noticed this when looking over my bike. both front axles are sticking out a half inch. It is on blocks right now so suspension is hanging in air. Is this normal? I can push it in but it comes right back to this spot easily by hand. I thought there is a snap ring in there to hold them in? It has a half a mile on it

 

Sure hope you meant a 2011,as a 2001 is completely different as to mounting to the front diff. Circlip is stopping any further movement and I've had a few do this as the machines were jacked up.Dirt Cheap Yamaha, Honda, Arctic Cat & Polaris OEM Parts & Accessories – Cycle Parts Warehouse

 

Sorry its a '13. My name was when i had an 01. Thats why im not used to this dif. So these axles float? I can also pull it out another half inch by hand. At that point the axles compressed and it wont go any further. 1" of float seems like an awful lot how much is left in the dif at that point??

 

Maybe the circlip is faulty or needs a better wallop to get set inside the diff right.

When I changed my rear inner CV Boot the circlip (Compression Ring) needed extra effort to finally lock back into the rear end correctly.

 

I gave it a shot and pushed it in hard. It stuck there but takes extremely little effort to pull it back out using a screwdriver. Ill pull them all the way out and inspect the circlip i guess?

 

Circlips just lock the shaft in to keep axles from pulling out. When you jack it up or place on blocks like you did if the spines are worn a little,the axles can pull out and bottom against the circlips exposing part of the shaft. You can replace the circlips,but it still may do the same thing once you jack it up again since they're right at the end of the plunging joint.
Dirt Cheap Yamaha, Honda, Arctic Cat & Polaris OEM Parts & Accessories – Cycle Parts Warehouse

 

I have never checked mine, is this normal? Anything to worry about?

 

Not normally a problem as I've had a lot come in that have done this when you jack the front end up.If a circlip is distorted/bent,then yes possible the shaft could pull out under stress.Most of the time you have to really jerk on the shaft to remove it because of the circlip locked in the slot in the differential. Most of the ones I saw that had pulled out were because of ball joints breaking allowing the strut to move out,broken a-arms that did the same thing or from trees that would jump out in front of you tearing up everything. Just grinned every time I saw one come in like this on a wrecker or trailer.

 

Ya, i just thought it was odd because it only has 1 mile on it now