# mechanical



## tinkenboutit (Aug 13, 2005)

What kind of things, mechanically, should I look at when I'm shopping for an ATV to use for plowing? I will also use it in the summer for chemical apps and bushhogging. I want to buy a used one but I don't want to get one that will require any expensive repairs right away. I know it will be "as is". I know what to look for on a used car or truck or even a used ztr but I am new to ATV's.
Most of my customers like the fact that I use snowblowers and a medium size garden tractor for snow removal as opposed to using a truck and blade. Bad experiences with a few of the guys around her tearing up their yards with them. The 4x4 of an ATV would be superior to the 4x2 of the garden tractor. Plus, as I said, I would have many more uses for the ATV.


----------



## rm25x (Sep 5, 2009)

Grab the tires and rock them back and forth. This will check the ball joints and tie rod ends.
Check to see how loose the steering feels when you turn the bars with the machine in place. Again this will give a sign of how much use it has seen. Check the drives hafts. Look for bad u-joints or torn cv boots depending on if it has cv joints or u joints. Look at the engine oil dipstick to see if there are any signs of water, and how often its been changed. 
Thats the main stuff. Other then that I look for bent/broken stuff, snapped off bolts or stripped screw heads, etc.


----------

