random questions about dialing in an old quad

[honda_atc200es]

i have gone thoough 5 spark plugs this week, i had just put a brand new one in on sunday, and it fouled yesterday, so i replaced it with a plug from my dads motorcycle, the bike started right up as it has every other time i replace the plug when the bike wont start.

i have noticed the plug is black, and sometimes wet, but not always, which suggests it isnt getting hot enough, or its runnig rich, how do i correct this, i even run it with no air box and the same thing happens.

is it because i let it idle too low, or that i dont rev it enough to warm it up, or is it because i start it too much (twice a day everyday at least).

sometimes the bike runs great other times it will seem like the throttle is messed up or that theres something worng witht he bike, i swap out the plug and then its fine.

also the bike seems really loud, in fact so loud im afraid to rev it past 50% throttle, the muffler gaset between it and the head pipe is shot though and smoke does puff between the gap which may be the cause.

the front suspension assembly seems messed up, it is very stiff, while in contrast the rear is soft. the left front whell on the quad almost seems like it braely rests on the ground, in fact i can turn it with my hand while that isnt possible with the right front. the left front wheel also wobbles, alot,

i took apart the whole wheel assembly on both front wheels, the left wobbles and toes in and the right is fine but toes out. any ideas as to whats going on, i am not firmiliar with suspension.

[RedRider_AK]

Your float bowl might be stuck on open as well. My ATC 110 engine powered 70 wouldn't start today, it was because I accidentally bent the float retaining pin while removing it, causing the needle to stay open. It basically flooded the carb and wouldn't let the machine start. As soon as I replaced the pin with a slightly smaller diameter and straighter nail, it started up on the second pull.

[RedRider_AK]

As for your suspension and steering, I would look at the a-arms and such to be sure they're straight. Look for a tweaked or worn-out tierod, etc. From what you said about the wheels not evenly touching the ground, look for a bent spindle on the bad side, or something else there. Stiff suspension is normal on old machines, it'll break in after some use (usually, sometimes the shocks are too far gone to "break in"). Is it a two-stroke? If it isn't, then idling too low or starting it and stopping it aren't problems. Take off the exhaust if you can and knock some of the carbon out of it, it might be causing excess backpressure, resulting in a rich running condition.

[honda_atc200es]

there is a silver bar (sorry for my noobieness) that connects the steering to the wheel that is severily bent.

the bike is very squirrly at speed, i feel like a rock skipping on a pond, the steering seems alittle off, especially since the turning radius happens to be wider than my street.

there is a lot of tire screeching on the road when turining, but i would imagine thats normal for a quad (gre up on dirtbikes, this is first quad)

i was starting to think the rims were bent, but i took the wheel off and even the drum assembly wobbles.

the wheels in the front are also either unevenly worn or filled wierd but the wheels wont stand up stright on thier own, one part of the tire is biger than the other

and on the spark plug note i went to an old spark plug and the bike started right up which really confused me but im not one to complain.

thats about all i can ask right now from memory, im not home so i cant look at the quad at the moment

[RedRider_AK]

I'll go through this in the order you posted it:

1. The silver bar is called a tie rod. If it's "severely bent", that means it will not steer correctly. Replace it, they're not too expensive if you get them at Rocky Mountain ATV or maybe Dennis Kirk. If you have to buy OEM, www.xtremepowersports.com is a good place.

2. Squirrely handling is probably being caused by the: a. bent tie rod, b. worn bearings (more on that below) and other such stuff.

3. Tire screeching is normal because you're on pavement and the rear is a solid axle design. If you're familiar with off-road trucks and such, it's the same as if you had the diff locked on pavement, the outside tire has to move farther than the inside tire, but it can't because they're locked together. Thus, it has to drag across the ground.

4. if the drum assembly wobbles. it might be a loose front hub. Try tightening the large hub nut on the front, and if that doesn't help, replace wheel bearings and hubs.

5. The tires are unevenly worn most likely due to an excess toe-in or toe-out situation caused by the bent tie-rod, or due to excess camber because of worn out wheel bearings or hub.

6. I still think it's either jetted very rich, or your float bowl is flooding.

All I can tell you right now. The quad sounds like one hell of a beater...

[honda_atc200es]

ya, this quad is a project, but i thought it was a bigger problem when i first got it, i thought the engine was seized.

but the price was right $250 isnt that bad. its alos not my problem anymore, its my brothers quad and he decided to say i cant ride it anymore, so i wont fix it for him.

he dosent seam to see the extent of the damage and hes only 12 so i doubt he will learn how to fix it anytime soon.

thanks for the help

[RedRider_AK]

Yeah, let him drive it around till the front wheel(s) fall off because the bearings get so worn, and then take it when he decides to throw it away because he can't fix it. LOL.