I just changed the diff fluid in the front and rear and it was nasty. The diff vents are sealed on the 500i cats, I don't know about the others. The goo must be getting past the seals. Anyway, heads up, mine looked like swamp water. You might want to check yours out.

 

How many miles did you have on the bike, and do you do a lot of mud/water riding.

Cheers Jim [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img]

 

All mud and water ridin. If it's trails I don't want it.

About 100 miles I think.

 

Hey, Cat500i Did you use a synthetic lub , I read that the limited-slip works better with a synthetic lub. I think that I will try it what do you think?

 

I used regular 80w-90 diff fluid. I had to flush it twice it was so nasty.

I wouldn't use synthetic in the front because of the clutch packs. Synthetic lube might let them slip even more causing less traction.

 

If the front end is the same as in the past 500 models there is no clutches in the front end. Instead they use ratcheting cones with a torque bias of 50%. A typical clutched limited slip front end has bias of around 30%, Greg Hall did a reply to a readers question on the subjectsee below.
Name: Rob Alford
Email: rlalford@hotmail.com


According to Arctic Cat's literature, the 454 4x4 has a ratchet-type front differential that is supposed to be better than the other systems on the market. Do you know anything about this system and how well it works?


ATV: Arctic Cat Bearcat 454 4x4
Category: Clutch/Transmission/DriveTrain
Date: 08-Feb-98
Ref#: 2391

Rob,

It just so happens that I recently completed a story on 4x4 front differential types for DIRT WHEELS for the (scheduled) April '98 issue. Below is a sample of what pertains to your machine.

"The other type of limited-slip differential used in ATVs is the all metal 'ratcheting cone' type. Instead of multi-plate clutch packs, there are right and left 'face' cams that receive the torque from movable cam followers that ride in slots and pick up torque from the drive shaft. When a slippage is sensed and a wheel rotates faster than its counterpart, the face cam for that wheel will change speed (usually increase). This forces the cam follower to move in its slot causing that face cam-to-cam follower-to-pinion gear (driveshaft) to have a lower effective gear ratio and that wheel rotates slower than the other side which gets a 'higher' gear ratio and that face cam and wheel rotates faster. The cam followers will 'ratchet' in their slots until approximately 50% of the torque is distributed to each wheel. So the 'torque bias' for this system is set at 50%. "





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Check your diff seals for debree that can get between the seal & shaft, I've seen blades of swamy grass get in there & alow water into diff pot.

 

Ive heard of some people that ride in mud and water using marine gear lube

 

JKB--Good job on the info, but ODB had a front diff diagram and it showed to have clutches. I don't know for sure which type it has. The dirty howie locker info shows that he replaces the clutch packs with locking gears. By the performance I would guess that it is a clutch pack design but again I don't know for sure.

The newer honda diff sounds like the locking cone type. It would almost always pull both tires. Usually one faster than the other.

Where's the cat guys when ya need em.

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Now you really have me wondering if it has been changed to a conventional limited slip. In 2000 they advertised as having a torque sensing front end, and on mine it worked very well. In the parts breakdown they look the same other than the ratcheting cone used to be a seperate piece and now are part of the crown. The bike would 3 whell but you had to have one tire in the air. As long as the tire with the least traction had some grip both would turn. I did lots of comparisons in real life stuff on the trails with two buds and there was no question that it easily out performed them. When I spoke with my dealer before buying this bike I asked him about a locker and his response was do you think you really need it based on your experiance with the Cat front end. Needless to say I bought the bike based on my past performance. The old front end would stay with a locker in all but rare and extreme circumstances. Given that this bike will articulate better than my Act supension and assuming that the front end is unchanged I look forward to this weekends run. This will be wet and muddy, spring thaw and close to 35 mm rain down.

Cheers Jim Text