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RanchHand420

A Foreman story

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Instead of only pestering you guys every time I need help, I thought it would be fun to share some of the accomplishments. Last summer i revived my late grandmas 87 200sx. I had a lot of fun tinkering for a large part of the summer and learned a bit about finding parts online. Near the end of summer my dad really wanted me to go ahead and order all new plastics because i had the old girl running and driving so good. Yikes was that going to be expensive. Meanwhile our polaris 6x6 ,which is used every day on the farm to feed hay, was on the fritz. So i thought maby instead of spending upwards of 700 dollars to mount new plastics on the 200 i would look for another atv to do some of the heavy work to give the 6x6 a break. I never would have thought how hard it can be to get a good deal on a atv Craigslist. I looked and looked, refresh after refresh. Every time i found something that looked nice and in my budget i was to late, it had been sold. It wasnt untill i saw a hate add for atv flippers sharing the same frustration i was feeling, that i realized i was a guppy in a shark tank and i had to go after the leftovers. Then i saw it, 87 foreman, 650 bucks, add was already two weeks old and some high school kid selling for college. Wow did it look rough in the photos, even worse in person, but i did my research and more research and the more i researched the more i wanted it. So i called the kid and told him there was no way i would pay him 650 but i would be fair after i look it over in person. I wish i still had the original add photos just for a laugh but aniway took it home for 380 bucks plus he gave me a tube full of parts including an extra complete bottom end engine/transmission. After no small amounts of wrench time, elbow greace, and help from people online i got a fully functional workhorse while still under my 700 dollar budget, lol not for long when i bite it and buy that new fuel pump.

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Congrats on your accomplishments and thank you for sharing your pics! DIY is both fun and rewarding isn't it.

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Great job and also thanks for posting your hard work....looking good...

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4 hours ago, retro said:

Congrats on your accomplishments and thank you for sharing your pics! DIY is both fun and rewarding isn't it.

I do enjoy it very much. There were times of problem solving frustration that pushed me to the brink but that only makes it more rewarding. One of the biggest issues was the front swingarm berings were out which should have been an easy fix but some one welded the shifter on so i couldnt get at the middle shaft. The things people do for a quick fix, OMG why? Luckly the kid gave me an extra bottem end and there was also an extra shaft gaurd so needless to say i used a dremmel and wrecked the existing gaurd a little so i could pull the shaft out and drop the swingarm. This summer ill pull the shifting rod out of the spare engine and put my foreman back together right. Aniway nothing felt better than when i put it all back together with new shocks and it was solid as a rock!

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I hate to admit this but I've welded shifters on and stripped hubs. When the parts are shot you have nothing to loose and when you need to get to that area the proper fix can be made at that time. I do hate coming across those "fixes" in the shop  but at the same time I'm just as guilty as the guy who did it. 

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15 hours ago, toodeep said:

I hate to admit this but I've welded shifters on and stripped hubs. When the parts are shot you have nothing to loose and when you need to get to that area the proper fix can be made at that time. I do hate coming across those "fixes" in the shop  but at the same time I'm just as guilty as the guy who did it. 

I am guilty of tach welding the foot lever on my 2000 300 about 6 or more years ago , told myself I would fix it right when something under that cover went wrong , nothing ever did , yet --- 

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Just got a new battery and wired the starter back up. Between that and a rebuilt choke it sure starts nice, even in this sub zero temp. 

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Update. Finally got the new oem fuel pump. After a bit of trouble i got a airbox lid. Its full of screw holes but otherwise good. How do you guys like the pvc off the carb? Lol. 2" elbows fit perfectly on the existing screen grommet on the carb. And also im restoring an old rusty tool box and attached two bungies. Got it all sanded down ready to paint. Kinda cool it easily goes on the front or rear rack along with the rack on my 200sx

 

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If it works it works. I probably have a good lid and that tube if you want some good ones. I couple more days of melt and I think I'll be able to get that throttle cover for you if your still needing it.

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13 minutes ago, toodeep said:

If it works it works. I probably have a good lid and that tube if you want some good ones. I couple more days of melt and I think I'll be able to get that throttle cover for you if your still needing it.

Im about maxed out on spending for parts. Ill silicone the holes on the airbox lid. And the pvc is very solid. But the last few things i want is that carb cover you have and those floorboards superman posted that replace the main skidplate, im missing that plate aniway. I also hope that if the floorboards work i can maby make some rear fenders that mount on the floorboards and attach to the rear rack 

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On 2/5/2020 at 3:18 PM, RanchHand420 said:

Im about maxed out on spending for parts. Ill silicone the holes on the airbox lid. And the pvc is very solid. But the last few things i want is that carb cover you have and those floorboards superman posted that replace the main skidplate, im missing that plate aniway. I also hope that if the floorboards work i can maby make some rear fenders that mount on the floorboards and attach to the rear rack 

if toodeep does not find you that carb cover ?, i might have one laying around here somewhere ?. i also have both versions of skid plates/floor boards, which one do you want ?, stock ?, or after market type ?. i wont be putting the after market style back on this '88 i am working on, gonna go back stock, sooo..wont need it. i also have that air box to carb tube if ya want it ?. i dont have a air box lid, least not laying around here that is extra. seal it up with some epoxy, dont use rtv sealant !. just so you dont say '' but i'm tapped out of cash shadetree '' !!!, i'm not asking for any cash, but you will have to pay shipping !!.

