Hey, does your Arctic-Cat lock in to true 4WD?

 

I don't know what type of answers you will get from him or anyone else, but mine doesn't, and I have a feeling that none of them ever "Lock" into anything.

 

I think Arctic Cat 500's have limited-slip front differentials; while the Arctic Cat 300's front differential is identical to the Suzuki King Quad's locking front differential, Arctic Cat provides no linkage for engaging this feature.

WHOA! I just read the ATV Connection AC 500 review; please see my next post.

Tree Farmer

 

Revising and extending my remarks above; I just read the ATV Connection review of the new AC 500, wherein it states the Quadrunner 500 has an automatically locking front differential.

News to me!

The mechanism is not new; my F150 has automatically-locking differentials front and rear, E-Z Locker and Detroit Locker, respectively.

These diffenentials lock up when torque is applied through the driveshafts; there is no reason this technique cannot be adapted for ATV differentials.

I'll be interested in learning more about the automatically-locking differentials on the new Arctic Cats.

Tree Farmer

 

Jim, I'm thinking myself that its the same old differential that they always had. If it was improved in someway, I would figure that they would have made a strong statement about it, how about you? Suzuki used to claim that their 4wd system was suposed to do things that it never did in tests. AC was about the same way with theirs. As far as any locking action, I would have to read something further to have any faith in it.

 

RideRed:
I'm not sure how exactly to answer your question: The 2000 AC brochure says that the AC 500 Auto has the "torque sensing front differential", as stated in the new 2001 AC 500 manual, also found on the review on the front of the connection. In 2000 the Auto was the only AC machine with that front end. New for 2001, they put it on the 500 manual, and also the 400, which can be found on page 11 of the 2001 brochure. With that said, I'll try to tackle your question.

Hummmm... For true "locking" front end, I would have to say no, it doesn't, as it takes some amount of wheel slippage for the front to "engage". I think I must be the "third" person on Andy's list of the "break-tapping" technique, which will engage the front tire if it isn't spinning. Quite some time back, I posted a question about why everybody was having trouble climbing hills, and spinning tires. I said that "as of yet, I had not had that happen". I got quite a rashion of sh_t from several people who couldn't understand why I wasn't spinning or why I couldn't get the three wheel thing going, with one stuck doing nothing. I did the block test thing, like Andy had mentioned, and sure enough, the big 'Cat just sat there with the tire in the air spinning madly. I still don't quite understand it, as in theory, it should have pulled it right off the blocks. However, out wheeling, I still haven't been able to get the three wheel thing going, and actually gotten stuck from it. I've even been crawling up hills with one front tire in the air spinning, but the other three were pulling too, so it was in "true" four wheel drive. I'm not sure what exactly is going on in the front differential of my 'Cat, but it does act the way they described it in the review, and I've never been stuck in a three wheel spot with one spinning madly. (As of yet) I'll probably get attacked for this one, but I'm not sure how else to explain it. I think for a true "locking" front end, you'd have to have a locker of some kind, which I don't think is available yet for the AC's. Though, you can get the 300's to "lock" like the Suzuki's do. Hope that helps.

Take Care!

Mike

 

I too have a 2000 autocat and have yet to have it do the three wheel thing. I have had one front wheel in the air while climbing out of kelly humps and stream beds and had the other front wheel merrily pulling along as witnessed by the large amount of mud that the front fenders don't stop.

I have a relative that works at the plant in Minnesota and he says that it takes a large torque differential for the front to lock up. That is why you hear noises from the front end while going down hill in 2 wheel drive and applying the rear brake only on the autos and 01's. It is caused by uneven torque sensing. Cowboy try putting it up in the air and trying to stop both front wheels then immediatly try and stop just one, bet you can't. The torque sensing cams will be engaged and both wheels will spin. By having it up in the air and only trying to stop just one wheel there isn't enough of a difference in the torque between both wheels with no load applied.

 

Maybe so, Andy--a properly-functioning limited-slip differential biases torque from the spinning wheel to the one with traction (usually, through spring-loaded internal clutches sandwiched between the spinning wheel's axle's side gear and the differential gear carrier). The desired result is both front wheels turning in situations when one tire loses traction. However, even if both wheels turn, they are not "locked," rather, they are connected by the friction of the internal limited-slip differential clutches. (Not to say, the advertising department might not call this condition, "locked!")

Most ATV's seem to work like they had conventional or open differentials, with very little to no torque biasing at all; that is, if one tire loses traction, it spins while the tire with traction sits still.

If an automatic locker, instead of a limited-slip differential, is featured on the new AC, I agree with you, Andy--looks like AC would crow more loudly about this innovation. A check of the exploded parts diagram of the 2001 AC front end should establish the differential type employed.

Bottom line: either a functioning limited-slip differential, or an automatic locker, is good, if it doesn't leave you mired in the muck with three wheels spinning.

Tree Farmer

 

Minehunter:
Thank You! I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one with a '00 Auto 'Cat who hasn't had the three wheel thing happen yet. I was out today pulling logs, and bundles of fence posts up at the ranch for most of the day. Don't have any troubles at all, until the log I am pulling gets caught on another tree or stump, then stops me dead in my tracks. It happened going up hill a few times, and all four wheels dug huge holes. I was forced to back up and out of the holes I had just dug, and try a different route around. I too have seen the three wheels on the ground, with one in the air, and all four pulling merrily along, just like you mentioned. Sure works out nice I must say, glad I haven't been stuck with the three wheel thing yet. Thanks for explaining the torque sensing deal too.

Take care and happy trails!

Mike