vehicle repair/maintence

[Black Sheep]

what is the most important factor you consider when working on your machines.

[Troll]

Is this in regards to atc's , cars, every type vehicle repair or all ?

[Black Sheep]

well this IS a trike site so lets limit it to Trikes

[Mobular]

Do it right the first time. Mickey Mouse just won't last.....

[Dan10]

I like to do things correct, but funding keeps me from getting the best of the best for parts. Its a cross of doing it correct on a budget, which normally means many hours on ebay trying to find good parts cheap.

[da_catt]

i do all my own work. Sometimes i have to have someone else do some of the work because i don't have the tools. like boring a cylinder, i know how to do it and have done it, but i don't have the tools.

[Mr. Richard]

factor this,,,, do i have enough money to repair this problem the right way ??? or can i fix it cheap and keep riding till i save up enough money to fix it right....

the way you repair things REALLY depends on what you are working on. if you are working on a $7000 brand new quad your methods will be totally different than how you will work on a $300 200x ,,
i would not run wheel bearings the same in a 70 verses my 500 ... they can be a little lose and be ok in a 70- for years,,,

[jenndnn3]

I voted for to do as cheaply as possible...

Why, you may ask?? Well a fam of 5, 6+ machines. ALL to achieve one goal. A SMILE on their face. From something I enjoy, to pass to them. I am not rich, I dont claim to be. Sure it would be nice to just buy that 15 buck rebuild kit but frankly the carb cleaner is cheaper. Sure it would be nice to be able to take a stripped kicker shaft and have fix correctly but why on a $200 bike. A quick weld no headaches your off and running. If it blows who cares your out lemme see 200 bux. When it is on stuff that needs to be spent I will spend the money. IE Chains.. They can cause more damage then anything out there. I AM HERE TO RIDE:headbang:

[thebasher]

The first thing that I want is the trike to start easy and run strong. Cost, not really an option. If I cant afford it, I will save and have it done right or I wont even start the project.
The second thing is how does it look. I know this is silly and some people will say why do you want that chromed or why do you want that polished "thats just a throwing money away" YES it is, but its my money. If the project doesnt look good Im not interested.

[3 or die]

I have a daily work trike that I keep in dependable condition. Though I wont leave broken plastic on it, I mainly do only whats needed to keep it dependable.

I have my crash and dont care trikes that I just keep running safely.

and lastly I keep one sunday driver trike. This is usaly the one that gets the good stuff.

[350XXX]

well, my 350X is a rider, so i will spend anything i have to to keep it in top shape, the 110 for my oldest is GOING to be "new" when done, no matter the cost, just might take a little longer. the auto x will be taken to the frame and rebuilt to function and look good. the yt 125 is just gonna be a fix and ride bike.

[ladano]

The 200x I'm rebuilding has more in the motor than most people pay for a nice running tike. That's going to be the go&show. My auto x is a mudder, might be muddy to cover the lack of paint, but very reliable and strong. As long as the wife doesn't catch me price is not a option. I do all my own work to help keep the cost down, and even with parts priced at a shops cost it gets steep.

[yater]

I do it myself.

[dads]

Good post Bill

Must be hard for a lot of people. They have a Champaign taste and a beer budget. That’s why I started selling bearing kit. So you can save a little money to put toureds much needed parts that are not cheap.

So lets run though the poll.

Doing it right despite the cost === I’m rich so it does not matter…. I want people to think I’m rich so it does not matter…. I have all the time in the world so it does not matter.

Doing it as cheaply as possible ===== every one falls into this category. Even you Bill. This does not mean your buying junk part, just looking for best price.

Doing it as quickly as possible ===== let see, 15/20 year old trike, rusted bolt. Well that blows the doing it quickly as possible to hell. And I’m not rich and have no time.

Doing it based on budget ==== this one goes here. (Getting it done no matter how.) I have no income but I know some one with a welder.

Doing it yourself ===== a lot of people work on them. Pour to rich. I bet people that send it to a shop think about learning how after getting the bill from the shop.

personly I feel i fit into all of them at one time or another. except the getting it done no matter how. because im the one with the welder. and my trikes are for sell after completion.

[ladano]

Gotta admit dads, we all fall into these catagories at some point. I'm not close to being rich and hate to waste money by doing it twice.

[mywifeknowseverythin]

I fix my daily drivers a cheap as possible....No need to waste money where it isnt needed.....My Z project is my "No expense spared" bike...I have more than 1K into it and it isnt even rolling yet...I do what I can at home but for the critical stuff I send it out...

Mr. ATC....This is the best post(IMO) I have ever seen from you....Please keep it up:headbang:

[250sx]

With all the trikes I have it is a little of both. For instance, my ex-racer T3 I am just trying to keep running while I tear down & restore my original T3. Once it's done the the racer will have no expense spared just like the one I'm doing now.

[Black Sheep]

Originally posted by dads


Doing it right despite the cost === I’m rich so it does not matter…. I want people to think I’m rich so it does not matter…. I have all the time in the world so it does not matter.



i will have to politely disagree with you on this Dads. i'm not rich and i'm not into impressing people (thats why you never see chrome or polished parts on my trikes) but i do not consider the cost when working on my trikes. i've had them 20Yrs and i'll have them 20 more because i don't like skimp out. if that means no riding till i save the money then so be it. thats just my way of doing things. peace out and enjoy the poll results

[jenndnn3]

If you just maintained your bikes, trikes or any other motorvehicle....They will last years. Maintence is cheap. An Air filter is the cheapest thing out there, but yet I wonder how many actually clean it. Furthermore it is not on how many years your motorized thing will live for its hours, and miles. I can get anything to last 20 years sitting, Unless of course it is outside.

[ATCnut]

I have the following on my wall at work:


Do it right the first time, no matter how much it costs, because that is the cheapest way.

Do it right the first time, no matter how long it takes, because that is the fastest way.


That does not mean that you should always buy the most expensive part, just the right one.