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Next project......

I thought that we should have a new sort of thread on here which I hope many will join in with.

We all seem to have lots to do on the "TO DO" list.  So what about some statements of intent about your very next project?  I will kick of with mine.

This last weekend I collected from my son's an MF 250 Quad Bike or All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) - whatever one likes to call it.  This was made by Arctic Cat.  He bought it 5-10 years ago in running order and from a one owner farmer.  He bought it knowing there was a bit of a problem with the gear change but otherwise it ran and travelled well.  It want into dry storage in his garage and I came to fancy it for running around my holding in my old age!  Not too many were sold in the UK and this 250 is the bottom of the range and has only two wheel drive.

It hasn't been run since he bought it so a thorough service is indicated starting with a new battery.  The original Arctic Cat battery is still on it so I suppose that is a collector's item in its own right.

It has both an MF and Arctic Cat manual with it but these are not overly clear.  For instance both talk of getting into the tool box under the seat but how to do this so far eludes me!  Then there are a mass of controls to master.......  Then there is appparently also an optional pull start for emergencies but how is this accessed??
Info welcomed.

John
 
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RE:Next project......

Sounds like a fun project.  I didn't know MF branded those ATVs.  Cool.

To access under the seat, there is usually a clasp/hook holding the back part of the seat down.  I have seen a lever right behind the seat to unlock or also a cable which could sometimes be found by looking at the back of the ATV above the wheels, below the rear rack and platics fenders.  It might be the opposite spot of the muffler/exhaust.

Under the seat you shoudl have better access to the battery and additional compartment where tools specific for your ATV could be found.

Hope that helps with your start.
 

Drew


RE:Next project......

Drew,

Good to hear from you again.

I finally cracked the seat business.  I read and re-read the MF and Arctic Manuals to no great benefit.  This afternoon I went down the shed and finally found the seat release latch.  It's a small lever on the rhs underneath the cover towards the front.  Worked fine once found!!

The tool box was revealed underneath the centre of the seat and surprisingly it contained a pouch full of the original,brand new and unused tools.  Pity they are not marked MF or Arctic Cat.

Both manuals say the battery is accessible once the seat is removed. No way -  NOT TRUE!. You have to get at it under the right rear mudguard (FENDER!!)

Removal of the seat reveled the hand start mechanism which I pulled a few times and the engine still has good compression so that's fortunate.  Tried to charge the battery but it's done so will have to try and find another - it has odd terminals.

John

RE:Next project......

John,

are the terminals ones that hold a nut and then you use a screw through a ring to connect to the battery terminal? Have had to use the pull start a time or two on my Honda 4 wheeler, not a lot of fun as the electric start!

Good luck and keep us posted on progress.

My next project is cleaning up, blasting and then painting 2 sets of rear wheel weights and 1 set of front wheel weights. Seems that the last time I did this I was about 38 and those 150 lb. weights weren't much of a problem. Now, 20 years later, I seem to struggle with 150 lbs. and opt to use a Skid steer loader to pick them up.

RE:Next project......

Thanks for joining in on this thread and let's hope that others have the urge.  I am sure that one thing we all have in common is "A Next Project"!!

I didn't get round to getting the battery off yesterday but it has a stud for each terminal which simply screws into the top of each terminal to hold the very small wires on.  I haven't come across anything like it before.  I'll get a photo of it once I get it off,

John

RE:Next project......

John Nice to find the spanners on you ATV. Do any of them have MF part numbers on them? Ie starting M1. Pity is a bit late for them to go into the spanner book. I pick up the second and hopefully the final proof tomorrow and then we will be ready to go to print after all this time. Alan

RE:Next project......

Alan,

I'm afraid that they are bog standard "Made in India" spanners!  So relax and get that spanner book off the press!

John

RE:Next project......

Well - work has started on the MF 250 Quad Bike - ATV - whatever.

My mechanic called in the other evening with his helping hands and to my surprise and delight tho' he works in his family garage he has a lot of experience on these machines having bought, repaired and sold a lot of them in recent times.

Anyway I was pleased when he declared the Quad to be in good condition and he thought it quite rare over here.  First job was to get it running.  We soon realised that there was a fuel problem.  We drained the stale petrol through but it would then only start and run off.  So off with the carburettor 2 pr 3 times till we got the jets unblocked they had a sort of black gum in them yet the overall carburettor was very clean internally.

Then a problem with the electrics - we found that the forward/reverse control was not settling in the right place to allow it to turn the starter.  By holding it in a certain position we had contact, it fired up and it ticks over beautifully.

Next job is to tackle the alleged problem stated by the seller to my son that it was sometimes tetchy getting into gear.  My young mechanic assures me that it is all a question of getting adjustments on the linkages correct.  Here's hoping - he knows far more than I do!!

More to tell next week......

John

RE:Next project......

Well,

Making some slight progress on my next projects. Got the 4 rear wheel weights out of the storage area and the 2 smaller front wheel weights out and then started wire brushing them today. Too cold to try and paint so will see what the next weekend brings

RE:Next project......

Here's the results of my latest little project.  Just a tidy up.

This is a wheebarrow conversion kit that was available for the Ferguson Transport Boxes over here.  I may be wrong but I don't think they were available in N America but it would be interesting to know if it was.  It is now quite an uncommon item over here.  The transport box bottoms were well known for rotting out.

It commonly found an application on small dairy farms.  It would take 6 milk churns or hay bales etc.  With the large pneuamtic tyres it is easy to push about.

John
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