Hello all.
My name is George from Maine. My father was given a Kawasaki automatic 300 four wheeler. By a buddy In ok shape for the year. It did run etc

So a couple of things.

1. Where is the VIN located in the Machine?

2. I am trying to figure out the year, (or year range so I can find parts) I know it’s older. Shaft driven, red. (I’ll get pics)
I think it’s around a 1999 Kawasaki prairie 300 but I’m not sure.

3. The wheeler won’t roll. It acts like it’s in gear. But I investigated it further. I made sure it was in neutral. The back tires turn freely when in neutral but I cannot push the wheeler, so I jacked up the front end. I can spin the front wheels freely. But here’s the thing, if I spin the left wheel for instance forward the right wheel spins backwards. I think that’s because of the way tge differential works? So I put the wheeler back on the ground and there is no way on gods green earth you can push it like I said it acts like it’s in gear but it’s not.

4. Investigating more I see that the rear wheel hubs splines are completely stripped and smooth. So are the splines one on the axle. (Both sides)

so in my opinion, it’s not looking good I don’t know what year I’m dealing with for the best way to source parts if I’m not sure of the year and the model. the only stickers on the bike says automatic 300 Kawasaki. there’s no other stickers to tell me what model is.
I also opened up the shaft drive to see what the fluid look like and it was gross almost like muddy water. Any help would be greatly greatly appreciated.

Thank you

 

To find the vin your going to look at the frame by where your left big to would be while riding. Older kawasakis had an issue of the vin being difficult to read. I recommend cleaning that area with soap and water drying thouroughly then lightly using a soap pencil or just a bar of dry soap to shade the area. The soap should fill in the vin numbers and contrast against the frame.

 

Awesome, thank you.

anymore info and wisdom on my other issues?

 

VIN will give you the model as well as the year. NNY is correct, I always say, if you are turning left, where the left front tire would rub the frame, it is right there somewhere.

Sounds like the differential/axles are still okay for now.

Being an automatic I would imagine it to be more of a belt/clutch problem. I would assume it is a CV transmission type setup. If you take the clutch cover off, rev the engine, even in neutral you should see the clutch close up and push the belt towards the outer edge of the clutch.

Have you even checked, maybe the belt is broken. Maybe the clutch is stuck from sitting.

You can also rotate the "driven" sheeve by hand and see if it moves the machine once the cover is off.

 

Something is definately locked up my question is is it front diff or rear diff. The stripped splines suggest a need to replace bearings and shafts. Do you know how to check bad bearings.

 

I’m pretty handy, once I figure out the year and model I’ll feel better so I can research more.

I’m going to check the belt/clutch next.

thank you all. I’ll report back with progress.

 

Can't see it being a belt problem as the forward, neutral, reverse gearbox should disconnect the drive between the variator and the axles. It does seem like the front diff is locked up, the diff spider must be working for the wheels to contra-rotate but crownwheel and pinion may be locked. On KLFs the front prop shaft was easy to remove, if the auto is the same, take the front prop shaft off, jack the front up and see if the front wheels turn freely in the same direction, with pinion yoke spinning too