wheel YAMAHA YFM350R 2008 User Guide

7-19
7 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.
Shift your weight to the uphill side of theATV.CROSSING THROUGH SHALLOW WATER
The ATV can be used to cross slow moving, shal-
low water of up to a maximum of 35 cm (14 in) in
depth. Before entering the water, choose your path
carefully. Enter where there is no sharp drop off,
and avoid rocks or other obstacles which may be
slippery or upset the ATV. Drive slowly and care-
fully.
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7-22
7you 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.
With 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.U5YT64E0.book Page 22 Monday, April 9, 2007 1:03 PM

7-23
7
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 ofcontrol.
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 7-13.)
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 7-13.)

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.)
If your ATV can’t make it up a hill you are trying
to climb:
Turn the ATV around if you still have forward
speed. If not, stop, dismount on the uphill side of
the ATV and physically turn the ATV around. If
the ATV starts to slip backwards, DO NOT USE
THE REAR BRAKE – the ATV may tip over on
top of you. Dismount the ATV on the uphill side.
(See page 7-14.)
If your ATV is traversing a sloping surface:
Be sure to ride with your weight positioned to-
wards the uphill side of the ATV to maintain
proper balance. If the ATV starts to tip, steer
down the hill (if there are no obstacles in your
way) to regain balance. If you discover that the
ATV is going to tip over, dismount on the uphill
side. (See page 7-14.)
If your ATV encounters shallow water:
Ride slowly and carefully through slow moving
water, watching for obstacles. Be sure to let wa-
ter drain from the ATV and CHECK YOUR
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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*ClutchCheck operation and adjust if necessary.√ √√√
3*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
4*Rear 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
5*Brake hosesCheck for cracks or other damage, and replace if
necessary.√√√√
Replace. Every 4 years
6*Parking brakeCheck operation and adjust if necessary.√√√√√
7*WheelsCheck runout and for damage, and replace if nec-
essary.√ √√√
8*TiresCheck tread depth and for damage, and replace if
necessary.
Check air pressure and balance, and correct if
necessary.√ √√√
9*Wheel hub bearingsCheck for looseness or damage, and replace if
necessary.√ √√√
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8-6
8
10*Swingarm pivotsCheck operation and for excessive play, and re-
place bearings if necessary.
Lubricate with lithium-soap-based grease.√√√
11*Upper and lower
arm pivotsLubricate with lithium-soap-based grease.√√√
12 Drive chainCheck chain slack and adjust if necessary.
Check rear wheel alignment and correct if necess-
sary.
Clean and lubricate.√√√√√
13*Drive chain rollersCheck for wear and replace if necessary.√√√
14*Chassis fastenersMake sure that all nuts, bolts, and screws are
properly tightened.√√√√√
15*Shock absorber as-
sembliesCheck operation and correct if necessary.
Check for oil leakage and replace if necessary.√√√
16*Rear suspension re-
lay arm and con-
necting arm
pivoting pointsCheck operation and correct if necessary.
Lubricate with lithium-soap-based grease.√√√√
17*Steering shaftLubricate with lithium-soap-based grease.√√√
18*Steering systemCheck operation and repair or replace if damaged.
Check toe-in and adjust if necessary.√√√√√
19 Engine oilChange.
Check ATV for oil leakage, and correct if neces-
sary.√ √√√ 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 320U5YT64E0.book Page 6 Monday, April 9, 2007 1:03 PM

