96 TRX400 front wheels won't drive

[ZehnX 6]

Howdy!

"George", my hobby farm horse (a '96 Foreman TRX400) became a 2wheel drive last year while plowing some snow. The rear wheels continue to drive well, the front don't. I assumed something broke, but because he's so useful, I've only just dug into it. I lifted it and the front wheels would drive until they were back on the ground. I suspected the differential first, then the propeller shaft, but now that they're off, I don't have any convincing evidence. So, now I'm consulting the pros! This model is always 4wd, but has a switch for hi/low which does not affect this issue.

 

On the front propeller shaft, the engine end looks great and the engine-connected parts have their teeth. The differential end of the shaft is a little rusty, the teeth on the shaft definitely look worn, and the teeth on the diff look great. When I plug the shaft into the diff, it seems tight and secure. When I rotate the shaft, the diff kinda clunks at first but the axle gears rotate and nothing seems to be loose in there. I'm currently draining the oil, which looks horrible.

 

Before I started disassembly, I noticed the LH axle seal was dislodged, who knows how long it'd been that way. It occurred to me that if the oil seal was dislodged, that means the LH CV axle was probably not in there completely - is that right? And if so, could a dislodged CV axle cause both front wheels to stop driving?

 

I'm going to check the 'clunk' again and figure out what that's about. Beyond that, what should I do or try? Thanks!

 

Incidentally, I bought an '04 front differential which does not appear to be interchangeable with my '96. If anyone wants it, I'd happily sell it to you.

[Fishfiles 17,097]

Hi , welcome to Atvhonda ---- 

 

looks like the teeth of the splines of the propel shaft in your second pic are rusted away , could be slipping between there and the coupler that mates with it , that is common thing  to happen , I have change back and front couplers on my 450s 

 

 

you say you got a 2006 400 ? those are AT = Hondamatic and as far as I know where  electric engage 4wd , are you sure what you are calling Hi/Lo front diff isn't the actuator to engage 4wd and maybe it is not working 

[Fishfiles 17,097]

If you don't have it , then here is a manual for that 400  https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bE0Q49DVddje37NxEAD1QDj5R9HmtSSs

[ZehnX 6]

Thanks, Fishfiles Got the manual a few minutes ago, this site is great! George is a 1996 not a 2006.

The shaft end could be rusted out, but it does feel tight when I put them together and turn it. I do have a propeller shaft on backorder. (Let's Go Brandon)

[Fishfiles 17,097]

4 minutes ago, ZehnX said:

Thanks, Fishfiles Got the manual a few minutes ago, this site is great! George is a 1996 not a 2006.

The shaft end could be rusted out, but it does feel tight when I put them together and turn it. I do have a propeller shaft on backorder. (Let's Go Brandon)

I had a long day , 2006 was stuck in my head as I was working on a 2006 machine today 

[ZehnX 6]

2 minutes ago, Fishfiles said:

I had a long day , 2006 was stuck in my head as I was working on a 2006 machine today 

I do believe it's beer thirty. Got some Abita handy?

[Fishfiles 17,097]

42 minutes ago, ZehnX said:

I do believe it's beer thirty. Got some Abita handy?

Abita ??   Are you local to Southeast Louisiana ??  ---    what's your favorite >>   Purple Haze ?  AndyGator ?

[toodeep 1,715]

If that left axle popped out of the final drive that would make it a 2x4 since it has a limited slip front diff. The prop shaft looks rusty but the teeth are all there so that should be good.

[ZehnX 6]

16 hours ago, Fishfiles said:

Abita ??   Are you local to Southeast Louisiana ??  ---    what's your favorite >>   Purple Haze ?  AndyGator ?

Well I'm from Chattanooga, but I spent a few months in New Orleans after Katrina. I remember a brown variety but I don't remember what it's called. Purple Haze is great though. Have one for me! Can't find them up here (not that I'm looking very hard.)

[ZehnX 6]

15 hours ago, toodeep said:

If that left axle popped out of the final drive that would make it a 2x4 since it has a limited slip front diff. The prop shaft looks rusty but the teeth are all there so that should be good.

Someone on another forum suggested install a ring and pinion kit. Thoughts?

[Fishfiles 17,097]

5 hours ago, ZehnX said:

Well I'm from Chattanooga, but I spent a few months in New Orleans after Katrina. I remember a brown variety but I don't remember what it's called. Purple Haze is great though. Have one for me! Can't find them up here (not that I'm looking very hard.)

