Somebody out here has to have a few ideas on this.

I joined the site a week or so ago, but nobody responded to my initial post, not even to welcome me... :-(

Heres the scoop:

I picked up a 2000 Suzuki LT-A500F QuadMaster 4x4 via a bank repo, the machine is in very good condition, but will not move in 2 or 4 wheel drive, low, high or reverse. Unfortunately, because its a repo, I have no idea what happened to it. Abuse should NOT be ruled out.

The belt appears good, and after removing the belt cover, I can see the moveable (front) drive face gearing in and out as it should.

Now heres the situation: I am very motorcycle literate, in fact I have rebuilt many motorcycle engines, but I am totally ignorant of the drivetrains on these four wheel drive machines. The Suzuki factory manual is less than helpful as far as trouble shooting the problem.

Before I pull the motor and split the cases and start attempting to find the problem via the process of elimination, I was hoping that surely someone here might have an educated opinion as to what might be wrong or things to look for.

If you do have some suggestions to help me out, and that turns out to be the problem, I will send you $50 for your trouble (first person to post it). I am honest and will follow through with my offer. Alternately, if you wish you could earn some brownie points on motorcycle advice from me if you would prefer.

Thanks Much for any (knowledgable) ideas guys, I appreciate it.

 

Its not much of a safe suggestion But can you remove the belt cover and try to move the bike and see what is engaging or not? I'm assuming this might look like the polaris setup. The belt and the pulley. I know on the polaris there are plastic buttons that are part of the clutch engaging, they did shear off from someone trying to pull something too heavy with it, not sure if the suzuki works like this but its something to look into )

When you get on the bike does it just sound like its spinning free or does it sound like its binding and trying to move?

Will it move at all? I'm not sure about how the 4x4 system engages on this bike..does it have the levers like the old ones had? or are they electric now? It could just be stuck in neutral from a bad wire. You could dig out a wiring diagram and start tracing down wires. IF IT SOUNDS LIKE ITS JUST SPINNING FREE.

Just giving you some stuff to think about. Maybe you already have but it always helps to get some info on the table.

HOpefully that helped out some, its free! Just would like to hear you getting it out and riding it )

 

Man, I appreciate any advice!!! I really do.

Here are the answers in order of your post:

1) I have the belt cover off. In any gear, 4wd or 2wd, pushing the machine the pulleys don't budge.
2) The belt system on this machine is 2 pulleys. One off the crank, and one towards the back of the motor. I don't know the Polaris system, but I'd bet this is similar?
3) Nothing binding or different noises in gear vs. neutral. In fact, it sounds the same whether in gear or neutral - at idle or revving.
4) It won't budge, I mean nothing! Even revved up above 2k rpm. Just like it was in neutral. Doesn't matter 2wd, 4wd, lo, high or reverse.
5) Its a mechanical 4wd operated via a cable. As best I can tell that is functioning, but neither the front or rear wheels move at all in either mode.

Keep flinging ideas out at me, I'll check anything to solve this!

I really appreciate the time.

- Bob

 

i assume your machine is an automatic, your centrifical clutch is shot. hope this helps you out. write back and give more info and or pictures and i can help you out sam

 

I think the first thing i would do is inspect the shifter linkage, make sure it is fully engaging, maybe you are moving the lever and its not moving in far enough to engage anything(like on Ford push button 4x4, if its not all the way in there is a sensor that won't let it engage). Get a service manual, it should tell you the correct lenght for the rods or cable. Then if that doesn't lead to anything, pull off the driver pulley inspect it, make sure everything is the way it should be(maybe the key way is sheared off and the shaft is just spinning inside the pulley?). You could try to pick up a new driver clutch at that point or have a dealer look at it. I've never heard one going bad that soon unless someone really smoked it. Even if it was going bad you'd think it would move a little or attempt to grab, or make a bad noise ) On my old go kart i had when i was kid the clutch went bad but it would attempt to move it, and made some nice noises of it slipping...

As i said before i'm not the best on these trannys only screwed with the one on my trailblazer(i actually did have a problem with the shift lever no moving far enough). But those are the only things that I could come up with.

Are you friendly with any dealers? Maybe you could get some free advice, or call up a dealer and give him a sad story. I was out riding my bike and i stopped, and now it won't engage gear it just sits there, and its like 10 miles back in the woods, i have no idea how to get it out....something like that, maybe they can give you some better ideas than i did. I've done that before....

 

Does the quad roll? Does it roll when its in gear?With the engine running look at the crank pulley is it moving ? ,if so give it some gas does it engage the belt (squeeze it)? , if so does the secondary pulley (the rear one) move? ,if it does move make sure the shaft its on is spinning also ? (possibly a sheared keyway or splines). If the shaft is spinning and the clutches are grabbing the belt , then the problem is with the trans not going into gear . If so than take off the shifter cable and try to shift it manually (possible bad shifter cable or an adjustment problem) . if still nothing than its probably internal (shifting fork or a stripped shaft or keyway).

 

[quote]
Originally posted by: Blitzkrieg


I joined the site a week or so ago, but nobody responded to my initial post, not even to welcome me..

wow..THAT SU*K$...when i joined,the other members threw a welcome party AND hooked me up with naked women!![img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]..su%k$ to be you

 

LOL - it was a joke terd. I thought everyone would get it... guess you didn't.

Let me clarify, because I think one of my statements above wasn't clear. When pushing the machine in gear with the engine off, neither pulley moves (if that matters). They definitely do turn with the motor running, as I'll explain below.

- The machine is an automatic.
- I am pretty sure the shifter is working, because I can see the shift rod which goes into the left side of the motor turning when I shift it.
- With the motor running, the pulleys are definitely turning, and when I throttle it up, the V belt is definitely riding up higher in the front pulley.
- The rear pulley is definitely turning, and I can see the shaft behind it (which has a large spring around it) and goes into the tranny is definitely turning.

In gear or neutral, everything sounds the same. No grinding or binding noises.

Unfortunately, the broker I bought it from changed the oil and filter so I have no way to check for pieces of gear in the oil.

My initial thought was something in the tranny is broke. Taking the above into account, what do you guys think?

Also a question on removing the clutches if anyone has ever done it - Suzuki has a special tool to hold the clutch while you remove the large bolt that holds it on. Anybody have any tricks for holding the clutch? I really don't want to buy a special tool I'll probably never use again.

Thanks for all your input guys (and you terd for making me laugh), I appreciate it.

 

if both pulleys are turning and the belt is moving there is no reason why the machine won't move.

Is it shaft or chain drive. Look into that?

 

It is shaft drive and neither the front or rear axles or wheels budge, creak, moan or even act like they are going to move.

Nothing, nadda, zip.