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'87 TRX350D Foreman - Budget Resurrection

4K views 3 replies 2 participants last post by  Moccasin Ranger 
#1 ·
Got this old Foreman for $200, in no start condition. Well used, thoroughly mudded, and pushed a plow for some time.


Found it had a stuck neutral switch, kill switch works backward, and has a Yamaha ignition switch. Carb was clogged up, and when I pulled the oil cap, oil gushed out like Jed Clampett's back yard. Crankcase full of gas!


Got it started, and it smoked like crazy. Set of rings or a bore job, I thought. It had been run with only the flame arrestor in the airbox, no filter. But the smoke began tapering off as I ran it on jack stands in gear, over a few months time. Had put some seafoam in the tank and kept putting Marvel Mystery Oil in the cylinder. I may have gotten lucky and the oil rings were stuck from sitting. Last time I started it, no smoke, but I had the exhaust removed so I didn't rev it any. The pipe is away getting welded, rusted through at the Y, previously welded and patched.

Also got the idea, maybe the muffler was full of oil somehow? Saw that on a Subaru once. Had a hard time getting water out of the muffler when I cleaned/painted it. Previous owner says it never smoked at all.

Pulled the starter, and the brushes were almost gone, and the armature was worn into a u-shape where the brushes ride. Bought a Caltric starter for $37 and for now it starts with half a revolution.

Cooling fan ran but not very fast, and after sitting a year it's almost seized up. Motor is sealed so I go shopping... Ordered a fan and shroud for a Suzuki Intruder 800 - $12.00. Shroud is very close to the size of the oil cooler, versus the way Honda did it with about 1/4 of the fan pulling through the cooler. We'll see... might be the best fan mod ever.

Here's where I'm at so far....

1987 TRX350D - $200
4x Super Swamper 25 x 12.50 x 11 on wheels - $100
Quadboss Traveler cargo seat - $40
Starter - $37
UNI air filter - $22
Exhaust gaskets - $15

Fan - $12
Exhaust pipe welding - ???
Front hub bearing - ??? (have a bearing dist. locally)
Battery - ???
Repair front brakes - ??? (can get a new master for $20) (haven't pulled the drums yet)


I'm up to $429.00, excluding my time and some supplies off the shelf.

I'm all ears for tips, tricks, and ideas. One thing I found here - bypass the fuel cut switch!
 
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#2 ·
Sounds like a pretty nice bargain build.


I've seen someone who did a 350 Foreman disc brake conversion on the front using the SuperATV kit for a 300. I'll have to see if I can find it (if your front drums are too far gone)
 
#3 ·
I read about the disc brake conversion last year, but when I searched it looked like they're extinct as far retail goes.

Got my pipe back, $95, a bit more than I figured, but this is the second patching on it. Used pipes on ebay are around $45+.

Makes the subtotal $524.

Fan may arrive today, or Monday. Should have the pipe installed and fire it up today, see if it's really stopped smokin'.
 
#4 · (Edited)
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