wheel YAMAHA WOLVERINE 450 2009 User Guide

7-8
7 foot can reduce your ability to control the ATV
or could cause you to lose your balance and
fall off of the ATV. If you remove a foot from a
footboard, your foot or leg may come into con-
tact with the rear wheels, which could injure
you or cause an accident.
Avoid wheelies and jumping. You may lose control
of the ATV or overturn.
WARNING
EWB01480Never attempt stunts, such as wheelies orjumps. Don’t try to show off.Modifications
WARNING
EWB01490Never modify this ATV through improper in-
stallation or use of accessories. All parts and
accessories added to this ATV should be gen-
uine Yamaha or equivalent components de-
signed for use on this ATV and should be
installed and used according to instructions.
Improper installation of accessories or modifi-
cation of this ATV may cause changes in han-
dling which in some situations could lead to an
accident. If you have questions, consult an au-thorized ATV dealer.
Exhaust system
The exhaust system on the ATV is very hot during
and following operation. To prevent burns, avoid
touching the exhaust system. Park the ATV in a
place where pedestrians or children are not likely
to touch it. Also, avoid parking in or around dry
grass, brush or other combustible materials to pre-
vent causing a fire hazard.
WARNING
EWB01500
Do not touch the hot exhaust system.
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7-12
7 Select a large, flat, unpaved area to become famil-
iar with your ATV. Make sure that this area is free
of obstacles and other riders. You should practice
control of the throttle, brakes, and turning tech-
niques in this area before trying more difficult ter-
rain. Always avoid riding on paved surfaces: the
ATV is designed for use on unpaved surfaces only,
and handling maneuvers are more difficult to per-
form on pavement.
Shift to the park position and follow the instruction
on page 6-1 to start the engine. Once it has
warmed up you are ready to begin riding your ATV.
Remember that the engine and exhaust pipe will
be hot when riding and afterwards; do not allow
skin or clothing to come in contact with these com-
ponents.With the engine idling, return the starter (choke) to
the closed position, and shift the drive select lever
into the forward position. Apply the throttle slowly
and smoothly. The centrifugal clutch will engage
and you will start to accelerate. If the throttle is ap-
plied too abruptly, the front wheels may lift off the
ground, resulting in a loss of directional control.
Avoid higher speeds until you are thoroughly famil-
iar with the operation of your ATV.
When slowing down or stopping, release the throt-
tle and apply the brakes smoothly and evenly. Im-
proper use of the brakes can cause the tires to lose
traction, reducing control and increasing the possi-
bility of an accident.
TURNING YOUR ATV
To achieve maximum traction on unpaved surfac-
es, the two rear wheels are mounted solidly on one
axle and turn together at the same speed. There-
fore, unless the wheel on the inside of the turn is al-
lowed to slip or lose some traction, the ATV will
resist turning. A special turning technique must be
used to allow the ATV to make turns quickly and
easily. It is essential that this skill be learned first at
low speed.
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7-13
7
WARNING
EWB01570Always follow proper procedures for turning
as described in this Owner’s Manual. Practice
turning at low speeds before attempting to turn
at faster speeds. Do not turn at speeds too fastfor your skills or the conditions.
As you approach a curve, slow down and begin to
turn the handlebars in the desired direction. As you
do so, put your weight on the footboard to the out-
side of the turn (opposite your desired direction)
and lean your upper body into the turn. Use the
throttle to maintain an even speed through the turn.
This maneuver will let the wheel on the inside of
the turn slip slightly, allowing the ATV to make the
turn properly.This procedure should be practiced at slow speed
many times in a large unpaved area with no obsta-
cles. If an incorrect technique is used, your ATV
may continue to go straight. If the ATV doesn’t
turn, come to a stop and then practice the proce-
dure again. If the riding surface is slippery or loose,
it may help to position more of your weight over the
front wheels by moving forward on the seat.
Once you have learned this technique, you should
be able to perform it at higher speeds or in tighter
curves.
1. Lean towards inside of turn.
2. Support your weight on the outer footboard.
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7-16
7 If your ATV has stalled or stopped and you believe
you can continue up the hill, restart carefully to
make sure you do not lift the front wheels which
could cause you to lose control. If you are unable
to continue up the hill, dismount the ATV on the up-
hill side. Physically turn the ATV around and then
descend the hill.