Seen you posted in members location , looks like you are  around bcsman and my wife's in-laws 

 

Don't think there is a kit or aftermarket for the front , individual pieces only 

 

Abita is on tap on the patio , LOL 

 

 

[ZehnX 6]

Amber is nice. Those look like school bells, a cool way to display and use your tap collection! I once new a guy who'd been in the navy but was from Louisiana; he had a $450k house and the tap on his back porch was for Bud Light. I think he got upset when I said 'Bud Light, really?'

 

The last time I had a Purple Haze, I was at a BWW in Atlanta area. Good stuff. Where are the people you mentioned? Wisconsin is a surprisingly large state.

 

After draining the diff, I was looking in through the oil fill hole and spinned the ring gear, the teeth look great. There's a little slop when you turn one way and the other, I would guess some worn bearings or loose teeth engagement. Anyone know if this is something I should deal with now?

 

I'm planning to reinstall the differential with some good new oil once I get the new oil seals in, and go from there.

[jeepwm69 6,601]

1 hour ago, ZehnX said:

Amber is nice. Those look like school bells, a cool way to display and use your tap collection! I once new a guy who'd been in the navy but was from Louisiana; he had a $450k house and the tap on his back porch was for Bud Light. I think he got upset when I said 'Bud Light, really?'

 

The last time I had a Purple Haze, I was at a BWW in Atlanta area. Good stuff. Where are the people you mentioned? Wisconsin is a surprisingly large state.

 

After draining the diff, I was looking in through the oil fill hole and spinned the ring gear, the teeth look great. There's a little slop when you turn one way and the other, I would guess some worn bearings or loose teeth engagement. Anyone know if this is something I should deal with now?

 

I'm planning to reinstall the differential with some good new oil once I get the new oil seals in, and go from there.

 

I have Miller Lite in my kegerator. 

 

I started off with "good" beer, mostly from Boulevard out of KC.  I realized that drinking a keg of micro before it started getting skunky was puffing me up really fast, so I switched back to cheap lite beer in the keg. 

 

I still have some microbrews in the fridge, but I like cheap beer on tap.  Even PBR is good on tap.

 

I like some Purple Haze.  Wife likes the Strawberry Abita, which used to be seasonal, but now apparently it's year round (and not as good IMO).  Does Abita still make a Satsuma beer?  That one was good too.

 

As for the slop, I would try to address.  Depending on where it is, you might mess up some pricey parts that can be saved if fixed now.  If it's slop in your diff bearings, you can replace the bearings and reuse your gears.  There should be a little slop in the gears contacting one another as they are straight cut gears (not helical) so there's a little back and forth play between the ring and pinion gears.  Is that what you mean by "a little slop" or is something else moving around?

[Fishfiles 17,097]

1 hour ago, ZehnX said:

Amber is nice. Those look like school bells, a cool way to display and use your tap collection! I once new a guy who'd been in the navy but was from Louisiana; he had a $450k house and the tap on his back porch was for Bud Light. I think he got upset when I said 'Bud Light, really?'

 

The last time I had a Purple Haze, I was at a BWW in Atlanta area. Good stuff. Where are the people you mentioned? Wisconsin is a surprisingly large state.

 

After draining the diff, I was looking in through the oil fill hole and spinned the ring gear, the teeth look great. There's a little slop when you turn one way and the other, I would guess some worn bearings or loose teeth engagement. Anyone know if this is something I should deal with now?

 

I'm planning to reinstall the differential with some good new oil once I get the new oil seals in, and go from there.

 

 

The wife's family actually lives  in Minnesota not Wisconsin   , it is where the Rider's Cup golf course is located  , they sold some of their  farm years ago to the course and receive passes every year to the event , the wife last went up there and went to the golf tournament about 2 years ago , i did not go 

 

 

 

 I live about 30 minutes from the Abita Brewery , it is in Abita Springs , Louisiana 

[ZehnX 6]

4 hours ago, jeepwm69 said:

 

I have Miller Lite in my kegerator. 

 

I started off with "good" beer, mostly from Boulevard out of KC.  I realized that drinking a keg of micro before it started getting skunky was puffing me up really fast, so I switched back to cheap lite beer in the keg. 

