First it must be shaft drive.
Then preferably have a differential lock.
Or if no diff lock it must have dual rear brakes.

I found the '04 Kawasaki 300 Bayou to have all three...shaft...lock...dual brakes. 04 looks to be the last year for the 300. Is there any other 2WD that I might look for in addition to the 300 Bayou 4x2? Am not looking for new production just something used ~5 years back or older.

Thanks for any help.

 

How does a 2wd have diff lock?,It does not have 3wd yet AWD.

 

there's no diff lock on a 4x2!
a diff-loc is for the front diff on a 4x4 atv. all rear diffs are posi.


ooops- didn't see TLC already pointed that out.

 

So all 4x2s are posi-traction as in...one wheel can never just spin by itself while the other does not turn at all...like a car will do when stuck in mud? I was thinking the diff on most 4x2 was a regular differential after I read about the Kawasaki "dual-mode" with "dfferential lock" on the Bayou 300. It does state that this "dual-mode" offers differential drive that doesn't tare up a turf...maybe that is the reason for the locking differential...I dunno. So far that is the only 4x2 that advertised having a locking diff.

I don't care what I get as long as I end up with some type of posi-trac rear end in a 4x2...where if one wheel looses traction the other will still turn. Since it has to have a shaft as opposed to chain the sportquads are out.

Thanks

 

I believe you are correct about the Bayou 300. It is 2wd but you can unlock one wheel so it doesn't tear up the yard. My friend has one and he put a mower in front and mows his lawn. I don't know if anyone else makes one but I know the Bayou IS one. But, he has ruined the automatic clutch because the speed he mowed at was like a creep so the clutch was always in & out & in & out. Always slipping. So, just be warned about that.

 

There might be a feature where you can "unlock" the rear diff to go into "turf" mode- I think new polaris's comes with this feature- but as far as I know, all IRS rear diffs are limmited slip, where power is transferred from one tire to the other depending on traction, but you shouldn't need to unlock a rear diff, the design alone allows the outside tire to spin faster then the inside tire - only SRA's will give you full time equal tire spin- when you mention "locking diff's" most people will assume you're talking about the front diff on a 4x4 atv that locks up.

 

Almost every quad ever made is a simple system where both rear wheels turn at the same speed. Try taking a 2wd on pavement and you'll see what I mean. The quad wants to keep going straight because both back wheels are pushing. Polaris had Turf Mode on the Polaris ATP, Sportsman X2, and Sportsman Touring. It's a great feature to have especially with the longer 2-up machines.

 

yes, the kawasaki bayou 300 2wd models had a 'locking rear diffrential' and yes, it was basically an early version of 'turf mode'

 

I stand corrected. Was it a Spicer like the Polaris machines?

 

Ran across info on another 4x2 in the '80s. Yamaha TerraPro...it even had a pto for a mower attachment.

For the Bayou 4x2, anyone know what the reduction ratio is. I don't have one to test but have decided on this model for a build project and just antsy about the design.

Thanks