If you start to roll backwards, DO NOT apply either
brake abruptly. If you are in 2WD, apply only the
front brake. If you are in 4WD, because all wheels
are interconnected by the drive train, applying ei-
ther brake will brake all wheels, therefore, avoid
sudden application of either the front or rear brake
as the wheels on the uphill side could come off theground. The ATV could easily tip over backwards.
Apply both the front and rear brakes gradually, or
dismount the ATV immediately on the uphill side.
WARNING
EWB01811Maintain a steady speed when climbing a hill.
If you lose all forward speed:
Keep weight uphill.
Apply the brakes.
Shift to the park position after you are
stopped.
If you begin rolling backwards:
Keep weight uphill.
2WD: Never apply the rear brake while rolling
backwards. Apply the front brake. When fully
stopped, shift to the park position.
4WD: Apply both front and rear brakes grad-
ually. When fully stopped, shift to the park
position.
Dismount on uphill side or to a side if pointed
straight uphill. Turn the ATV around and re-
mount, following the procedure described inthe Owner’s Manual.
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7-17
7RIDING DOWNHILL
When riding your ATV downhill, shift your weight
as far to the rear and uphill side of the ATV as pos-
sible. Move back on the seat and sit with your arms
straight. Engine compression will do most of the
braking for you. For maximum engine compres-
sion braking effect, change to 4WD before begin-
ning to descend the hill. Improper braking may
cause a loss of traction.
Use caution while descending a hill with loose or
slippery surfaces. Braking ability and traction may
be adversely affected by these surfaces. Improper
braking may also cause a loss of traction.When this ATV is in 4WD, all wheels (front and
rear) are interconnected by the drive train. This
means that applying either the front brake or the
rear brake will brake all wheels. When descending
hills, using either brake lever or the brake pedal will
brake the wheels on the downhill side. Avoid sud-
den application of either the front or rear brake be-
cause the wheels on the uphill side could come off
the ground. Apply both the front and rear brakes
gradually.
Whenever possible, ride your ATV straight down-
hill. Avoid sharp angles which could allow the ATV
to tip or roll over. Carefully choose your path and
ride no faster than you will be able to react to ob-
stacles which may appear.
WARNING
EWB01620Always follow proper procedures for going
down hills as described in this Owner’s Manu-
al.
Note: a special technique is required when
braking as you go down a hill.
Always check the terrain carefully before
you start down any hill.
Shift your weight backward.
Never go down a hill at high speed.
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7-18
7

Avoid going down a hill at an angle that
would cause the ATV to lean sharply to one
side. Go straight down the hill where possi-ble.
CROSSING A SLOPE
Traversing a sloping surface on your ATV requires
you to properly position your weight to maintain
proper balance. Be sure that you have learned the
basic riding skills on flat ground before attemptingto cross a sloping surface. Avoid slopes with slip-
pery surfaces or rough terrain that may upset your
balance.
As you travel across a slope, lean your body in the
uphill direction. It may be necessary to correct the
steering when riding on loose surfaces by pointing
the front wheels slightly uphill. When riding on
slopes, be sure not to make sharp turns either up
or down hill.
If your ATV does begin to tip over, gradually steer
in the downhill direction if there are no obstacles in
your path. As you regain proper balance, gradually
steer again in the direction you wish to travel.
WARNING
EWB01631Never attempt to turn the ATV around on any
hill until you have mastered the turning tech-
nique as described in the Owner’s Manual on
level ground. Be very careful when turning on
any hill. Avoid crossing the side of a steep hill
if possible.
When crossing the side of a hill:
Always follow proper procedures as de-
scribed in the Owner’s Manual.
Avoid hills with excessively slippery or loose
surfaces.
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7-22
7 RIDING OVER ROUGH TERRAIN
Riding over rough terrain should be done with cau-
tion. Look out for obstacles which could cause
damage to the ATV or could lead to an upset or ac-
cident. Be sure to keep your feet firmly mounted on
the footboards at all times. Avoid jumping the ATV
as loss of control and damage to the ATV may re-
sult.
WARNING
EWB01650Before operating in a new area, check for ob-
stacles. Never attempt to ride over large obsta-
cles, such as large rocks or fallen trees. When
you go over obstacles, always follow proper
procedures as described in the Owner’s Manu-al.
