Need Help Diagnosing Some Things

[ctdiesel99]

well my first post was just showing off my new (to me) toy, 2001 440ex. It needs some suspension problems fixed though. I'm going to try and explain this the best i can, but i appologize if it doesn't make perfect sense. If i put a hand on each side of the rear axle, it wiggles back and fourth. How do i tell if i just need new bearings in the rear axle or a complete bearing carrier? There's a huge price difference. Also, on the rear left wheel, with the quad in the air, i can move the wheel left to right a little bit. You can see where the hub connects to the axle has movement in it. Do i need a new rear hub or just the bearings? And the same thing goes for the front two wheels also. with the quad in the air, i have a little bit of side to side movement. I'd like to fix it the right way, but also the cheapest way. I just need to know how to tell if it needs new bearings, or new hubs, and/or a new bearing carrier. Thanks in advance. Also, is there a how-to on bearing removal/installation on the areas i just mentioned? I've never done this kind of stuff, but am fairly savvy with tools and would love to learn instead of paying someone else to do it. Thanks in advance.
P.S. i'm enjoying all the info im learning on this site, so thank you all for that as well!!!

[dalejiw25]

Your best bet would be to download the service manual and start tearing into it. that will be the best way to know exactly what you need. Once thing start coming apart it will become more or less obvious what needs to be replaced. Here is a good post for getting you a manual:

http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=446657

[honda400ex2003]

first off, welcome to the site! the only way to tell if you need a whole carrier is to take it apart and inspect it to see if the carrier is wore on the sides. i suppose you could probably see it if it was tore up since it may be on the outside edges. most likely just a set of bearings in it. on the topic of bearings, there are no bearings in the rear hubs so that is probably wore enough to have to be replaced. It may be loose though, i would check proper torque first and then go from there. fronts do have bearings though and will have to be replaced to get the movement out of them. any movement on the hubs means that the bearings are bad and/or the arm ends are bad too. I would suspect that just the bearings are bad though. kits are easy to get for all of them or you can get oem stuff too. just make sure you get the seals for both sides of the hubs for the fronts. although side to side movement in the front instead of up and down could mean that the ball joints in the tie rods ends are bad. that will be a test to do, go up and down and side to side. there will be no movement from the tie rod ends in up and down. I use a chisel to get mine out, it seems to be the easiest way to do it. there are a few how to sort of write ups by me and a few others. I think i hit everything, if i didnt please let me know and ill get them answered for you. lol i may have missed a line when i lost my place typing. :( steve

[ctdiesel99]

thanks a bunch guys. in the process of downloading the service manual as i type this. would it do me any good to take a video of my bike and what all i would like to replace and post it on here for more advice? like i said, i've never done any work to a quad so the more help i can get the better so that i can start ordering parts and get this thing on the trails.

[honda400ex2003]

a vid isnt really needed. it sounds like bearings for the front hubs and the carrier, and tie rod ends are in order, and a new rear hub most likely. half a day of tinkering the garage and you will be all set up from tip to tail. lol get some tires, clean the pipe, and run it like a 440 needs to be lol :D check out the schematics on service honda or bike bandit for the carrier and front hubs. this will show everything needed, then you can get some kits from ebay or something and you will be all set. steve

[ctdiesel99]

good deal. thanks again. I'll get to ordering parts either tonight or tomorrow and get this thing back on the trails.

[ctdiesel99]

okay, one more quick question. should i go ahead and upgrade to a better bearing carrier with the bearings already in it? I just don't want to order a bearing kit, then find out i need a new carrier and have the quad down that much longer. Plus the lonestar already comes with the bearings and everything installed so it would pretty much just be a straight forward swap, am i correct? this is the one i have been contemplating purchasing. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/400EX-HONDA-250R-REAR-AXLE-BEARING-CARRIER-NEW-1-YR-WR-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem41527af636QQitemZ28055 6664374QQptZMotorsQ5fATVQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

[honda400ex2003]

tear it down first to see if you need a new one. the lonestar ones are nice though. if i had the cash i would get one just to have the extra support on the bearings. 2 rows takes much less wear than only 1, unless that is the single row one. the link doesnt work for me to tell. i dont think i would do it for only a single row carrier, i would have to see how the stocker is first. there is a reason i still have my stock one. steve