The latest I heard from Kawasaki was for the recall of all rear axles not marked with a D,E,N,O,U, or W. If you have any of these letters you are O.K. I am waiting for the "axle kits" to arrive at the Dealership, but am still riding. I have finished the break-in and first service but I am taking it easy on the axle, just in case. The recall people also said they changed some of the torque settings for the CVT to make it a quieter. The CVT was not a safety issue. Only a handful of ATV's have an axle from the questionable batch.

Note: I am not suprised to hear how many Dealerships start ripping around the parking lot on the first new Prairies they receive. I thought the one-half throttle maximum for 10 hrs. of break-in time was important? The engine designers seem to think so? Maybe all of these Dealers have PHD's in Mechanical Engineering or something? I think they should all have a unit for demo's and test rides, but that it should be sold as a used unit. That is why I tried picking mine up as soon as it arrived. I have heard stories of people with a cash deposit on the Prairie for 8 months visiting their Dealership a seeing a salesman wheeling it in the parking lot to show off to the girls that work there, (which are usually attractive). If that was my unit I would like to borrow the salesman car, if it is not a piece of junk, or maybe the dealers Hummer and give them a little thrashing(it might be difficult to thrash a Hummer though). My Dealer charged me over $300 for "set-up", and when I asked the "set-up" manager if they forgot the rubber seal protectors you see in the press intro pictures, he said that all they do is uncrate them and add gas and that he didn't assemble anything. The dealer says that "set-up" means that they assemble and maticulously examine every inch of the ATV. I think they test/joy ride the first units that come in and "maticulously" count their money! Did this happen with the Raptors when they first came out?

 

I agree about the dealers and break-in period. I told my dealer that I wanted it right away as soon as it came in. I remember when the raptor first came out and I went to a dealer to check it out. I asked if they tried it out, and they said they were whipping around on it in a field out back and it is very fast. Unless the raptor doesn't require a break-in period, I don't think its good for it. And they were selling it as a new machine.

As far as those rubber axles covers on the rear axle, mine doesn't have them either.

 

Where are these letters located on the axles?

 

A single letter should be stamped on the left end of the axle. Just pull the rubber boot off of the left end axle nut, in the center of the wheel, and you should see it. Good luck.....