Chevymec 510 Posted April 24, 2021 (edited) Guy brought me a 2004 Rubicon to go over for him. Runs and drives ok but has a fuel leak, some squeaks, and the rear brake is frozen up. Any thing I should look for while I'm going over it. It turns so easy compared to my 05 Foreman 500 with the locker in it. Aint gonna lie, I could get use to the auto shifting. I really get tired of my shifter wearing out and getting loose.... Edited April 24, 2021 by Chevymec 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeepwm69 7,749 Posted April 26, 2021 By 2004 I think they'd gone to the updated oil pump, and the early models had issues from the early oil pump designs. If it runs and drives ok, run it. You can swap disc brakes from 05-11 Foreman, 05-14 Rubicons, and 06-current Rincons if you can find them. Need knuckles, hub/rotors, and calipers. They'll bolt on at the ball joints. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chevymec 510 Posted May 29, 2021 Finally got a chance to start on this thing. Kids baseball and scouts are every day of the week minus Sunday. Dropped the oil and wouldn't you know, last person rounded the oil filter bolt off. Didn't pop the cover off yet but I would bet the filter is pretty bad. Left it all draining last night. Off to order the filter bolt. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shadetree 5,970 Posted May 29, 2021 3 hours ago, Chevymec said: Finally got a chance to start on this thing. Kids baseball and scouts are every day of the week minus Sunday. Dropped the oil and wouldn't you know, last person rounded the oil filter bolt off. Didn't pop the cover off yet but I would bet the filter is pretty bad. Left it all draining last night. Off to order the filter bolt. 10 - 1 the oil drain bolt has been stripped !. big flaw on the 500's, least on manual shifts Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeepwm69 7,749 Posted June 1, 2021 Luckily on the Rubicons, you can drill it out and tap it and just use a new bigger plug (big thanks to Toodeep for that info on the old board). Plug on the left is the stock drain bolt. Using that plug on the right you can drill out oversized, tap the case, and use that and you even get to use a factory Honda drain plug with the same 17MM head on it. The 420's and 05-up 500 Footshifts/ES machines you have to replace the crankcase half. The 300's and Rubicons you can drill and retap. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chevymec 510 Posted June 1, 2021 Both drain plugs are fine, it's the bolt that goes through the oil filter. I found a used one in good shape that the head looked good on, on the way. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeepwm69 7,749 Posted June 1, 2021 Well now you know how to fix a problem that doesn't exist! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeepwm69 7,749 Posted June 1, 2021 That brings us back to the time @basfnb tried to change his oil and stripped that bolt. https://www.hondaforeman.com/threads/stripped-oil-filter-bolt.143930/ Tea Time's comment "I guess this is why there are directions on shampoo... my god man..."🤣 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
