I believe it does have those driveshafts, I did grab onto the middle of each one and felt to see if there was any play, but I didn't check rotation wise. I'll try that tomorrow.

A caliper does sound plausible, if it didn't release or something. I will check that as well.

What I find is strange, is it just happened. I raked leaves with it for probably 45 minutes to an hour and then heard a bit of a squeak from the front end, so I greased everything. In doing so I found that a bolt holding a bushing in was broken on the right rear hub carrier. I fixed that, put it back together and that's when it started the wobble. I can't imagine I put it together wrong, it's fairly idiot-proofed and self explanatory. Or was I just the idiot to screw it up?

Thanks for the quick responses!

 

Ok so I checked the play in the shafts/u-joints, looks to be about the same as the OP, 1/4 to 1/2". Does this mean it's something serious?

 

Should be some small play as there will be a little give in the u-joints,but if it's up to 1/2" back and forth play,sounds like time to replace them. U-joints aren't that expensive,around 30 bucks or so per drive shaft for two u-joints.https://www.mfgsupply.com/atv/atvsus...r-u-joint.html Oem inner and outer yokes are nla if wallowed out too far.An oem drive shaft is around 285 bucks,but aftermarket ones are out there now for half the price if it came down to that.https://www.ebay.com/itm/Complete-Re...ZYd-g~&vxp=mtr

 

Ok, I'll order me a set of those and hopefully it's the problem! Thanks!

 

Ok so after a bit more digging and disassembly, I found that I kind of doubt it's the U joints, not that they're not worn, but I believe it's something from the gearcase. I pulled the belt cover off and jacked everything up and started it up. The clacking/knocking noise is much louder, (only when it gets to a certain RPM) and sounds like its coming from right behind the driven clutch. When I engage AWD and accelerate (while it was still on the stands) the clacking gets worse and the front wheels wobble terribly also. I fear this is a bit worse than U-joints...
Any ideas on what could cause this?

 

Thought it was mainly the rear drive shafts wobbling? Have you checked the prop shaft u-joints leading from the gear case to the front diff for excessive wear? Plus could be bearing wear in the front diff,cv joint or u-joint wear on the front drive shafts or the hubs not torqued correctly.

 

That's where it feels like it comes from driving, but up on stands and in 4x4 EVERYTHING shakes, uncontrollably. And the knocking noise is very loud. When I check for wear on surfaces that could be causing the knock I find none. Like I said, it is loudest right by the driven clutch, not the brake caliper which I originally thought was the noise maker. Is there any way that the chain inside is way too loose, causing the clacking noise thus skipping a tooth and possibly throwing everything out of time?

Oh and yes, I did check the driveshaft going from the case to the front diff and it is pretty loose, but only at the roll pin holding it on the input shaft to the front case.

 

Possible you may have a loose chain in the gear case or something else inside making the noise,but that in itself wouldn't cause front drive shaft wobbling. Possible on the rear shafts you could have bearing wear(49) on the main drive sprocket. Sounds like you have more than one problem on this machine.

 

So, did some disassembly and pulled the transmission. To my surprise there are no pieces in the bottom, nothing broken and I can't find anything wrong in the transmission. Next thing I can think of is front u joints and bearings. Is there anything I should do to this transmission before I put it back together?

Only thing I can see that looks a bit out of place is this small chain is pretty loose

 

Replace the loose chain for sure. If the main drive chain at rear is still tight,bearings feel ok, you can leave this one. If this doesn't solve the wobbling,then still sounds like you need to check the prop shaft u-joints out along with any play in the front drive shaft u-joints and cv joints also that we mentioned before.