I went riding and we rode accross some snow. I noticed that only three wheels were spinning. I couldn't get all four wheels to spin. Is there something I am doing wrong? It was my understanding that all I had to do was tap the hand brake and it would cause the front diff to lock and spin all 4 wheels. Is this wrong or was I just doing something wrong?

 

TTaylor:
I'm not really sure how you could be doing something wrong. I have always had all four's spinning, especially in the snow! Any time I get hung up or have three wheels on the ground, with one front in the air, the other on the ground always has spun with the rears, pulled me out. Not sure if you remember my front diff review from some time ago, but GrizRick and a couple other guys in our group noticed the front diff. in action. With one wheel in the air spinning, I gave it a little extra blip of the gas, the one on the ground grabbed instantly and took off, pulling me up and over the trouble spot. With the break tapping trick, instead of just grabbing the break, then letting go, try putting slight pressure on the break handle (the one to operate both front and rear-not the foot break) and hold it steady for a few seconds, while giving a little increased throttle. What happens is the pressure from the breaks gives enough of a torque bias to trigger the non-spinning wheel on the ground. If this doesn't happen, I would then wonder if there is something wrong with your front end. IF so, have you checked the front diff. fluid? If it is low, or even empty, it will not work properly. I have seen a few 'Cats come to the dealer without diff. fluid in either front or rear axles, the dealer may have forgotten to fill them.

Honestly, in the snow, I don't see why in the hell you wouldn't be spinning all four's. It is soft enough that you'll spin all fours, throwing the snow everywhere till you dig down and get high centered, with all fours spinning madly-leaving you to either get off and push a bit to free yourself, or even hook up the winch.

Best of luck with that, I'm interested to hear what comes of it.

Mike

 

I didn't think about checking the front diff fluid. I will do that tonight. I did check the rear and it was full. I was in exactly the position you described. I had the left front in the air the right front on the snow along with the two rears. I ended up digging the rears in until the quad was high centered. We ended up pushing it back out of the snow. After that I tried another run and only three wheels were spinning. I wll try and drag the brakes instead of tapping them. I will let you know how things turn out. It's time to take my quad back to the dealer for its 100 mile check up.

 

Sorry Cowboy but that trick will transfer a jolt of torque to non-driving front to help a little, but if it's stuck firmly it won't supply enough to pull you out. I believe Cat system is better than Honda & Yams but it's still not positive 4WD.

 

I had the same situation as you guys but the right front tire was up in the air spinning. I was in about 1 1/2' to 2' mud and water. My buddy told me about tapping the front brake but it didn't take. I didn't try holding it a little more. I will next time. I had to get pulled be a couple guys to get out. If I could have gotten the other tire to spin I think It would have pulled out. If I had all 4 wheels going I know it would have. I am going to try that mud hole again this weekend and see what happens. I will keep you posted. By the way it was also a 2001 400 4x4

 

Something happened the other day which I could not explain. I was in a ditch and my right-front tire was in the air but was not spinning.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img]
Instead, the left front tire which had contact in the mud was spinning. I'll try the brake tapping next time. During my rides last winter, both fronts would grab...weird.

 

GerrBear-
I've had that happen to me a few times, mostly while climbing hills. I have no idea why or how that would happen (the tire in the air NOT spinning, with the one on the ground actually turning). I'm glad you mentioned it, I doubt anybody would have believed me with that one-they have a hard enough time believing the front diff. works as well as it does. I had pictures of it while elk hunting, but again, they were on that roll that was lost at the developers. Man, I could go beat the hell out of those guys even now! Anyway, it doesn't happen very often, but occassionally while I'm climbing a hill and get one tire up in the air, it will temporarily stop spinning, while the other keeps going. If it stays up in the air for more than a few seconds, it then kicks in and both are spinning. Hard to explain, even harder to believe, but it does. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif[/img]

Take care, Happy Trails,

Mike