04 Foreman 450ES - Clean up, Repair, Maintenance & Enjoy

[Fishfiles 20,145]

35 minutes ago, freebo86 said:

The 450 runs like a top these days. Really dialed in! Putting some serious mileage on it. 
 

Noticed one of the inner axle boots is starting to show stretch marks and the rubber is deteriorating. Can someone tell me what grease can I put in these when the boots replace? Reason I ask is I have a boot on hand already and wondering if odd the shelf grease can be put in?

 

Noticed my rear brake plate the JB weld is coming off so I’m going to have to source a good used one to replace. 
 

 

Glad it is running good for you !!! 

[_Wilson_™ 6,567]

i wandered how long that JB welded brake backing plate would hold up, lasted pretty good over all this time, whats giving loose on it (pics) ? 

[freebo86 291]

13 hours ago, _Wilson_™ said:

i wandered how long that JB welded brake backing plate would hold up, lasted pretty good over all this time, whats giving loose on it (pics) ? 

It’s like rubber just coming off the plate. Here is a couple of shots.

[Goober 1,555]

Glad you got an OEM FCU. Best way to go. Heck ya never know when they might turn into unobtainium.

[_Wilson_™ 6,567]

thank you for the pics, yeah, I'd good a head and locate one, you've done alot to this machine, getting back in good shape might as well cover all the bases :-) 

[freebo86 291]

7 hours ago, _Wilson_™ said:

thank you for the pics, yeah, I'd good a head and locate one, you've done alot to this machine, getting back in good shape might as well cover all the bases 🙂

Thank you! It’s come a long way, only thing I wish for the machine to be a bit smoother riding lol. 
 

But I did score a second hand brake plate today, same ordeal that brake lever/arm is seized if you look back a few pages that’s how I cracked mine by trying to remove it. Any suggestions? Keep soaking it every day forever to break it free?

[Fishfiles 20,145]

If you can't get it to turn and come out with some good penetrating oil , like Areo-Kroil , Deep Creep , 3M 5 in One oil or what ever , and you are afraid to break it again ,    try soaking the whole backing plate  in white vinegar , it will dissolve rust and corrosion -----   applying heat to aluminum can be  risky , but  if done right might help ---  if it is extremely corroded , which it can be as the brake cam is steel and the backing plate is aluminum , which are dissimilar materials and will cause bad corrosion problems : 

 

[Fishfiles 20,145]

1 hour ago, freebo86 said:

 only thing I wish for the machine to be a bit smoother riding lol. 
 

i say if you looking for a smooth ride then get a Can-Am , if you want it to last , stick with the Honda 

[freebo86 291]

44 minutes ago, Fishfiles said:

i say if you looking for a smooth ride then get a Can-Am , if you want it to last , stick with the Honda 

Lol have you been creeping my local classified search results!! Haha really like the CanAm visual appearance but I’ve been reading on the maintenance on these, thinking a 650 would be a good compromise. The Kawa BruteForce 750 also has a thing for me! 

[freebo86 291]

Here is a shot of the bad boy. May use acetone and atf. That stuff smells like death but has done wonders for me in the past. Don’t think I’ll use heat in this.. I can soak this for the next week if I have to I just want to salvage it lol. 

 

 

[Fishfiles 20,145]

Dig out the two seals with an ice pick so the penetrant can get down in there better 

[freebo86 291]

11 hours ago, Fishfiles said:

Dig out the two seals with an ice pick so the penetrant can get down in there better 

Yah I pulled the seals right after. 
 

ive never heard of white vinegar and rust. May try that as well. 

[Fishfiles 20,145]

Just now, freebo86 said:

Yah I pulled the seals right after. 
 

ive never heard of white vinegar and rust. May try that as well. 

