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COPYRIGHT 2004 Ehlert Publishing Group
My reputation for testing equipment durability dates by to my days in the sandbox. My parents swear Tonka Trucks, Inc., could've used me, at 4 years old, in its R & D department. Through my life, I've tested many products, some passed and some failed. Products that passed my testing standards were elevated to the "Tonka" status, while those parts that failed, well, they were relocated to the dumpster. Recently, I have been testing quads and accessories.
Blasting though the woods, at what would seem like supersonic jet speeds, is a good way to test products. A harescramble event or similar course is ideal for all kinds of product exams, including braking, handling, acceleration, suspension and more. Like many readers, we have our good days and our "oopsie" days. A not-so-good day usually involves an run-in with a rock or a pesky tree. Consider the forces applied to a quad when it chunks a tree at 30 MPH. An ATV literally can be bent like a staple. Sometimes, those momentum-changing forces are too much and quad components fail.
With some parts, a dilemma arises: fix it or discard it? Tossing a bent A-arm or tweaked tie-rod in the garbage is one thing, but to throw away an entire ATV would be crazy. Today's quads, at $6,000 and up, are too costly to be put in the scrap heap. Burying a Tonka truck is feasible, but, it most cases, a dirt nap shouldn't be the only option for an ATV. One way to salvage or save an ATV chassis or other various parts is to become an expert welder.
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Welding
Hopefully you've graduated to higher skill levels of repair capabilities as you've aged. A quick fix for a Tonka may have been duct tape and twisty ties. But for an ATV, it involves more. After smacking a tree, repairs could include mending the frame. Don't go buy the most powerful welder on the planet and strike an untrained arc. We created this overview of some pretty slick gear, which when used properly, can restore an ATV to race shape. If you're totally unfamiliar with welding practices, check with a local technical college. Many of these...
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