I drove a 2000 Kodiak 4X4 AND Really like it, But when In 4WD and I crank the handle bars for a tight turn I get alot of clunking in the front end. 2WD is fine and 4WD when running straight or small turns is fine, just when cranking it in sharp turns. Is this normal or is something ready to fall apart? They just replaced the CV boots and completely serviced it. The dealer said this was normal and even new ones clunk like that.

 

What a newbie I am. I Just talked to a guy who explained a little of the mechanics of A 4wd system such as this. He advised this type of cluncking was common due to the different speeds at which the two tires are spinning in a hard turn and the clunking sound is the system compensating for this. Or something like that. Does this sound right to you pros out there.

 

I assume you are going slow on hard ground when you hear the clunking. ALL 4WD will do that on any vehicle. It's really not good to do it. Ilearned about it with my '98 Ford Expedition. Something in the front drivetrain got stuck and I thought I screwed up my truck. I know not to do it anymore...

Evan in Indiana


'04 Kodiak 4x4

 

Im not sure it would make a clunking sound. It has a limited slip, front end, so it has a built in way to relieve the binding. The only binding would be between the front and rear, and usually the tire will break free and slip, before the mechanicals of the quad give out. was this on high traction areas, like pavement or hardpack dirt..or does it do it even on loose sand and mud? It should be silent on loose sand.
Have you checked the fluid in the front diff? If its low, top it off...if its dirty, change it.
How do the u joints of the drive shafts look? Rusty? can you wiggle them by hand?

 

If you have a limited slip front differential and CV joints in the side axles, there should be no clunking. When my forman was stock, there was no noise in the front end with the bars turned all the way over even in 4wd (it was full time 4x4 then). If you have a clunk when in 4wd, I'd have the front side axles checked out for wear (probably too much slop in them), or there could be a problem in the differential.

If you have U-joints - there will be some binding and clunking (my old bronco did this all the time in 4wd), or if that bike has a front locker, it may not be dis-engaging when you are turning.

 

I was test driving it at a dealership and they have a small trail set up with a few dirt piles and a sharp turn around just big enough to crank the handle bars and head back down the trail. I was not going very fast at all, but I was giving it a little gas as I came around the loop. The ground was dry dirt that was hard, but loose enough on top to break the back end loose if you wanted to. It made a clunk ,clunk ,clunk noise that felt like it was coming from the front on the left side as I turned left. When I did the same thing turning right it clunked again, but not as much as when turning left. When I made a sharp turn like this on gravel It didn't seem make the noise as much. They claimed to have just serviced it and every thing was changed and checked. Evan in Indiana, does your 2004 do the same type of thing in this situation?

 

there should not be any noise if everything is working ok. it sounds like your cv joints are shot. replacing the boots will do nothing to bad joints. i would question why they were replaced in the first place. u joints are also knowed to make nosies.

 

Leave it on the showroom floor, its really not worth buying if they're trying to sell you something that's not working right to start. It would be real bad if you got stuck in the woods with a broken CV joint. If they replaced the boots, 99% chance that nud and dirt got in the CV joint and has worn it out causing the clunking.

 

Clicking or clunking in the front end during sharp turns is worn out cv joints, I learned this on my honda civic. I have a 2004 kodiak 450 and it does'nt make any noise during sharp tuns in 4x4. any dealer that is telling you this is normal is lying as far as I'm concerned. Don't touch it unless they replace the cv's.