8-22
8
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.EBU28790Front brake pads
Each brake pad is provided with two wear indicator
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 indica-
tor grooves. If a brake pad has worn to the point
that a wear indicator groove almost appears, have
a Yamaha dealer replace the brake pads as a set.
NOTE:The wheels need to be removed to check thebrake pads. (See page 8-42.)EBU28800Rear brake pads
Each brake pad is provided with two wear indicator
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 indica-
tor grooves. If a brake pad has worn to the point
that a wear indicator groove almost appears, have
a Yamaha dealer replace the brake pads as a set.
1. Wear indicator groove
1. Wear indicator groove
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8-27
8
CAUTION:ECB00520When tightening the locknut, hold the adjust-
ing bolt with a wrench so that it does not turntogether with the locknut.
WARNING
EWB02090Operating with improperly serviced or adjust-
ed brakes could cause the brakes to malfunc-
tion, resulting in reduced braking
performance. This could increase the chance
of a collision or accident. After adjusting the
parking brake free play, block the rear of the
ATV off the ground and spin the rear wheels.
Check to make sure there is no brake drag. If
brake drag is noticed, perform the adjustmentagain.
EBU24740Brake light switches The operation of the brake light switches must be
checked and, if necessary, adjusted at the inter-
vals specified in the periodic maintenance and lu-
brication chart.
The brake light switch for the brake pedal can be
adjusted as follows, but the other brake light
switches should be adjusted by a Yamaha dealer.NOTE:The brake light switch is properly adjusted when
the brake light comes on just before braking takeseffect.
Turn the adjusting nut while holding the brake light
switch in place. To make the brake light come on
earlier, turn the adjusting nut in direction (a). To
make the brake light come on later, turn the adjust-
ing nut in direction (b). Tightening torque:
Locknut (rear brake caliper):
16 Nm (1.6 m·kgf, 11 ft·lbf)
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8-30
83. If the drive chain slack is incorrect, adjust it as
follows.
To adjust the drive chain slack
1. Loosen the axle holding bolts.2. Loosen the locknut on each side of the swing-
arm. To tighten the drive chain, turn the ad-
justing bolts in direction (a). To loosen the
drive chain, turn the adjusting bolts in direction
(b) and push the wheels forward. Turn each
adjusting bolt exactly the same amount to
maintain correct axle alignment.
NOTE:There are alignment marks on both drive chain
pullers and an alignment mark on each side of the
swingarm. Make sure to align the same alignment
1. Drive chain slack
1. Axle holding bolt (upper)
2. Axle holding bolt (lower)
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8-31
8 mark on both drive chain pullers with the alignment
mark on either side of the swingarm for proper
wheel alignment.CAUTION:ECB00541Improper drive chain slack will overload the en-
gine as well as other vital parts of the ATV and
can lead to drive chain slippage or breakage.
To prevent this from occurring, keep the drivechain slack within the specified limits.3. Tighten the locknuts and the axle holding bolts
to the specified torques.
EBU24880Lubricating the drive chain The drive chain must be cleaned and lubricated at
the intervals specified in the periodic maintenance
and lubrication chart, otherwise it will quickly wear
out, especially when riding in dusty or wet areas.
Service the drive chain as follows.
1. Locknut
2. Drive chain slack adjusting bolt
3. Alignment marks
Tightening torques:
Locknut:
16 Nm (1.6 m·kgf, 11 ft·lbf)
Axle holding bolt (upper):
120 Nm (12.0 m·kgf, 85 ft·lbf)
Axle holding bolt (lower):
73 Nm (7.3 m·kgf, 53 ft·lbf)
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8-34
8Brake pedal
Shift pedal
EBU24962Checking the wheel hub bearings The front and rear wheel hub bearings must be
checked at the intervals specified in the periodic
maintenance and lubrication chart. If there is play
in a wheel hub or if a wheel does not turn smoothly,
have a Yamaha dealer check the wheel hub bear-
ings.EBU24992Lubricating the swingarm pivots The swingarm pivots must be lubricated at the in-
tervals specified in the periodic maintenance and
lubrication chart.EBU25001Lubricating the rear suspension relay
arm and connecting arm pivoting
points The rear suspension relay arm and connecting
arm pivoting points must be lubricated at the inter-
vals specified in the periodic maintenance and lu-
brication chart.
Lubricate the pivoting points using a grease gun.Recommended lubricant:
Lithium-soap-based grease
U5YT64E0.book Page 34 Monday, April 9, 2007 1:03 PM