
Product Review |
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| Product: | - Symtec Four Zone Winter Pack |
| Vehicle: | - Kawasaki Brute Force 650 |
Four Zone Controller Installation: |
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| The first step is to lay out all of the parts and come up with a plan for install. I recommend finding a place for the controller and mounting it before any of the other components. This controller mount is one of the easiest and convenient that I have used. Electrical hook up and mounting was very simple. When choosing a mounting location, remember that there are two accessory ports on the bottom of the unit that need to be accessible for the vest, seat heater, or boot heaters. Follow the manufacturer’s directions and always check the machine’s wires with a voltmeter before assuming that you have the correct wire. Always go directly to the chasis or negative side of the battery rather than connecting your ground wire to an OEM wire that you assume is ground. | |
Grip Heater Installation: |
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| Check the fitment (length and diameter) before you start to remove your old grips. These grips are installed using WD-40 instead of glue and I found the install to be pretty easy. I usually have problems with normal grips tearing and coming loose when the glue is heated up. This design has been rock solid and I have not had any problems. I could have saved a bunch of money if I had gone with this grip system years ago. | |
Seat Heater Installation: |
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| You will need a stapler, long drill bit, staple removal tool (flat head screw driver works), sealant (I used industrial hot glue), hammer, and a soft surface to work on so you don’t tear the vinyl on your seat. First, you will need to remove the back half of the seat cover. This is done by removing the staples on the underside of the seat while being very cautious to not tear the vinyl. The instructions for this seat heater tell the installer to run the cable down the back of the seat and tuck it under to run up to the controller. This is a problem for the Kawasaki Prairie/Brute Force. If I were to install the cable this way, the cable would pinch as soon as the seat was installed and the cable would be too short to make it to the controller located on the handle bars. To remedy the situation, I drilled a hole in the plastic towards the middle of the seat, ran the cable down and then forward. If you go this route, you need to be very careful not to catch your drill bit in the foam causing seat cushion damage. Also, you will need to check for clearance before choosing a spot to drill; you wouldn’t want the cable to be too close to heat or possible pinch/wear spots. In order to make my seat removable, I had to add an extension cable with matching plugs running from the controller to just under the seat where the heater element plug comes out. I also had to add an adhesive strip to the loose side of the heater element. Originally I tried the seat heater without modifying it and the element bunched up under the vinyl causing creases in the element and a poor finished look on the vinyl. I had to remove the seat cover and add the second strip of adhesive. | |
Vest Installation: |
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| Put it on and plug it in to the four zone controller. | |
Review: |
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The installation was straight forward and fairly simple with the exception of the seat heater element. Symtec has been notified of the issues that we had and we were told that no changes would be made to the seat heater element. I recommend that you order an extra extension cable like the one that comes with the vest so you can modify it like I did. Also, you can either add some thin two sided tape, or hot glue to the loose side of the heater element to hold it in place.
This is the first system that I know of to offer 4 zones of independent adjustment for perfect heat distribution. I am very happy with how easy the system is to use. With the memory feature, you don’t need to reset all of your zones when you turn the machine off and on for short ride breaks. I would like to see a preset feature added though, so you can go all on and all off with the touch of a button rather than adjusting each zone to off when the heat isn’t needed. The grips are comfortable, yet very durable. By now, if I was using the grips that I used to, I would have gone through at least 3 different sets. The vest is comfortable and is very adjustable. I am using the 3XL vest and it fits more snug than any of my 3XL ski jackets or coats, but the length is just right. |
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Bottom Line |
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SYMTEC, Inc.
6227 University Ave NE
Fridley, MN 55432Phone: (763) 571-9193
Fax: (763) 571-9194