I have right at 400 miles on my 650. I was going up a hill when it started spinning out to the right. I thought I just ran up on a log, my buddy yelled hey, your wheel is falling off. I then realized the right rear axle broke. After further review it broke right at the end of the threads on the outside by the wheel, flush with the back of the nut. Then I noticed somehow, that day I ripped a boot on the OTHER SIDE, just my luck! It did not make a sound. It looks like bad metal. The cross section of the shaft looked like the sun . With a circle in the middle and rays coming from it! Service manager actually agreed it looks like faulty metal, wich floored me I was like Rocky Last night preparing for a fight, as usaul with waranty work at my dealer. Anybody else have axle problems like that? Just curious!

 

your the 4th person i heard about this problem which side broke they seem to be breaking right at the end of the threads where they meet the spline?

 

I broke the right rear! On the outside Never heard a sound it was weird!

 

i was reading the highlifter forum and a few guys there had them break at the same spot as yours did with no warning at all this sounds like a concern ive got 565 miles on mine now and ive been running 28 in tires for 400 miles whats is weird about it they all seem to break at low speed? it sounds as though they are having some casting problems. is your dealer going to warrenty this for you? and have they heard about this problem?

 

I just heard from the Service manager, Yes it is warrantied but I still have to pay the 50 dollar deductable, that kinda aggravates me this one is cllearly a factory mess up not from use or abuse! The SM said he thought it was overtourqed at the factory and possibly started sepperateing the last thread and then I was basically riding with a 7/16 axle diameter instead of the 3/4 or whatever it is. All the power on the half strength shaft just weakend until it gave out going up a hill nice and easy! The center of the shaft just looked like a traditional slightly twisted broken bolt. His theory make sense to me ! He told me he had never seen anything like it I will ask him if AC had any other info on the situation.

 

Hey guys,all welcome over at ActicChat.com,all actic cat,all the time.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

I've sold several people outer cv joint kits for the same reason. They must have a hardening problem. If you over harden the metal it will become brittle. I'd hang onto you old units in case there is some type of law suite later. That can be damn dangerous at 60 mph.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

 

Good call on keeping the axle. The dealership said they had to keep it for a month or two incase the factory wanted it. I will tell them I want it asap! They stuck by the story "this is the only one we know of!"

 

I have about 500 hours on my 2004 arctic cat 650 and was riding down a steep mountain and had to pump my brakes to stop.After stopping and further inspection the right rear wheel axil nut had sheared off.I was seven miles from the trial head and by using the winch to pull up the right rear wheel and riding side saddle and with a tow up the mountain trails we were able to get it back to the trial head.This caused considerable damage to the outer ball joint and brake assembly.I have taken it to the dealer and he thinks it will be covered under the warranty.He has never haerd of this happening before.Sounds like to me there is some type of problem with this axil nut.

 

I was riding mine down the drive last friday and I turned around and heard a pop and then went to the other end of my drive and went a small hill and the left wheel fell off. I loaded the 4-wheeler up and brought it to the shop. I bought mine aug 4 of this year. I have 580 miles on mine. He called arctic cat and they said that some of the axle were not heat treated right and they are having problems with them. He stuck a used one in there so that I could use the 4-wheeler this weekend and he is going to order me a new one. He said that when he gets the new one in he will the right one and the front one and run the serial numbers on them to make sure that they are not from the batch that was messed up.