I'm reading alot of stuff about clicking and clanking. Here is what I know from my machine. In 2WD above 12MPH, you can here one clunk when you let of the throttle and get on it again. It acks like it is gear backlash in the rear gearset. In 4WD above 12 MPH there is an additional sound coming from the front differential that is usually one or two clunks. I am not sure about these sounds. In 2WD or 4WD at speeds near 2MPH, and usually going downhill, you can make the engine brake servo engage and disengage which sounds like clicking, about 4 times a second, but the sound includes the quiet whirrling of the servo motor, like what you hear after you turn the key off. In 2WD or 4WD and in low range only, I could go above 10MPH, let off the throttle quickly, and hear a loud clicking sound from the transmission area. You could feel the vibrations if you touched the shift lever **** when the clicking occurred. If I pushed forward on the shift ****, the clicking was greatly reduced. I looked in the service manual and I think the prescribed method of setting up the shift linkage is inadequate and I believe that is why so many units need to be adjusted properly. It relies on the positioning of an arm on a splined post by lining up two marks, and then by measuring a gap between the shift lever and the shift guide while in the neutral position. My unit had the arm slightly out of sync with the splined shaft with respect to the two alignment marks. It looked like you had to choose between being off to the right or left based on the splines positions on the shaft and arm. I left the arm/post as it was and shifted into neutral. Then I turned the linkage rod, after loosening the locknuts on each end(one had righthand threads and the other has lefthand). If I set it to the spec in the service manual, I could ride it in low and get it to click. I turned it a few turns at a time in both directions until all gear selections were positive and it would no longer click in low. I think I effectively shortened the linkage a slight amount which was indicated by the fact that pushing forward on the shift **** was helping the problem. I think the rear backlash sound and the braking servo cycling is a normal characteristic of this machine, but I do not have an explanation for the front differential clunking sounds yet. I have not seen any other 650's on the trails to ask them about theirs so I would like to know from other 650 owners which type of sounds have you noticed and under what conditions that they occur. Also I think I need to adjust the drive belt because I can make it slip if I put the Quad in a bind and slowly apply the throttle. The curb weight with all accessories and myself on it is about 930lbs., it has over 400 miles on it and alot of those were from some serious thrashing at Upper Tellico. So far I have only lost two of the fender trim fasteners which split the plastic holes on the way out but not to the point of being unusable, and really banged up the skid plates. A word of CAUTION: I was going about 10MPH on trail 4 at Tellico and the front skid plate caught a rock sticking up and embedded in the ground about 12 inches. This rock had a pointed piece that caught the indented part of the front angled skid plate. Usually the angle of the skid plate causes the ATV to ramp up and over the obstacle. This time the rock, caught in the depression of the skid plate rotated in the ground and cammed upward until it stuck another large rock embedded behind it. The pointed part of the rock bent the front skid plate until it contacted a frame bar located about an inche behind the plate. When this happened, the ATV stopped dead in it's tracks and sent me over the handle bars landing headfirst on the front bumper and ground. I didn't even know what was happening until I was flying thru the air. I have since mounted the Metaltech aftermarket plates from front to rear. The front plate is stronger and shaped better to prevent this. Two things about these plates. They are not cheap (about $380 for the full set to your door), and plan on some hastle trying to get the bolt holes to line up, especially the countersunk holes!

 

Yeah I had the same clunking noise from day 1. It is most noticable when creeping over slow terrain either in high or low. If I put it on jacks and turn the rear wheels back and fourth it also makes this noise, only not as loud.
To me it seems as if there is excessive backlash either in the ring and pinion gears or somewhere in the transmission.
I have not heard any sound that appears to be coming from the front end.
After you had adjusted the linkage you said that the clicking noise had gone away did you leave it this way?

 

My drive belt came 50% over spec from the factory and I'm sure I'm suffering a power loss. I attempted to fix the deflection myself and realized that I need a few hundred dollars worth of special tools that are listed in the service manual. Kawi said if I took it into the dealer that they would pay for the repair. I REALLY don't want to do that. I did entertain the idea though and called the dealers around here. They don't even have the tools and act like they don't want to get them. They have a real attitude about it as if they don't want my business. This is fine for me. I typically only do business with those that appreciate it. Needless to say, I'm pissed about this. Kawi wants over $70 for a very simple threaded pulley puller for one of the pulleys. They admitted that it should have come correctly adjusted from the factory. I really don't want to take it to the dealer because none of them will do it as well as I would. Maybe if others measure their belt deflection, and if there are a few of us who need the adjustment, we can go in on the tools. It's not as if it's a lot of money, it's just the idea that you have to spend a few hundred dollars for something that should have been done already (instead of getting new tires).
I'm done for now.

 

Can you please explain what you mean by 50% over spec.? What are the symtoms of this problem?

 

max deflection according to the service manual is 1.06". Mine is well over 1.5". Symptoms are slipping and loss of power according to the manual.

 

[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]At speeds probably at least 12 mph or greater, if I just let off and let the engine braking slow me down, I hear a loud pop that sounds like it is coming from the rear end. I have not heard any noises that sound like they are coming from the tranny or front end. I have also noticed that even at 30-35 mph, if I let off and brake, coming to a stop very slowly, I do not hear any noise.
Has anyone had problems with their 650 being cold-natured? I haven't had mine long. It has two hours and 12 1/2 miles on it.

 

Does it sound like it is backfiring?

 

no

 

I know it's not backfiring, it just sounds more like a "pop" to me. It is probably the same "clank" or "clunk" you guys are referring to. It only does it when I come off the gas hard to slow down fast. If I gradually ease off the throttle and slowly brake, I hear nothing. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

Prairedust .. where abouts in halifax do you live?