 

I still have some microbrews in the fridge, but I like cheap beer on tap.  Even PBR is good on tap.

 

I like some Purple Haze.  Wife likes the Strawberry Abita, which used to be seasonal, but now apparently it's year round (and not as good IMO).  Does Abita still make a Satsuma beer?  That one was good too.

 

As for the slop, I would try to address.  Depending on where it is, you might mess up some pricey parts that can be saved if fixed now.  If it's slop in your diff bearings, you can replace the bearings and reuse your gears.  There should be a little slop in the gears contacting one another as they are straight cut gears (not helical) so there's a little back and forth play between the ring and pinion gears.  Is that what you mean by "a little slop" or is something else moving 

Well that's a good reason to keep cheap beer around. Some of it gives me a headache lately. I just get bottles by the case at Costco and have one when I've fixed something. I'm warming back up to growlers. 

 

Here's what I mean. It clunks a little when I change directions on the shaft. 

[jeepwm69 6,601]

That’s normal.

 

For a while there I was buying really cheap beer (Frio Light) and it actually didn’t taste too bad (not great, but good lake/atv beer) but it gave me horrible hangovers.

 

@basfnb drinks beast lite (Milwaukee’s Best light).  Once I’ve had a few if I accidentally grab one of those out of his cooler it doesn’t phase me lol

[ZehnX 6]

3 hours ago, Fishfiles said:

The wife's family actually lives  in Minnesota not Wisconsin   , it is where the Rider's Cup golf course is located  , they sold some of their  farm years ago to the course and receive passes every year to the event , the wife last went up there and went to the golf tournament about 2 years ago , i did not go

 

I think the Ryder's cup is a traveling tournament? This past year it was played right up the road from us near Sheboygan, Wisconsin at Whistling Straits. According to this website I looked at, the 2028 cup will be at Hazeltine in Chaska, Minnesota. MN or WI...it's all cold because we pay for gorgeous summers with hard winters.

[jeepwm69 6,601]

1 minute ago, ZehnX said:

 

I think the Ryder's cup is a traveling tournament? This past year it was played right up the road from us near Sheboygan, Wisconsin at Whistling Straits. According to this website I looked at, the 2028 cup will be at Hazeltine in Chaska, Minnesota. MN or WI...it's all cold because we pay for gorgeous summers with hard winters.

Yeah the Ryder Cup moves around

[Fishfiles 17,097]

Going to ask the wife what city her  relatives' farmland is in   , I have never gone with them , been two years since she went ,  ----- some place  around MinniHaHa ---- sad thoughts today >>>  her cousin from up there , who was 61 is being waked via streaming services today at 12 noon

[Fishfiles 17,097]

9 hours ago, jeepwm69 said:

That’s normal.

 

For a while there I was buying really cheap beer (Frio Light) and it actually didn’t taste too bad (not great, but good lake/atv beer) but it gave me horrible hangovers.

 

@basfnb drinks beast lite (Milwaukee’s Best light).  Once I’ve had a few if I accidentally grab one of those out of his cooler it doesn’t phase me lol

Pabst Blue Ribbon  ( PBR ) is the cheap beer around here , and they come in a 30 pack instead of 24 !!!!  Scuzz Twittly does a  song " Keep your hands off my PRB " , he also does another song called <  " Anita Beer "  on u-tube or in the music section here on AH.C 

 

 

As far as that diff goes , I'd Pop a Top and Send It 

[ZehnX 6]

2 hours ago, Fishfiles said:

Pabst Blue Ribbon  ( PBR ) is the cheap beer around here , and they come in a 30 pack instead of 24 !!!!  Scuzz Twittly does a  song " Keep your hands off my PRB " , he also does another song called <  " Anita Beer "  on u-tube or in the music section here on AH.C 

 

 

As far as that diff goes , I'd Pop a Top and Send It 

There's a music section here? Is this the best forum ever? 

[Fishfiles 17,097]

Post up something you like , over 100 pages of videos here 

 

 

 

[ZehnX 6]

7 hours ago, Fishfiles said:

Going to ask the wife what city her  relatives' farmland is in   , I have never gone with them , been two years since she went ,  ----- some place  around MinniHaHa ---- sad thoughts today >>>  her cousin from up there , who was 61 is being waked via streaming services today at 12 noon

bummer. That's young!

Be glad it's streaming, it's a high of 15 today.