 

The vinegar takes time , at least 24 hours or longer ---- you can get super strength white cleaning vinegar at places like Lowes or Home depot , little bit stronger 

[freebo86 291]

On 6/29/2021 at 7:02 AM, Fishfiles said:

 

The vinegar takes time , at least 24 hours or longer ---- you can get super strength white cleaning vinegar at places like Lowes or Home depot , little bit stronger 

 

[Fishfiles 20,145]

i don't recognize the brand , but that's it , I use vinegar a lot in my refurbing of stuff ------ after Katrina a lot of my tools and stuff were rusted up , I used this stuff , Evapo-Rust , worked great , but , find  it is not as potent as it use to be 

[freebo86 291]

Just now, Fishfiles said:

i don't recognize the brand , but that's it , I use vinegar a lot in my refurbing of stuff ------ after Katrina a lot of my tools and stuff were rusted up , I used this stuff , Evapo-Rust , worked great , but , find  it is not as potent as it use to be 

Ah yah I got Evapo-Rust but didn’t think it would be something to break rust free from components? I used it to clean up some of the parts even during this build lol. 

[Fishfiles 20,145]

6 minutes ago, freebo86 said:

Ah yah I got Evapo-Rust but didn’t think it would be something to break rust free from components? I used it to clean up some of the parts even during this build lol. 

I used to get the Evapo-rust for $45 a 5 gallon can in 2006 , when I just looked it goes for $82 now and it is not as good as it use to be ----  I did knives , guns , parts of fishing reels , one bad effect it had for me was  it melted a Luger pistol  I had of my  grandfather's , think it was made of magnesium    ---- that backing plate being made of cast aluminum , I'd be  careful and not let it soak too long if I used Evapo-Rust on it                 

[freebo86 291]

1 minute ago, Fishfiles said:

I used to get the Evapo-rust for $45 a 5 gallon can in 2006 , when I just looked it goes for $82 now and it is not as good as it use to be ----  I did knives , guns , parts of fishing reels , one bad effect it had for me was  it melted a Luger pistol  I had of my  grandfather's , think it was made of magnesium    ---- that backing plate being made of cast aluminum , I'd be  careful and not let it soak too long if I used Evapo-Rust on it                 

Think I’ll go with just vinegar for the time being let it sit for a day or two. No rush to break this free so I can let it soak for a while 

[shadetree 5,868]

if you have access to a shop press ?, i always use a small bar centered in the dip, and press them out. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE BACKING PLATE SUPPORTED FLAT UNDER THE PLATE !, then just press it out. DO NOT HAMMER ON IT !!!.

[freebo86 291]

Just now, shadetree said:

if you have access to a shop press ?, i always use a small bar centered in the dip, and press them out. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE BACKING PLATE SUPPORTED FLAT UNDER THE PLATE !, then just press it out. DO NOT HAMMER ON IT !!!.

I have a press and that’s exactly what I did last time and it popped lol. 
 

it was supported evenly and it just wouldn’t budge on the old plate.

[freebo86 291]

While the stuff is soaking. Over the last few days I;

 

replaced one inner boot and regreased

 greased the tie rod boots

drained front diff and refilled. *the fill plug is some weak on there**
 

also painted the rear rack. Pretty much done visually at this point. 
 

 

[shadetree 5,868]

11 hours ago, freebo86 said:

I have a press and that’s exactly what I did last time and it popped lol. 
 

it was supported evenly and it just wouldn’t budge on the old plate.

use heat, map gas, yellow bottles.

[jeepwm69 7,609]

Looks great.  Be patient on that rear backing plate.  Your plan of soaking slowly and working on it a bit at a time is a good one.

[freebo86 291]

Got it to break loose, a few turns left and right it started to turn and then I was able to tap it out lightly. 
 

Had to make my own vent hose connection fit-up as the original was gone and tapped new threads on the hole. Also need to drill out the cotter pin holes that hold the brake shoes on as their gunked up. Bearings were swapped over from my plate, cleaned and regreased. 
 

The stuff you see on the o-ring is some die-electric grease to give it that extra bit of seals by power against the tube. 
 

 

[jeepwm69 7,609]

Glad you got it.  I HATE drum brakes on these Hondas.  I just never have any luck keeping them working for long.  I've pretty much given up on them on a couple of my 500's.  The kids' 350 Rancher and 300 (350D rear end) both work well, and the wife's Rubicon rear brake works so far.  Mine?  Nope.