Just got another 'shee...

[Watts]

Yep, just picked up my 1998 shee yesterday. Got it home, took it out for a test drive before tearing it apart to clean and go through it. I noticed some squeeking coming from the rear end, figured it was the brakes, being there was hardly a pad on it. Got in some trails and started goin up hills, got halfway up one and the rearend locked up! I had to get pulled out with a winch. It cooled off enough to where i could limp it home. So, i got it home, and tore the whole axle assembly off. I dropped it off at the shop this morning to see if they could re-pack the bearings or something. Anyone know what could have happened? I don't know much, but there isn't much to an axle, right? housing with bearings and a shaft going through it. right? How could it lock up? is there a place to grease it? And most importantly, if it's locked up, can it be fixed?

[LiftdT4R]

There are a number of things that could make it lock up. I would check the easiest first, the bearings in the carrier. The carriers do not have a grease fitting, but the bearings are sealed, so you don't really really need one. I tapped one into my carrier anyway when I last had mine apart. Also check and make sure the brakes arent locked up either.

 

There are other, more serious ones are engine or transmission trouble. How is the shifting? Still pretty easy and smooth? Also, did you check the pressure in the cylinders, I'd try that too. Was the jetting right? How much gas to oil were you mixing and what kind? Like I said, I'd check the easiest first, but from my limited experience, when bearings fail, usually they give plenty of warning, and even then, they don't just lock up. I wish you the best, but it sounds like you may have more serious trouble.

[Watts]

There are a number of things that could make it lock up. I would check the easiest first, the bearings in the carrier. The carriers do not have a grease fitting, but the bearings are sealed, so you don't really really need one. I tapped one into my carrier anyway when I last had mine apart. Also check and make sure the brakes arent locked up either.

 

There are other, more serious ones are engine or transmission trouble. How is the shifting? Still pretty easy and smooth? Also, did you check the pressure in the cylinders, I'd try that too. Was the jetting right? How much gas to oil were you mixing and what kind? Like I said, I'd check the easiest first, but from my limited experience, when bearings fail, usually they give plenty of warning, and even then, they don't just lock up. I wish you the best, but it sounds like you may have more serious trouble.

 

The engine/tranny are working pretty solid. Will need to be adjusted and tuned, but doesn't run rough or anything. Jetting could be adjusted, but i'm gonna do that when i get pipes.

 

I know it wasn't he brakes that locked up the rear. I took off the caliper. What's wierd is we took a big pipe wrench to try and move the axle, and it'll move about 3/4 of a rotation, then stop.(had to move it to get the carrier bolts out) So it's not completely locked up, just really tight and it won't go in a full rotation(motor won't turn it). I just hope they can fix it. I'm not past buying a complete new assembly(axle/bearings/carrier), but i'd rather fix it with all new bearings.

 

But yeah, it hasn't really been rode hard, but it has been abused. Front left aarm is bent to give it a - camber, so i'll need the whole aarm set up on the left side. no bumper, no grab bar, cracked plastics, and it's really, really dirty/greasy. But, that i can fix. I'm just no good on the axle stuff. Don't have the tools to tear it apart, so that's why we took it to the shop. But i expected a few things wrong. I only paid $1100. I'll have $300 or so to put in it and it'll be good to go.

[Watts]

Anyone else know if it could be fixed?

[CFM]

Almost anything can be fixed...

 

If you're sure it's the bearings, just get a re-build kit off e-bay for like 25 dollars.

 

The real bitch is going to be getting the axle out of the carrier. If it won't even turn, you are deffinatly going to have to have/use a press.

[Watts]

Almost anything can be fixed...

 

If you're sure it's the bearings, just get a re-build kit off e-bay for like 25 dollars.

 

The real bitch is going to be getting the axle out of the carrier. If it won't even turn, you are deffinatly going to have to have/use a press.

 

Yeah, i figured it would be a bitch, cause we couldn't even loosen the axle bolts, so, we just took the whole assembly to a local shop figuring they've got the tools to do it. They orderd the bearing kit, which should be here tomorrow or wednesday. I was just wanting to know if that could be the only thing wrong. And how could it lock up? bearings not greased, therefor, causing the metal to metal locking up the bearings? If it's real expensive, i'd rather just get a whole new unit from Durablu or something, with extentions. but he said it's fairly common for axles to do this, that's why he went ahead and orderd the kit.

[CFM]

Many reasons why it could have done that... The odd part is that it happned so suddenly. If I had to guess, Catastrophic bearing failure, meaning one or both blew apart and sent so much material jammed into the bearings that they seized.

 

If the shop said they can fix it, then they know what's up. There's a big difference with working in the driveway with a 3/8 ratchet as opposed to a heavy duty impact gun and multiple ton press.. You'll probably get it back cleaned/greased up with new bearings and seals. Good as new. :thumbsup:

 

I've got a spare set of the left side arms if you are looking to get that fixed..

[Watts]

Many reasons why it could have done that... The odd part is that it happned so suddenly. If I had to guess, Catastrophic bearing failure, meaning one or both blew apart and sent so much material jammed into the bearings that they seized.

 

If the shop said they can fix it, then they know what's up. There's a big difference with working in the driveway with a 3/8 ratchet as opposed to a heavy duty impact gun and multiple ton press.. You'll probably get it back cleaned/greased up with new bearings and seals. Good as new. :thumbsup:

 

I've got a spare set of the left side arms if you are looking to get that fixed..

 

I am looking to get that fixed. Are the arms stock? color? And, I couldn't really tell that the aarms were bent, by looking at them, but the wheel has a substantial neg. camber to it, so something is bent. Could it be aarms and something else? the hub maybe? It does wobble. the upper Aarm has been welded, but it's looks pretty close to the other side. Any ideas on that?

 

How much ya want for those left aarms?

Edited December 18, 2006 by Watts

[dawarriorman]

I am looking to get that fixed. Are the arms stock? color? And, I couldn't really tell that the aarms were bent, by looking at them, but the wheel has a substantial neg. camber to it, so something is bent. Could it be aarms and something else? the hub maybe? It does wobble. the upper Aarm has been welded, but it's looks pretty close to the other side. Any ideas on that?

 

How much ya want for those left aarms?

Negative camber in a wheel could be bent arms (good bet if the arm has been welded on), or it could be a bent spindle (thats happened to me). A wobble in the wheels is the wheel itself is bent/torqued.

[CFM]

Take some pics and post them up before anything.. The stock arms are not adjustable, so there is something wrong there.

[Barrymaxx]

Negative camber in a wheel could be bent arms (good bet if the arm has been welded on), or it could be a bent spindle (thats happened to me). A wobble in the wheels is the wheel itself is bent/torqued.

Very well could be a tweaked hub too if it wobbles when riding, but usually a rim will go before the hub.

[Watts]

Well, just got off the phone with the shop(about the axle) and it's completely shot. Bearings blew out and locked up inside the housing, ruining the housing. It got so hot it turned my axle shaft blue. Guess i put the blue in Durablue. So, i'm gonna go get a completely new axle assembly. I can keep some parts for spares, but, just a bad turn of events. Oh well, lesson learned. Take care of your bearings!!!!! I didn't cause this problem, but the dude that had it before me did, and he either knew about the problem, or didn't, but he didn't care too much for this poor 'shee. I'll fix her up though. I'll take some pics of what it looked like and post them when i go pick up the bad axle and housing....

 

On to the next thing(after i buy and install a new axle assembly of course). Fixing the aarms,geting the carbs tuned right and tearing her down to clean her up.