Hello all, new to the site and what I can see will be here a lot. Good Forum. Anyways, I have a 98 4x4 and seems that the 4x4 will not engage. This type of bike uses a leaver (Pull = 2x4 push = 4x4) and will not seem to engage. I can follow the leaver and it seems that it’s putting it in 4 wheel drive but will not engage. Where should I start? I have already had it to a shop and then said seemed to be working fine, and they tightened the leaver up. $50 later I am still in the same spot.

 

How do you know it will not engage? Whenit is on a jack stank and all 4 tires are off the ground with 4x4 engaged does the front frive shaft turn when you turn the tires? Is it making a wierd sound?

You might try disconnecting the lever from the arm that is attached to the front diff. Then manually moving the lever on the diff to see if it engages or not. If it works this can usually be fixed with an adjustment of the lever.

Also, I believe your ATV has a limited slip front end so if when driving over a log at an angle (or something like that) if you stop with one front tire it the air then ONLY that tire will spin. It is getting all the power from the font diff. I had a friend that thought his was broke the forst time he got stuck as only one front tire would spin. That is what all the rave is about the diff-lock lever as it fully locks the front diff and puts drive to both tires regardless.

So can you give us some more info? What is it doing exactly, that makes you think it is not working?

Welcome to the forum.

Swampy

 

Yes I have had all 4 off the ground and would not turn the front wheels. They will spin if I manually spin them but will not spin when gas is given. I have done what was suggested in going to the front of the bike and pulling the 4 wheel drive lever down as far as it would go and still would not go in. There is no sound that it makes or anything like that. Now you are correct with the 3 wheels just spin and not all 4. Seems that it did go in once since I had it but not able to get it again after I put it in 2x4. Thanks for the help and hope this is enough information for you.

Mmustang69

 

OK, that is good information. I have a few questions below that should help make sure it is not something easy or determine if the problem is inthe front differential or transmisson.

First, I think your 4x4 lever is a cable lever? If so make sure the cable is not broke or stretched. I think they actually make a mechanical (no cable) lever. Need to make sure its not only moving but moving far enough.

Second, if when you have all 4 tires off the ground and give it gas the front tires DO NOT spin but the front drive shaft does then your problem is in the front differential. Probably something to do with the front differntial lock.

Third, if when all 4 tires are off the ground and you give it gas the front dive shaft does NOT turn then you could have other issues? This means the front drive shaft is not getting power and it ALWAYS has lower to it so that is a transmission problem.

Lastly, if your machine has the hi/lo shift lever what happens when it is either hi/lo? I ask because I had an old Honda with separate hi/lo and 4x4 2x4 levers and I accidently put it the lever in either neutral or in between hi and lo and I was getting no power any where. I thought I had BIG problems. After some digging I moved the lever and all was well. Silly fix but it taught me to never assume the obvious when trying to work on these machines.

I hope this helps you narrow it down more. Basically you need to know is it the lever, the front differential or a transmission problem.

Swampy