Hey all you traxter owners, you may want to check your bikes shift linkage. My low range starting slipping in and out so i decided to figure out what the heck was going on. After taking off the right front inner fender, I found that the shift arm, which has a tie rod end on either side, had lock nuts on both ends that were loose! the arm could be easily rotated by hand! this was my problem. After fartin around with the adjustment, I got it just right. Tightened everything up. All OK

John C

 

My Traxter XT had similar problems when it was new. It would not stay in low range, kept slipping out. I too removed a bunch of plastic panels and had a look around, what I was able to find was that the soft rubber boot around the shifter was putting pressure on the shifter and subsequently on the linkage when the machine was in low. Since I removed the offensive piece it has not slipped out of low range. It also shifts easier into and out of ALL the gears.

Since I'm no longer afraid of it kicking out I have been putting it through its paces, so to speak. It really is an awesome machine in the mud and has proven to be a real comfortable trail machine. I weigh 260lbs and this thing doesn't even notice I'm on it. I wish it had a more substantial hitch on it so I could put it to the test towing stuff around.

 

How does your traxter shift? Can you shift while sitting still? Sometimes I can and sometimes it sqeals then shifts. Also when you rev yours up, does it make a 'hydrolic' noise? It's hard to describe. I've also found that if you hold the shifter button down until it shifts, it seems to do it smoother (my imagination?)
I've been playing in the mud with mine too. The front diff works pretty slick. I wish there was a way to play in the mud without getting it dirty
;-)

John C

 

I know it's a pain, but I find that if you take the time to hose the machine off real good EVERY time you use it it makes things a lot easier. The mud and grass and sticks and stuff that build up under the machine can take their toll on it mechanically and make for a messy situation when maintenance is required.

The traxter shifts gears OK, I do notice that if you're sitting still it takes longer, but beyond that I never really nitced any problems. There is a more pronounced noise when it shifts gears sitting still, as well.

While riding this afternoon I heard a popping noise in the transmission like it wanted to kick out of gear again (I was in low rang, third gear). I reached down and "repositioned" the shifter in low range which consists now of a few choice swear words and a hard pull backwards. I thought I had the low range problem licked, but maybe not. It is FAR less frequent now, but still not acceptible for a $7K ATV. Bombardier, get ready to go round and round on this one...

 

We're talking about being in low range and it kicking out of gear and getting stuck between gears and just reving and then the clunk, back in gear. The dealer replaced the solinoid and I still do not have the bike back but it happened the first day. Be a little more specific johnc about your fix and problem and hope together we can fix this. I'm getting the bike back tomorrow but I'll tell them first to check the linkage, on the shifter itself? Becuase if it was the shifter it would kick out on all gears. I think we're dealing with electrical here if it kicks out of gears in low range. The shifter I think is just a bad design( the only one ) you just have to get use to it, what do I know though. I just bought the XT and it did this, my uncle, whom owns a electric shift foreman said the solinoid doesn't seem to be engage the gear fully in the low range. We should stay on top of this beacuse the dealer said that he couldn't even get it to kick out of gear. I'll write back tomorrow to tell how it runs, and i think he said something about Bombardier knows about the problem.

 

Thanks everyone for the info on the linkage, I will pass it on to my pop. His tends to be a little hard to shift, unless you pull up on the handle while shifting.

It sounds like between the two(three) Bombardier quads, the most problems is with poor assembly quality control. They need to whip those assemblers more I guess :-)

Laters,
CRT_Leech

 

Hey here is a little more info for those of us with problems in low range and kicking out of gear. Bombardier has a pressure valve that they are sending out for the transmission, to give it more pressure to engage the gear more fully. The dealer said that it isn't a recall but it's for the bikes that are having transmission problems. I guesss the fix is a little easier then replacing the trans itself. So if your bikes do not need the fix just be happy with the poorly design shifter. I'll have the XT back on Thursday and we'll see how it does then, stay on top of this problem Traxter owners.

 

My symptoms included popping out of low gear as I was traveling. It appeared to go 'in-between' low and high. If i pulled back on the shifter, it would go back in gear (low) but as soon as i let it go, it would pop out again. This did not happen when i bought it new as i tested it out very thouroughly. Also I put on about 30 miles before it reared its ugly head.
Now the fix...If you take the seat off and look down near the right front of the engine/tranny you'll see the 'rotator' for the tranny gear selector. Follow that back up to the inside of the right front fender (you'll need to take off the inner fneder- 2 bolts and slide) and you'll see the arm i spoke about in the first post. It has 2 'tie rod ends' one on each end that can be adjusted. The arm itself has locknuts that back into and hold the tie rod ends, These nuts were totally backed off....like someone forgot to tighten them at the factory! The arm was VERY loose and had creeped out of adjustment! I backed out the arm and after about 5 mins had it dead on. Tightened the lock nuts (like theyu were supposed to be) and I've not had a problem since

As far as my shifter, on occasion i hear a low pitched screech then the shift completes. This occurs more frequently when:
1) i'm not moving or
2) i'm going very slow or
3) i 'flick' the shift button

If i'm traveling at a higher speed, the shift appears to go better. if i'm at a high rpm, it appears to go better. Also, if i hold the shift button in until the shift completes, it shifts better.
I've changed the oil to 5w-30 which seems to help (thx sprint pusher). Also If the machine is really warm...i.e. idled for a while, the shift is crisper. I think the machine is still breaking in (< 50 miles) so i'll give it more time. I REALLY like the machine and if this is the only problem I have...that's cool. After all I had a polaris.....;-)

P.s. where did you get the info on the modulator/controller for the tranny? I'd be interested in passing this info to my dealer..JC

 

I don't know if we're talking about the same things here but mine was in low range and getting stuck between gears, kicking out and then the wheels would stop spinning and then clunk back in. But the dealer here has been working over time and I don't know if it's a official recall but bambardier is sending a pressure valve to provide a little more fluid to engage the gears more fully. I really don't know anymore details about the mechanical aspect of the work but the bike is an XT with less then 100 miles on it. Sorry I can't help, maybe I'll ask more question on Thursday when the bike comes back.