SLIDING AND SKIDDING
Care should be used when riding on loose or slip-
pery surfaces since the ATV may slide. If unex-
pected and uncorrected, sliding could lead to an
accident.
To reduce the tendency for the front wheels to slide
in loose or slippery conditions, positioning your
weight over the front wheels will sometimes help.If the rear wheels of your ATV start to slide side-
ways, control can usually be regained (if there is
room to do so) by steering in the direction of the
slide. Applying the brakes or accelerating is not
recommended until you have corrected the slide.U3C263E0.book Page 22 Thursday, May 15, 2008 10:44 AM

7-23
7With practice, over a period of time, skill at con-
trolled sliding can be developed. The terrain
should be chosen carefully before attempting such
maneuvers, since both stability and control are re-
duced. Bear in mind that sliding maneuvers should
always be avoided on extremely slippery surfaces
such as ice, since all control may be lost.
WARNING
EWB01661Learn to safely control skidding or sliding by
practicing at low speeds and on level, smooth
terrain.On extremely slippery surfaces, such as ice,
go slowly and be very cautious in order to re-
duce the chance of skidding or sliding out of
control.
WHAT TO DO IF...
This section is designed to be a reference guide
only. Be sure to read each section on riding tech-
niques completely.
WHAT TO DO...
If your ATV doesn’t turn when you want it to:
Bring the ATV to a stop and practice the turning
maneuvers again. Be sure you are putting your
weight on the footboard to the outside of the
turn. Position your weight over the front wheels
for better control. (See page 7-12.)
If your ATV begins to tip while turning:
Lean more into the turn to regain balance. If nec-
essary, gradually let off the throttle and/or steer
to the outside of the turn. (See page 7-12.)
If your ATV starts to slide sideways:
Steer in the direction of the slide if you have the
room. Applying the brakes or accelerating is not
recommended until you have corrected the
slide. (See page 7-22.)
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8-5
8
EBU21864General maintenance and lubrication chart NO. ITEMCHECK OR MAINTENANCE
JOBINITIAL EVERY
Whichev-
er comes
firstmonth136612
km
(mi)320
(200)1300
(800)2500
(1600)2500
(1600)5000
(3200)
hours 20 80 160 160 320
1 Air filter elementClean and replace if necessary.Every 20–40 hours (more often in wet or
dusty areas)
2*Front brakeCheck operation and correct if necessary.
Check fluid level and ATV for fluid leakage, and
correct if necessary.√√√√√
Replace brake pads. Whenever worn to the limit
3*Rear brakeCheck operation and correct if necessary.
Check brake lever free play and adjust if neces-
sary.
Check fluid level and ATV for fluid leakage, and
correct if necessary.√√√√√
Replace brake pads. Whenever worn to the limit
4*Brake hosesCheck for cracks or other damage, and replace if
necessary.√√√√
Replace. Every 4 years
5*WheelsCheck runout and for damage, and replace if nec-
essary.√ √√√
6*TiresCheck tread depth and for damage, and replace if
necessary.
Check air pressure and balance, and correct if
necessary.√ √√√
7*Wheel hub bearingsCheck for looseness or damage, and replace if
necessary.√ √√√
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8-39
8
EBU24071Adjusting the drive select lever safety
system cable The drive select lever safety system cable stretch-
es with use, which can result in improper function.
Therefore, the safety system cable should be
checked and adjusted by a Yamaha dealer at the
intervals specified in the periodic maintenance and
lubrication chart.EBU24130Checking the front and rear brake pads The front and rear brake pads must be checked for
wear at the intervals specified in the periodic main-
tenance and lubrication chart.EBU24171Front brake pads
Check each front brake pad for damage and mea-
sure the lining thickness. If a brake pad is dam-
aged or if the lining thickness is less than 1.0 mm
(0.04 in), have a Yamaha dealer replace the brake
pads as a set.
TIPThe wheels need to be removed to check thebrake pads. (See page 8-55.)EBU26460Rear brake pads
Each rear brake pad is provided with wear indica-
tor grooves, which allow you to check the brake
pad wear without having to disassemble the brake.
To check the brake pad wear, check the wear indi-
cator grooves. If a brake pad has worn to the point
that the wear indicator grooves have almost disap-
peared, have a Yamaha dealer replace the brake
pads as a set.1. Lining thickness
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