Trail Blazer performance mods

[Rockwerx]

That would be cool Mike! I am interested in any ideas in my quest to make this machine rip the trails up better. I am pretty sure that they detuned the 04 engine.

I am not happy the "New Improved" design of the air box on our 04. I never had any trouble at all with the older design air box that was on our 98. It was pretty much fool proof IMO as far as keeping water out of the engine.

I had taken the older quad through water up to just under the headlight for a few seconds at a time and it did not suck any water into the air box ever! The newer air box will suck water into it if you hit water puddles hard enough. Pretty poor "upgrade" IMO.

Not sure why they thought they had to change something that was proven to work already under many extreme conditions. Anyway, I am still looking for an older airbox assembly. In the mean time I added a piece of foam to act as a water dam on the snorkle intake tube. It has helped keep water out so far but I still would like to engineer something else if I keep using this air box.

I was told I could take my carb off and have it bored out from a 30mm to a 32mm. I may do that one day if I can find the older air box. Pretty cheap mod last time I checked (couple of years ago).

 

[Rockwerx]

We took the quads out last Wed to one our favorite riding locations in the foothills. Just got home a few minutes ago. Quads ran great! My Blazer mods worked very well! Lots of young people could not understand how my little 250 put the hurt on their bigger quads. It was fun blasting away from them on the straights, out of turns and over jumps!

Now the engine will pull up to around 7000 rpm on the straights and more on downhill stretches. With the higher gearing that it used to have it would not go as fast...now it will pull till the clutch sheaves stop and then she winds out a bit more. I probably had it over 70 mph a few times! It used to only hit 50 mph on a long straight.

I am still running slightly rich jetting. It was bogging a bit at higher elevations but it still took me to the top of some very high trails. I had no problems climbing some very steep trails that took us up to around 7000 feet above sea level. When I clean the airfilter I am going to change the main jet a half size and see how it runs.

Over all I am very happy with the latest mods! It will only get better as I fine tune the clutches and carb.

 

[mike h]

Hell yea you are doing good. It sounds like you are getting just as much out of the mods you have done than people that have the reed converson kits on there 250's. Your going to make me get my 400 scrambler out and start riding it again. The way you are going u will out run me!!!!!! HA HA. I will look around to see if I have a stock air box from my 97 250. If I have one would you like to have it?

 

[Rockwerx]

Hell yea you are doing good. It sounds like you are getting just as much out of the mods you have done than people that have the reed converson kits on there 250's. Your going to make me get my 400 scrambler out and start riding it again. The way you are going u will out run me!!!!!! HA HA. I will look around to see if I have a stock air box from my 97 250. If I have one would you like to have it?

I would be very interested in your old air box Mike! I believe that they were a better design than the one they put on the 2004 models. PM me with some details please.

A few years ago I missed out on a few good deals for both the 2wd 400 Blazer and the AWD 400 Scrambler. With a few mods you can make them scream. You would have to spend quite a bit more on the new 4 stroke Scambler to get they to the same power levels and even then they weigh more (still a nice machine though)...that is one reason our Blazer does so well out trail riding...it is nice and light!

I will try and upload some pics tomorrow of our last trip to show people where these machines can go.

 

[mike h]

Thursday i will try and find a air box and i will see what else i have that may help you.

 

[Rockwerx]

Thursday i will try and find a air box and i will see what else i have that may help you.

That would be awesome Mike! :d

Let me know if you need any parts for sleds...I have a few parts still. If not I will figure out something cool to send you! Did you get my PM the other day?

Do you guys get much snow down there? Or can you ride your quads most of the year?

 

[mike h]

Yes i got your PM I sent you one back did you get it? We don't get alot of snow when we do you can ride the 4x4s fine. Most of the time 2x2s do ok with good tires on them.

 

[Rockwerx]

You guys are lucky! We have to park the quads and pull out the sleds! That is okay, I love both sports.

 

[mike h]

Well you have to think i'm in virginia we are on the snow line but i think the snow line is more north because all the big snows washington and baltimore get we get rain a cold rain.

 

[Rockwerx]

Here are some pics from our last quad trip.

First day up around 6500 feet. I had to get pushed through the first part of this "path" where my son is stuck in this pic, but I made it through the part closest to the camera. The Blazer is light and has more ground clearance under it than the 330 Trail Boss my son was riding that day.

A couple days later most of the snow had melted and we had better weather. This pic is at around 6200 feet. Lots of cutline trails to explore out here!

One of my nephews was out with us exploring that weekend. He is turning into a great rider!

Instead of trying to go through the worst spot on the trails I can usually find a way around mud bogs...or I find an easier spot to skip through when I ride the Blazer!

This pic is at the top of a 3000 foot vertical drop off. You can just see my brother in the corner of the pic as he decided to take the plunge on his 450 Yami.

And a split second later...

It took him quite awhile to get back up as it was steep and greasy on the way back up. We decided to turn our group around as there were a few inexperienced riders with us and we did not want to put them in a situation that they could not handle. I am looking forward to our next trip back there so I can see how close to that mountain we can get! There were three quads ahead of us so I know that we can get over the next ridge for sure. If we are lucky there might be another cutline linking up so we can make it a loop instead of doubling back...if not I am sure we will still have fun!
:d

 

[Rockwerx]

Update. My brother called me a told me his engine is still not making proper compression. When I spoke to him on the phone when he was re-ringing his quad it sounded like it might need to be bored...as it turns out it does need to be bored to the next size piston. I might help him port it some more depending on what he did already of course. Hopefully we will be able to put the quads head to head sometime this July. If mine does not win I have a few more tricks up my sleeve!