Alright. This is what I would like to see done. Wish I had the skill to do it because if I did I think I'd be rich.
These companies are making lockers for these machines but many people don't want them because they don't want the difficult steering all the time. Yamaha machines aren't exempt from it in 2 wheel drive either as both wheels are still locked just not being driven. This is what I propose.

Locking hubs!? Simple enuf and helps honda riders two fold.

I for one don't like being in 4X4 all the time as it makes for a tiring trip if I'm on tight trails and doing what it takes to rip the rear end around. I'd love to be able to simply step off of my 450s and turn the "Highlifter ATV Locking Hubs" *hint hint* and be in two wheel drive. Then I wouldn't be getting worn out on the hardpack and wouldn't be doing unneccasary wear on the machine. Then, when I come to the rocks or mud or hills, I just step off and lock my handy dandy "Higlifter ATV Locking Hubs" back in and away I go. Fearless and flying.

Now I know Polaris riders are going to say "haha, we don't have to worry about that" but I prefer to have my four wheels turning when I want them turning not when the machine tells me they are going to turn. Especially when climbing rocks and logs.


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Chris "Tat dain't no darn mudhole, tat's a wadder puddle" Pyle

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Buy a Suzuki King Quad or Quadrunner 250 4x4 and all your problems will be solved. That's why I bought mine.

Duncan Currie

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'93 Suzuki LT-F4WD (Warrior coming soon)

 

Not to knock your machine but my grandfather has one and I hate it. No power, No groundclearance, No suspension, and unless you take out the safety pin - no speed when locked. I'll stick to my Honda thanX!

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Chris "Tat dain't no darn mudhole, tat's a wadder puddle" Pyle

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Nice a ideas. Wish highlifter would just make a locker you could lock and unlock.

Mud600

 

H MAN,I dont know if I got the only flawless working AWD system in the world,but if every AWD system works like mine does,than why dont the manufactures all go to AWD?I to like the 2wd option.And I also like the way the Polaris turns ALL 4 tires in AWD instead of three like on limited slip front ends.I think going to AWD is a good solution as long as they all work as well as mine. BILL

 

Bill, no offense but I do NOT want AWD. Nor do I want a self locking limited slip like the Traxter. I want two wheel drive until I put it in 4 wheel drive. 4-wheel drive means all 4 wheels turning at all times. Not three until the tires spin enough to engage the fourth (traxter), nor does it mean 2 wheel drive until the back tires spin 20 percent faster than the fronts to engage the front wheels (Polaris).
I want all 4 wheels getting power all the time. This is the best way for rock hopping. You can put it in first gear and just crawl along with true four wheel drive. So AWD is not as perfect as all Polaris riders think. Polaris is good in the mud but not near as good in the rocks.

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Chris "Tat dain't no darn mudhole, tat's a wadder puddle" Pyle

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Have you guys e-mailed highlifter on your ideas. I know if highlifter made a Locker kit that you could unlock and lock your self that I would buy one. And alot other people with fulltime 4wds would buy one. I think highlifter would sell alot more lockers if you had the option of unlocking them and locking them yourself. Yes it would probably be alot more money. But, I like having a quad that you can have in 2wd so you can slide around and play more with it instead of a sure footed fulltime 4x4. Plus it saves alot of energy being out of 4wd and not having a locked diff. I think the best set up for my Grizzly would be a locker that could be unlocked. I hope Highlifter reads this. What do you guys think?

Mud600

 

I e-mailed Scott, the owner of Highlifter. I will see if he gives any reply this afternoon.

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Arctic Cat 500, Not your average Kitty, The New King Of the Jungle

 

Someone like Highlifter offering hubs for ATV’s that can lock/unlock manually is a great idea. But this would be a little more difficult that in sounds.

For Honda (or others), you would still have to install the locker kit that Highlifter already has for sale (which basically eliminates the differential action), in addition to the lock/un-lock hubs. Or else you would still have limited slip. The shafts aren't just spinning in the hubs (like a Polaris), it's the differential that prevents both shafts going to each wheel from turning, not the hubs.

If Honda (or others) came stock with the diff lock, then lock/unlockable hubs would probably go over better. It's just it would require more parts, more difficult installation, and a lot higher price than that current locker kit.

Add up the cost of the current Highlifter locker kit. Now add the cost of a set of hubs that lock/unlock. Now go look at your front end, and see how difficult it would be for "average Joe" to install all this stuff. That's where the problem lies.

I think all 4x4 quads should come the Suzuki King Quad 4x4 system. It works well, and is simple to operate. I guess cost, and having more parts to break as well as possible patents Suzuki might have, is what prevents it. I like how on the Polaris system you can put it in 4x4 "on the fly," but unless you have a split brake kit, you will run into some scary down hills since all the wheels aren’t always linked together.


[This message has been edited by quad_man (edited 09-12-1999).]

 

Adam, I'm well aware of the differential being what keeps both wheels from spinning. I stated that I would have to have unlockable hubs to put a locker in for this reason. Even if you could take it out of 4X4 the front would make it hard to steer as the front wheels would still be locked together. Thats why "stated toward Honda in this case" I said that they should make a lockable hub. You could get two benifits from this. One, you could effectivly take it out of 4-wheel drive, and two, disengage the wheels from the locked differential which would allow them to spin freely allowing for ease of steering.
As to your statement about ease of installation. I know that most people around here don't have the know how to do more than change oil (some don't even do that) so I would assume most would take their machine to a qualified shop anyway.


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Chris "Tat dain't no darn mudhole, tat's a wadder puddle" Pyle

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