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The lid and tube will be fine. I just ordered the airbox body cover so i wont even see it. and since i just got a new pump i figured i better get a fuel gauge so i went ahead and ordered one. I feel like i lucked out on the fuel gauge cuz it was mislabled as a battery power meter and it was only 40 bucks and in great shape. The only other one i saw online was 100 and in tough shape. 

         Build update.. i was able to get the baffler out of the exaust pipe, (after a little chat with the angle grinder) and wraped it, packed it, and bolted it back in. Now it not only starts and runs good but it sounds good too. Also i started cutting up a red plastic tub to start shaping some fenders. The color is a decent match. Lol i have a scrap peace that inspired me to make panels as well. 

 The reason im building/repairing the fenders is because i am missing every plastic part in the rear. and I dont have the mounting brackets for the gaurds. I have taillights and fender flairs, thats about it.  Wouldnt be a problem but i need to be prepared for a major top end rebuild. That could get really spendy fast.

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Ive been driving it everyday for the last few weeks. Multipal tanks of gas. The only thing is it leaks a little oil from the head gaskets and one of the valve covers. An unnoticeable amount as far as the oil level but it smokes a bit when it drips on the headers. Very unpleasant to me but im afraid i would end up with more problems once i take it appart. There is i crack on the rocker box, no oil comes out of the crack but i dont think i will be able to tighten the bolt to make a proper seal. And the head itsself i found out someone cross threaded the sparkplug in. I dont ever want to take that out again in fear the threads will only get worse. For now it runs and drives good so im just trying to keep it that way. I need to bomb proof this tank so the horses dont destroy it as soon as i turn my back.

     Random side note. Whats up with my bumper? The bottom ark is not on other ones but it looks factory.

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Someone added in that bottom piece on the bumper. The tappet covers use orings so they are easy to replace if it's leaking there. If it's leaking out the head cover it would have to be removed and resealed (Hondabond - RTV, no gasket). I still haven't forgot about you on that part and if you need more let me know. I have 3 machines that I'm questioning on fixing and 2 other parts only machines. The snow is melting away so I can find them again but I can dig them out with the loader if you need stuff faster.

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1 minute ago, toodeep said:

Someone added in that bottom piece on the bumper. The tappet covers use orings so they are easy to replace if it's leaking there. If it's leaking out the head cover it would have to be removed and resealed (Hondabond - RTV, no gasket). I still haven't forgot about you on that part and if you need more let me know. I have 3 machines that I'm questioning on fixing and 2 other parts only machines. The snow is melting away so I can find them again but I can dig them out with the loader if you need stuff faster.

No hurry on the carb cover. Just let me know whenever snow melts and you can get it. And the engine is leaking from like three . . decompression shaft oil seal, the seam between the head and rocker box and one of  the tappet covers. I do have a spair cover with a o ring still on it. Can i get that cover off with out dismantling to much? 

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Pull the air box out and the cover is easy to get at. OEM bumpers was all the way across on the bottom. That was added on for some purpose and your guess is as good as mine on what that might have been. 

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Nice! next week when i get the fuel gauge im going to take apart most of the front plastics aniway so ill pull the airbox and replace that o ring as well.

PS. Build update.. totally rebuilt the rear breaks with new shoes. Had trouble with the break cable i ordered. Working condition my !. But it had the wingnut, spring, and dowl i needed to hook up my foot break.. after i got it loosened up with a little encouragement from mr. Torch.. my dad screwed around with the disfunctional cable, way more than i would have, and did get it working but its still sticky. And not to mention now lacks the parts to mount it lol but i made it work for now but i thought i would throw that out there that i would like to get that done better. O and what do you call the hollow screw the break cable sets in on the hand break so i can get one ordered

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I should have an adjuster for it (hollow screw) I can throw in with that cover.

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front bumper was made that way, and I bet it was so a winch line could clear the bumper.

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On 2/19/2020 at 7:47 PM, shadetree said:

front bumper was made that way, and I bet it was so a winch line could clear the bumper.

Thats what i was thinking, i haven't seen any others like it.  I wonder how rare mine is.. too bad its all beat and broken. If the weather stays nice i think im going take of the front plastics and the air box to get at that head. My dad said i should check the brushes on the starter so i guess ill pull that and i should probably  check the clutch too. I did find what i think is a friction pad for the clutch in my wonder box off spare parts.

 

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49 minutes ago, RanchHand420 said:

Thats what i was thinking, i haven't seen any others like it.  I wonder how rare mine is.. too bad its all beat and broken. If the weather stays nice i think im going take of the front plastics and the air box to get at that head. My dad said i should check the brushes on the starter so i guess ill pull that and i should probably  check the clutch too. I did find what i think is a friction pad for the clutch in my wonder box off spare parts.

 

when you pull the starter to replace the brushes ?, BEFORE YOU REMOVE ANY BOLTS TO TAKE IT APART !!!!!, scribe lines across the ends to the middle section, makes it so much easier to go back together.

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15 hours ago, shadetree said:

when you pull the starter to replace the brushes ?, BEFORE YOU REMOVE ANY BOLTS TO TAKE IT APART !!!!!, scribe lines across the ends to the middle section, makes it so much easier to go back together.

Thats a good way to do it. My dads an old school auto mechanic and taught me everything i know. But speeking of bolts.. i did start taking it apart again. Left the starter alone so far because i found out someone broke a long bolt, middle top, and put it back in lol. But... that means that bolt is broke off in the block. : (  tthat means i gotta pull the whole stater off correct? ? 

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