I mentioned a couple weeks ago about starting to look at used ATV's, and I'm starting to look more seriously now. I'm leaning heavily toward a used Rancher or Foreman, specifically a foot shift model, and preferably 4wd.

Are there any common issues that the early/mid-2000's Ranchers or Foremans have?

I've never heard of any ongoing issues but the first thing I would check is differential oil and change it to fresh oil if it's not already fresh.

Rear brakes. No biggie.

Yeah, I see several that mention rear brakes needing work. I assume they just need replaced? What would you guesstimate the average cost of repair on those being?

I've replaced car/truck brakes so I assume I would just do it myself.

The pads are cheap. $20-30 bucks online. You shouldn't need anything but pads.

I would check the differentials and see if the oil has water in it. If so, that is a good indication it has been in the deep mud or ridden in creeks. Also, make sure they aren't dry.

Buy that carb rebuild kit too.Ethanol is evil.

speaking of ethanol.....I see a lot of posts about using a stabilizer if you're running ethanol fuel.

Is (ethanol fuel + stabilizer) just as good as non-ethanol gas? or are you still better off using non-ethanol?

Mine has always been hard to shift. Nobody has been able to adjust it.

Non-E is better. Back before a local station near me started selling it I would switch the fuel switch off and run it until it died. That seemed to help, but you also cant let it sit for months with out starting or you will have problems.

I hate ethanol. It is worthless. All it does is drive up the cost of food (corn). Especially with oil as low as it is now. I bet it costs more to make that to just refine crude...

Stupid politicians and environmental ass hats.

Mine are in need right now, but I think all I need to do is to take them apart, clean them and re grease all the sliding stuff. I can't imagine it needing new pads.

Mine has always been a hard neutral to 1st shift. Everything after that is smooth.

That being said, brakes have always been a bit of an issue but regular maintenance can eliminate that. If most folks are like me, you have so little trouble out of it that you kinda forget they need regular maintenance. Every so often, use brake cleaner on your front calipers. Make sure all your seals are good - water is what kills the brakes.

One other thing folks miss is to clean out the spark arrestor. Stuff a rag in the tail pipe, take the bolt out of the bottom of the muffler, and rev it till no more scmutz comes out of the bolt hole.

Always keep an extra spark plug.. seems like they foul in cold weather pretty regular, but that might just be mine??? Other than that they are bullet proof

90% of the time the problem with the rear brakes is where the pivot lever goes through the backing plate.

They don't like water. Then again, they probably weren't designed to run with the gas tank under water

Oh, you betcha!! Here's an issue. (I'm trying to see just how many times I can post this pic on ALDEER. This makes about 10 I think.)

But, he isn't asking about an ES. He is asking about a manual shift.

lol....every time I look at an ad and start considering an ES, I always think about this picture.

how often do you reach down to shift and accidentally bump that exhaust pipe?

I have an automatic rubicon and a manual shift rancher 420. The only thing I have ever had to do to either is change the oil and differential fluid and put a new rear brake cable on the rubicon.

That's funny, GP. I sent this pic and a well-written explanatory letter to Honda's Motorcycle Division in California (Customer Relations Department or something like that). They never did respond to me . . . .

2000 foreman 4x4. No issues whatsoever. Been a very good one.