JKB got me wondering. What type of front diff is in the new cats? Clutch type or cone type. I would like some researched anwers, not just thinkin.

 

http://www.brownsleisureworld.com/Pa...SEASSEMBLY.htm

This may help you although it does not show a inside picture of the inner housing baecause you cannot order parts,it is welded

Just high light the ubove adderess right click it click copy then point your mouse over your browser and right click and paste then hit enter

 

Well I got on the phone today to AC in Winnipeg and in Theif River Falls regarding the front diff question. You'll love this, Customer Srvc in TRFalls had to switch me to a person called Jim who was refered to me by customer Srvc as a mechanic. Jim told me that the unit does continue to use the ratcheting cone style diff as in previous years. Shortly after being told that {And feeling Good about the answer} a received a call back from Mark at customer service in Winnipeg. I did not bother to tell him my question was already answered. I asked him the question and his response was the new units [2002/2003] use planetary gears and clutches. I obviously questioned the answer and he told me that he had one in the office and had seen the clutch plates. When I told him that a mechanic in the US said it was still using the ratcheting cones, his reply was that the other guy was mistaken. At this point I am still unsure as to what is really in there. The one thing that Mark told me that lessened his credability was that he told me he was driving a 2003 500 I and that all I had to do to get the other wheel to turn on the front end when only the wheel in the air was spinning was to lightly tap the brakes. At that point I was not interested in anything else this guy had to say because that is straight BS. I completely understand how both of these differentials work. At this point I will call my dealer and see if we can get him to get engineering at TRFalls to answer the question onceand for all.

Cheers Jim

 

I think he was right about the clutch type. It's a shame that nobody in the company seems to know anything. I wonder if most people just ride them on the trails and could care less about things like front diffs. Anyway, good work JKB on getting the company on the phone.

 

I know someone who will tell you right away what it is. Howie, he has broken these down for folks call him at 403-235-3536. He can tell you what is in the 500i,and when you find out,tell me

Thanks

 

Cat 500i , I found this product on the Web the other night. This product is diff fluid.

http://www.redlineoil.com/products.htm. 75W90NS - recommended for manual transmissions and non-limited-slip transaxles that recommend 90 WT oils. Can be used in racing limited-slip units to increase lockup and reduce wheel spin. Street-driven rear-wheel drive cars should use regular Red Line 75W90 or 80W140.



If the Cat infact does use a clutch packs this product might just be the ticket. I am going to phone Howie and then, assumming that it uses clutches, I will talk to some tech guys at Redline.

Cheers Jim

 

Howie says that it uses clutches. He told me that the fluid that I mentioned in my earlier post will help a lot, but it will wear the clutches out faster, it also may cause some chatter on corners as the clutches will tend not to want to slip. The good news is that when the clutches wear out Howie can still lock the diff, as he does not use the clutches. The other thing that I learned about the clutch style differential is that its performace [if I can say performance when refering to this front end] will degrade from day one as the springs get weaker and the clutches wear. The pre 2002 diff would not degrade as it had no springs or clutches.

Cheers Jim

 

OK heres what you do then

Take out your diff,remove your external housing,and hold your internal housing in your hand,

Tap you a threaded hole in the internal housing,and screw you a small bolt in it. You have to screw the bolt in where the clutch plates and spring is. This is what my father in law did to his honda. The bolt will put pressure on the spring not allowing it to use the clutches,and you will have positive trac front end!! Then if you ever have a warrany problem you can unscrew the the bolt and it will be limited slip again.

This is what I am fixing to do. I was waiting to see what kind of diff was on the front

 

The front diff is clutch type, that is why I welded mine. The front end will pull pretty good when it is new, but will begin to slip more and more as the clutches wear. Just like any other clutch type differential. I onwed a Honda with the same style front end and after about 300 miles it would NEVER pull both front tires.

 

ODb, how hard is it to steer with the front end locked. Howie says there is a slight change but another opinion is welcome. I assume that the wider the front tires the worse the problem will be. I am running the same width as stock [8"] and I am nervous that the bike will be hard to steer on narrow techinacal woods trails with good traction. What size fronts are yop running?

Cheers Jim