Be watching your rear driveshaft bearing on the input side of the rear end. My buddy and I bought our wheelers at the same time '00 manual 500's and his went out this weekend at 1400 miles with no warning until it was too late. Luckily at the time he was cultivating trees around his yard. When the bearing went it also ruined the shaft and the housing.

What happens is weeds get wrapped around the drivshaft then work their way around the outer seal, eventually working into the inner seal, letting dirt into the bearing. We were thinking about putting another outer seal over the existing one (that would be longer), maybe a 3" to 2" pvc pipe adapter, going to try it this weekend, have to do something, be a bad deal back in the swamp miles from the truck.

I am going to tear into mine this weekend and replace the bearing and the seal. Around $25 for both, cheaper than $125 for the housing and shaft. Aczr2k

 

How do your wheels go on your cat?? Do you have to use lug bolts or real studs?? The older rear end had this problem (lug bolts), but I think it was supposed to be addressed on the newer (real studs) models.

 

Yeah I have the Suzuki rear end, although the rear end changed (AC's version) the input shaft and rubber boot are still the same. Aczr2k

 

I had the same issue with mine at about 200 miles. I was backing up in heavy grass and didn't realize that the grass had wrapped around the drive shaft. When I got home, diff. oil had leaked out all over the bed of my truck. I tookit back to the dealer and he replaced the seals under warranty. He said he had never seen this happen before. I haven't had any problems since, but I am more cautious and check to make sure that nothing is wrapped around the drive shaft frequently.

 

Is there anyway to check the bearing. I noticed that the rubberboot on mine was a little shiny with oil residue after reading your post. I checked the fluid level in the rear end and sure enough it was down a little. I looked in behind the boot and there is no sign of dirt or grass. I just would rather like to know if work is needed. I looked in the service manual and they don't even detail the bearing replacement. I grabbed the drive shaft and tried to see if the bearing had any play but it seems tight.

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

 

The housing that the bearing is located doesn't contain any diff oil, it is a separate housing from the rear end, or at least on ours (old style rear end) it is. If there was some residue on the boot it might be grease coming out of the sealed bearing. Didn't have time to check mine out this weekend, hopefully I will be able to this coming weekend. Aczr2k

 

Anyone have the procedure to change this pinnion bearing?? Do you have to remove the entire rear end??

 

I have a 2001 and the seal leaked on mine.It is easier to take the rear end off and put it up on a work bench.Just take the wheels of then unbolt the drive shaft,next the brake and shocks.Finally the swing-arms----pullback---done.With air tools ,on the bench in 15 minutes.This makes it much more user friendly.

 

I heard from Arctic Engineering today that if you have the old style rear end (ac version) you should pack the housing with grease, if you have the new rearend (late 2000) it already contains some 80-90w lube. This is not in the pumpkin but in the portion that the driveshaft enters the rear end. Aczr2k

 

How can you tell the differance in the rear ends. My bike is 2000 and likely late year {bought in April 2000}. Also if it is the newer version how do you add fluid.

Thanks Jim