i just bought what I was told is a 2000 Kodiak 400 4x4. my question is, are there two different styles of rear axle? the rear wheels didn't have power so I went to pull the rear axle to check ring and pinion but the moron who I got it from welded the hub to the axle so I cut it off knowing I would have to buy a new one. turns out the teeth are gone on the axle so I tried to look up a new rear axle. nothing I am finding online looks anything like what came out. wondering if anyone can shine some light on the situation for me.


as well I tried to look up the vin to make sure its a 2000 and it says the 10th digit in the vin which is a K, which when I looked up ment it was a 89 but they didn't make the Kodiak in 89. im just confused. any info is good info. thanks

 

Yamaha rear axles are a nightmare. They changed the Big Bear from a disc brake to a drum brake, then back again. Axles seemed to change from year to year and the Canada spec was different to the US one. This is why aftermarket suppliers never bothered to make them and Yamaha can charge what they like. The "weld the hub on" mod is common and a good idea if all that is wrong is the hub splines on the shaft, as it is fairly easy to grind the weld off, provided you only weld the inward facing part of the hub. You can even weld it back on again after changing bearings etc, in the diff. There is a white sticker on the frame under the seat, dealers use the numbers on that, rather than the vin, to order parts.