter lift, locker, 27" Vampires, etc etc.....It is an awesome bike BUT he breaks both cv's every ride because of the weak Grizzly CV joints. I have seen many 450's running lockers without problems with their 28" tires. I too run a Highlifter locker(not Detroit Gearless) and absolutely love it. That is by far my favorite of modifications including a lift/locker/big bore kit/ported and polished head/top end cam/bottom end cam/supertrapp pipe/lectron carb/etc etc........ Go to www.highlifter.com and give them a call for all of your questions. They have great service. I have pictures at http://briefcase.yahoo.com/the_law_300 __________________ The new sheriff is in town.

11-06-2001, 05:42 PM	#5 (permalink)
lighterknot Registered User Join Date: Nov 2001 Member # 7998 Location: limestone, ME (B.F.E.) Posts: 6	i ride with someone who has an '02 grizz with 26" 589's. He wheels it hard and hasn't had any breakage. Also the locker set up is great, you just have to be stopped to engage it. Kind of a drawback but it least he can turn it on and off to still have the steering of a 2-wheel drive quad. __________________ Chad Sontag 1998 TJ

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10-15-2001, 01:09 PM	#2 (permalink)
Dean Price Registered User Join Date: Oct 2001 Member # 7371 Location: Stony Plain,Canada Posts: 6	I have a 450 s and when I started talking to people about lockers they said that most guys end up taking them out.It makes it extremely hard to turn. Although if you haven't bought your machine yet, most of the new ones have some sort of tourque sensitive front diff now. I know that honda's new front setup is reliable. Good luck with your new purchase.

10-20-2001, 07:17 PM	#3 (permalink)
KyTj Registered User Join Date: Jul 2001 Member # 6174 Location: Nicholasville,KY Posts: 110	the selectable is 2/4wd shifter. Detroit makes the gutless and another locker for most atvs. you might look at a 02 Griz- has selectable front diff lock. You might try over at highlifter.com for some in put. <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

11-09-2001, 01:54 PM	#6 (permalink)
Phikap Registered User Join Date: Nov 2001 Member # 8055 Location: Leverett, MA Posts: 49	The quality of honda machines is allways, without a doubt, better than yamaha. Yamaha makes some pretty good machines, and they are pretty good quality, but Honda makes better quality quads, hands down, no doubt about it. I have had many quads, and right now my brother has a yamaha big bear. Its a good quad, but not as well built as my honda 400ex. I have owned a trx 300, and can say that it is very well build machine, one of the highest quality quads ever. After you have been riding for a long time, and have seen a lot of machines in action, and worked on just about all of them, you will know. If you want a locker in the front, suzuki king quad has had that option for a long time. I don't know much about the new suzuki's. The new 500 might have one, not sure. Suzuki is also a higher quality than yamaha, but not as good as honda.

11-10-2001, 12:22 PM	#7 (permalink)
The_Law Registered User Join Date: Oct 2001 Member # 7791 Location: baton rouge, la Posts: 87	Phikap, I agree that the 400ex is reliable, but that is in a totally different area. Lockers are used for mud/snow/hills etc, where the 400ex typically does not go. That is where Honda goes to hell while Polaris and the like shine. Honda uses the absolute worst possible brake/bearing setup there is. The "triple seal" is pointless considering my brand new brake job lasted a total of 10 minutes. Because of this poor protection from mud and water, the bearings get trashed every few rides. Polaris, on the other hand uses sealed bearings from the factory. Another reason Honda is reliable is because they are extremely conservative in power and suspension settings. Honda's cv's have no angle from the factory which results in poor ability because of the lack of ground clearance. Yamaha and Polaris both have machines with a true 12" of ground clearance from the factory. I have a 300, so it is not a "my atv is nice because it is mine" deal. Mine used to be bulletproof also. That was until I went over Honda's "limit" of 10" of water and put 25-28" tires on with a lift, locker, big bore, etc etc.... Almost all ATV's today are reliable in stock form. To be reliable to me means being able to take punishment and modifications. Honda is just not up to par like the 99+ Polaris', Grizzly 660, and Kawasaki 650. Mudrunner, if you want a locker, go to www.highlifter.com . I am selling my complete locked differential for a trade for a non locked one since I am parting mine out to be sold. If our differentials are interchangeable, maybe we can work a deal?

11-10-2001, 01:56 PM	#8 (permalink)
Phikap Registered User Join Date: Nov 2001 Member # 8055 Location: Leverett, MA Posts: 49	Wait till that polaris gets old and see how the frame holds up. Yes, sometimes the polaris is better for somethings. I don't like the reliability of yamaha, they have too many parts that break. My friends polaris's solid rear axle one day turned into an open differential. One of the hubs just rounded! Yeah, the axle seal is not so good, but you can buy aftermarket double sealed bearings to fix that. The cv joints are at no angle so they last forever. The 300 isn't the greatest quad to highly modify, but if you pay attention to all the details it can be done. Polaris's can be more modified, but I still don't like a lot of things about them. I don't know if they still have those weak A-arms, but those things are just plain out of line. My friend hit it on a rock and bent it. A quad should be able to slam into rocks and not take any structural damage. He rode for a few more weeks with the bent A-arm because the closest place to get polaris parts is 2 hrs away!! Everything else is within about 45 minutes or less. After a little while with the bent A-arm, the ball joint just seperated in the middle of the woods!! We had to throw the front end up on the back racks of the trx300, tie it down, and drive a long way over some rough terrain to get home. It was a funny sight, a polaris piggy backed on a honda. I also can't stand the way they ride. I am by no means rich and have had a lot of machines. I have had to buy them all myself, even before highschool. I fixed them all up and they all rode well, but they were older and with poor suspension, so I am used to stiff suspension offroad. With polaris's, you can't even feel the ground your riding on. Good if you want a smooth ride, but if your going real fast, its weird. I am not trying to be an @ss, I am just trying to have a friendly debate and get others oppinions.

11-10-2001, 10:02 PM	#9 (permalink)
The_Law Registered User Join Date: Oct 2001 Member # 7791 Location: baton rouge, la Posts: 87	Hey man I can definately see your points. I am wanting a friendly debate too.... And you are right about the 300, I had to swap out alot to make mine competitive to my standards. It is too bad none of these bikes come from the factory built the way some of us would like them....