2008 YAMAHA WOLVERINE 450 brakes

EBU17420
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SAFETY INFORMATION .............................. 1-1
LOCATION OF THE WARNING AND
SPECIFICATION LABELS ............................ 2-1
DESCRIPTION .............................................. 3-1
Left view ...................................................... 3-1
Right view.................................................... 3-1
Controls and instruments ............................ 3-2
INSTRUMENT AND CONTROL
FUNCTIONS .................................................. 4-1
Main switch ................................................ 4-1
Indicator lights and warning light ................ 4-2
Speedometer unit ....................................... 4-3
Handlebar switches .................................... 4-4
Throttle lever .............................................. 4-6
Speed limiter .............................................. 4-7
Front brake lever ........................................ 4-8
Brake pedal and rear brake lever ............... 4-8
Drive select lever ........................................ 4-9
Fuel tank cap .............................................. 4-9
Fuel ............................................................ 4-9
Fuel cock .................................................. 4-10Starter (choke) ..........................................4-12
Seat ..........................................................4-12
Storage compartment ...............................4-13
Adjusting the front shock absorber
assemblies ..............................................4-14
Adjusting the rear shock absorber
assembly .................................................4-16
PRE-OPERATION CHECKS ..........................5-1
Pre-operation check list ..............................5-1
Fuel .............................................................5-3
Engine oil ....................................................5-3
Final gear oil ...............................................5-3
Differential gear oil ......................................5-3
Coolant .......................................................5-3
Front and rear brakes .................................5-4
Throttle lever ...............................................5-5
Tires ............................................................5-5
Measuring the tire pressure ........................5-6
Tire wear limit .............................................5-7
Chassis fasteners .......................................5-7
Instruments, lights and switches .................5-7U3C262E0.book Page 1 Tuesday, June 26, 2007 3:36 PM

1-3
1 hill. If you stall or roll backwards, follow the spe-
cial procedure for braking described in this man-
ual. Dismount on the uphill side or to a side if
pointed straight uphill. Turn the ATV around and
remount, following the procedure described in
this manual.

Always check for obstacles before operating in a
new area.
Never attempt to operate over large obstacles,
such as large rocks or fallen trees. Always follow
proper procedures when operating over obsta-
cles as described in this manual.
Always be careful when skidding or sliding.
Learn 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 con-
trol.
Never operate an ATV in fast flowing water or in
water deeper than that recommended in this
manual. Remember that wet brakes may have
reduced stopping ability. Test your brakes after
leaving water. If necessary, apply them several
times to let friction dry out the linings.

Always be sure there are no obstacles or people
behind you when you operate in reverse. When
it is safe to proceed in reverse, go slowly.
Always use the size and type of tires specified in
this manual.
Always maintain proper tire pressure as de-
scribed in this manual.
Never modify an ATV through improper installa-
tion or use of accessories.
Never exceed the stated load capacity for an
ATV. Cargo should be properly distributed and
securely attached. Reduce speed and follow in-
structions in this manual for carrying cargo. Al-
low greater distance for braking.
WARNING
EWB00061
Always turn off the engine when refueling.
Do not refuel right after the engine has been
running and is still very hot.
Do not spill gasoline on the engine or ex-
haust pipe/muffler when refueling. Never re-
fuel while smoking, or in the vicinity of
sparks, open flames, or other sources of ig-
nition such as the pilot lights of water heat-
ers and clothes dryers. Gasoline can catch
fire and you could be burned.
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5-4
5
EBU19731Front and rear brakes Brake levers and brake pedal
Check that there is no free play in the front brake
lever. If there is free play, have a Yamaha dealer
check the brake system.
Check for correct free play in the rear brake le-
ver. If the free play is incorrect, adjust it. (See
page 8-42.)
Check for correct brake pedal height. If the pedal
height is incorrect, have a Yamaha dealer adjust
it.
Check the operation of the brake levers and
pedal. They should move smoothly and there
should be a firm feeling when the brakes are ap-
plied. If not, have a Yamaha dealer check the
brake system.
Brake fluid level
Check the brake fluid level. Add fluid if necessary.
(See page 8-39.)Brake fluid leakage
Check to see if any brake fluid is leaking out of the
pipe joints or brake fluid reservoirs. Apply the
brakes firmly for one minute. If a lever moves slow-
ly inward, there may be a leak in the brake system.
If there is any leakage, the brake system should be
checked by a Yamaha dealer.
Brake operation
Test the brakes at slow speed after starting out to
make sure they are working properly. If the brakes
do not provide proper braking performance, check
the brake pads for wear. (See page 8-38.)
WARNING
EWB00580Always check the brakes at the start of every
ride. Do not ride the ATV if you find any prob-
lem with the brakes or you could lose braking
ability, which could lead to an accident. If a
problem cannot be corrected by the adjust-
ment procedures provided in this manual, havea Yamaha dealer check for the cause.
Recommended brake fluid:
DOT 4
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6-6
6 incline, place the ATV transversely across the
incline, stop the engine, shift the drive select
lever to the park position, and then block the
front and rear wheels with rocks or other ob-
jects.
Do not park the ATV at all on hills that are so
steep you could not walk up them easily.
1. Bring the ATV to a stop by applying the
brakes.
2. Stop the engine.
3. With the brake pedal applied, shift the drive
select lever to the park position.
EBU20910Accessories and loading EBU20920Accessories
Accessories can affect the handling and control of
your ATV. Keep the following in mind when consid-
ering an accessory or operating an ATV which has
accessories.
Choose only accessories designed for your
ATV. Your Yamaha dealer has a variety of gen-
uine Yamaha accessories. Other accessories
may also be available on the market. However,
it is not possible for Yamaha to test all non-
Yamaha accessories, nor control over their qual-
ity or suitability. Choose a genuine Yamaha ac-
cessory, or one that is equivalent in design and
quality.
Accessories should be rigidly and securely
mounted. An accessory which can shift position
or come off while you are riding could affect your
ability to control the ATV.
Do not mount an accessory where it could inter-
fere with your ability to control the ATV. Exam-
ples include (but are not limited to) a heavy or
bulky object attached to the handlebars which
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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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7-16
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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7-19
7

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.
WARNING
EWB01640Never operate this ATV in fast flowing water or
in water deeper than that specified in your
Owner’s Manual. Remember that wet brakes
may have reduced stopping ability. Test your
brakes after leaving water. If necessary, apply
them several times to let friction dry out the lin-
ings. If the ATV is operated through deep or
fast flowing water, the tires may float, causing
loss of traction and loss of control, whichcould lead to an accident.
U3C262E0.book Page 19 Tuesday, June 26, 2007 3:36 PM