Replacing the Fuel Hose on Your 2011 Honda TRX500 Foreman Power Steering 4x4

Shop parts for a 2011 Honda TRX500 Foreman 4X4 POWER STEERING (FM2) ATV.

This is a job that goes badly only when it is started unprepared. The 2011 Foreman with power steering runs a carburetor, so the fuel system is simple and gravity fed, with a petcock under the tank controlling flow. Nothing about the repair is difficult, but you are working with an open fuel line in a confined space, and how you set up matters more than how fast you wrench.

Setting Up Before You Touch a Fitting

Collect the following and lay it out where you can reach it one–handed:

  • Rubber or nitrile gloves and eye protection
  • An approved sealed container for the fuel you drain
  • Replacement hose in the same inside diameter as the original
  • New clamps sized for your Foreman's fittings, or a small assorted clamp kit
  • Flat–blade screwdriver, sockets for the seat and fender panels, a sharp razor blade
  • A stack of rags and a sealed LED work light

Now the part that is easy to skip and should not be. Gasoline vapor is heavier than air and collects at floor level, which is exactly where you will be kneeling with your face near the tank. Roll the quad outside or open the overhead door fully; an open window at head height does nothing for vapor sitting on the concrete. Shut off any heater with a pilot light, unplug the battery charger, keep grinders and other spark sources out of the space, and never work over a drop light with an exposed bulb.

Understanding Why the Rubber Failed

Fuel hose degrades on a timeline, not a mileage figure. The softeners in the rubber gradually leach out until the wall is stiff and glassy, at which point it stops springing back around the barb and simply cracks instead. Heat off the 475cc single accelerates it, and hard miles across rutted ground flex the hardened areas until fissures open. Dry, low–humidity climates make this noticeably worse by pulling moisture out of the hose and hardening it from the exterior inward.

Inside the hose, ethanol–blended fuel does its own damage. E10 draws in water and breaks down the liner over time, especially through months of sitting with fuel in the system between riding seasons. The hose ends up brittle on the outside and gummy on the inside, and because this Foreman feeds a carburetor, that shed material settles in the float bowl where it eventually restricts a jet.

Symptoms Worth a Second Look

Most failing lines announce themselves early. A gasoline smell that lingers around the machine long after shutdown is the first hint. A puddle or wet shadow on the skid plate confirms it, and a gravity–fed carbureted quad tends to leave that evidence honestly rather than misting it away the way a pressurized injected system does. Pinch along the hose looking for hard stretches, chalky texture, and cracks that open when flexed, and check for grit stuck in a damp band at either fitting. Running symptoms count as well: bogging under throttle, a lean hesitation, or an engine acting starved when the tank is clearly not empty.

Working the Old Line Free

Start by turning the petcock to OFF, the one convenience an injected machine cannot offer since it has no valve and requires bleeding pump pressure first. Remove the seat and the panels covering the tank so you can trace the hose from the petcock spigot to the carburetor inlet without guessing.

Slide the catch pan into position and open the float bowl drain screw to empty the carburetor. That prevents bowl fuel from spilling back down the hose the moment you separate a fitting, and it lets you see what sediment has been accumulating. Push both clamps well back along the hose before disturbing either end. Twist each hose end gently to shear the varnish that has bonded it to the barb over the years, and if it still will not move, slit it lengthwise with the razor and peel it away rather than prying on a brass spigot that can crack.

Pay attention to the path the hose takes. On a 4x4 Foreman the front differential and its supporting hardware crowd the area, so the line clears more frame points than a two–wheel–drive quad requires, and each retaining clip is holding it away from heat and steering travel.

Installation and the Final Leak Check

Cut the new hose to the exact length of the old one. Surplus length chafes on the frame or binds at full lock, while a short piece pulls at its fittings until one works loose. Seat each end fully onto its barb, dry. Grease, oil, and silicone have no business on a fuel fitting because lubricant on the sealing surface gives fuel a path to creep out under the clamp, and that is a frequent cause of a leak showing up on an otherwise tidy install. Soften a stubborn end in hot water for a few seconds if it resists.

Set new clamps just behind the raised bead at each fitting and snug them evenly, firm rather than crushing. Return the hose to its original clips, keeping a smooth radius through every bend so nothing kinks. Close the float bowl drain, turn the petcock back to ON, and let gravity fill the line and bowl while you watch both joints closely, which is the whole leak test on a carbureted machine.

Wipe each fitting with a clean rag, look once more for dampness, then start the engine and let it idle with the bodywork still off. Heat and vibration will find a marginal connection that a static check missed, so give it several minutes before you call the job done and reinstall the panels. The tank vent hose is worth a glance at the same time, since it has aged just as long as the line you replaced.

Related Shopping Categories

Shop Fuel Lines for a 2011 Honda TRX500 Foreman 4X4 POWER STEERING (FM2) ATV.

Shop Fuel Line Clamps for a 2011 Honda TRX500 Foreman 4X4 POWER STEERING (FM2) ATV.

Shop Petcocks for a 2011 Honda TRX500 Foreman 4X4 POWER STEERING (FM2) ATV.

Shop Fuel Filters for a 2011 Honda TRX500 Foreman 4X4 POWER STEERING (FM2) ATV.

Shop Fuel Stabilizer for a 2011 Honda TRX500 Foreman 4X4 POWER STEERING (FM2) ATV.

Disclaimer: This guide is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended to replace your ATV's official owner's manual. Always refer to your manufacturer's documentation for model-specific instructions, torque specifications, safety procedures, and maintenance requirements. If you are unsure or inexperienced, consider seeking assistance from a qualified mechanic or technician.