After starting it yesterday I tried to go forward and it started to move but then stopped. It was like I had the parking break on or something. This is the second time I had this happen. I finally gave it ALOT of gas and I heard something snap, then it moved fine. I checked the rear break and diff. for water and found none. It was cold both times this happened. The snapping sounded like when you crack your nuckles but much louder. I havent been able to ride it to see if it works as I live in the city. To check the diff fluid I took of the top cap and put my finger in it. It was clear and not milky. It was cold but I had the torpedo heater pointing right at the rear end so if there was frozen water in it I am sure it would have melted. I have yet to check the front.

Thanks for any ideas.

 

Just a thought; could be water in one or more brake drums, freezing to the shoe(s), then broken up when power is applied.

After a run, with some viorous braking, remove the brake drum drain plugs (if any) and see if any water comes out.

Diogenes

 

I think Diogenes is right. I have a 450es and this has happened to me a few times. After riding in water or mud it can get into your brakes and if cold comes will freeze up. I have never done any damage when that snap happens. When gas is applied the brake pads release. Check to see in the rear brake drum if the air breather hose is still connected to rear brake drums. Mine came off(by a stick I guess) and water gut into brake drums.

 

I CHECKED the rear drum after having the torpedo heater pointing at it for 15 minutes. No water came out. It is cold in my garage but The torpedo is 115,000 btu's or somthing like that. Perhaps it is the front drum, i will check that tonight.

 

See earlier posting. I had a similar problem with my 450ES. I did not have the "popping sound", however had the same "stuck" symptom. I was sure that my problem was not associated with the brakes as it would coast in neutral. My problem was corrected through adjustment of the clutch.

 

The rubicon does not have a clutch.

 

I was most likely your drums frozen. When ridden in water and it gets cold enough to freeze it the water expands and acts like your hitting the brake. It breaks loose when you give it gas. It's kind of like leaving your parking brake on in the winter and you release it and it stays on. Except in your case with the water or snow freezing in the brakes itself it is turing ON your brakes and leaving them on. Thats all and nothing is broke unless something freak happened to the drums when you broke them loose. By the way, there is hardly NO chance that enough water would ever get into your rear or front differential to EVER freeze them up like that, that is not the problem. Try after riding in cold weather to leave it over night again and to see if it does it again. IF it does, before you break it loose with the gas, use your heater on your brakes, even if no water comes out I bet your get on it you will have solved the problem. Good luck and don't worry about it, it is just water on your brakes.

 

boots11234
Check your service manual. The rear diff. has a lower plug on the left side for checking the oil level if yours is full to the top plug you have too much something in it (water or oil).

RatherB4Wheelin'

2001 Rubicon
2500 Warn Winch
Lowrance GPS

 

Remember, with full time 4 wheel drive it can be any one of your brakes that will hold your machine. And it only takes a very small amount of moisture given the close tolerances used in brake assemblies to create a freeze condition. My suggestion would be to let it sit overnite again in the neutral position. Before starting it raise the quad and try moving each wheel. The driveline has enough "slack" in it to move each wheel a little bit so if either front is the problem you will easily detect which one. If the problem is in the rear brakes then both rears will feel locked. It is a pretty good bet that a little moisture in one brake is all thats wrong. (Especially if you do a lot of mud or water riding.)
Once you find which one it is, it is a relatively easy job to pull the drum and dry it out.

 

Its condensation freezing your breaks on...happens here all the time too mainly if i use the e-brake. I frooze my toyotas brakes on by mistake and they wouldnt free up for nothing, even floored in 4low! As for the post saying the rubicon doesnt have a clutch, yes it does have a centrifical enguagment clutch so it can idle smoothly without spining the hondamatic at idle. ITs only used at idle though