This is how it works: The right maintenance and care for the quad

A water hose and high-pressure cleaner alone is not enough to clean the quad. The quad needs regular care and maintenance – not only after the day trip into the terrain. The good news: everyone can do the most important work on the quad themselves. You only go to the workshop for repairs or for a general inspection. Tools, lubricants, cleaners and replacement parts are also available online for almost every ATV and quad.

Cleaning the quad: better now than later

Quad and ATV are built for muddy terrain. But the dirt is best removed immediately. If the mud dries hard, only special care products can often help to clean the body and chassis of the quad. The high-pressure cleaner can be too much of a good thing, after all, with all thoroughness, even the lubricants on the chain and in the ball bearings are washed off. The pressure washer can also damage sensitive electronics. But even with dry and very stubborn dirt, your nerves don’t have to be on edge: with dirt and grease removers, stubborn encrustations on the body of the quad are rinsed off with water after a short exposure time.

Regular maintenance: the eye for safety when riding a quad

Before each ride, the oil and brakes of the quad are checked. Sand and mud quickly wear down the brake pads and brake discs. If you hear metallic noises from the area of ​​the brake system, the brakes must be changed as soon as possible. The screws and nuts on the quad are also regularly tightened during maintenance. To loosen stuck screws or to regrease the bearings and chain of the quad, only good care and lubricants are required.
Nails or sticks can be driven in at every exit. That’s why the tires are always checked on long tours, on the go off-road and at the latest at every cleaning. Damaged tires should be replaced better, because repaired tires can lead to uncontrolled handling of the quad.

Quad care: Clean body and check tire pressure

Before the ignition key is turned, the tire pressure is checked, as this has a significant impact on the handling of the quad. The air in the tires should be adjusted even during long periods of standstill outside of the season. If the tire pressure is too high, the increased vibration can cause damage: Rapid wear of wheel bearings and shock absorbers, defective light bulbs, constantly loose screws and irregularly worn tire profiles are indications of incorrect and usually too high air pressure on the quad. How high the tire pressure must be depends on various factors:

• Street tires 0.5 to 1 bar
• Studded tires 0.3 to 0.4 bar

Tire pressure is kept slightly lower off-road than on-road. If the tires are less full, it drives better on uneven terrain, because the tires have more ‘grip’ due to their higher contact area and slide less over boulders. On the asphalt, however, the quad with the higher tire pressure has a more stable cornering position because the tires flex less. Tires and even high-priced spare parts such as chains, brakes and brake discs are available cheaply in online shops such as motointegrator.de.

Cleaning, lubricating, tensioning: maintenance of the quad chain

Dirt on the road and driving off-road leave their mark – especially on the drive chain of the quad, unless it is equipped with a cardan shaft. The quad chain must be cleaned and lubricated regularly to prevent loosening and drying out. A care with chain spray is recommended every 150 to 500 kilometers – depending on the load and terrain. If the chain is wiped dry, it is degreased. This works with degreasing sprays even without removing the chain. Once dirt and grease have been rinsed off well, it is re-oiled with a chain spray. The quad chain needs to be retensioned when it can be stretched about 20 millimeters up or down.
With a little practice you can maintain the quad yourself. If you really feel like working on your own quad, you will find a wide range of cheap vehicles at quadfarm.de. x