What was the real problem?

[Misterclean 420]

My 2014 trx 420 has been wrecked by many friends and family members. Wrecked hard only once. It seems usually they just run into something. Since the hard wreck about five years ago it has had some minor slack in the steering. It has worsened slowly thru the years until recently one of my adult daughters ran into a small pine tree with it. Since then the slack has doubled in the play and a minor squeaking noise accompanies it some times. I quit riding it immediately so as not to have something break and causing a steering related crash. I took a quick look and it seemed one or two tie rod ends were loose. They were less than $7 each my cost so I just ordered them because it has many hours on it and wouldn't be a total waste of money at that price. While working on it I noticed the big nut at the bottom of the steering shaft was a little loose. I removed the tie rod bracket to inspect the splines.........everything was fine so i just lubed it and tightened the nut real good. The loose bracket certainly was one of the problems for sure. Now it steers like a new one! Any insight from Ya'll? Oh yeah.........I spent almost the same time centering the handle bar location as I did on the tie rod replacement. LOL

Edited May 26, 2020 by Misterclean

[Wheeler 2,527]

Those steering stem bearings can be a real pain to replace. Glad u just had to snug the nut up. I agree that for the price of a tie rod the peace of mind is worth it!!

[jeepwm69 7,721]

Yep, I've seen a few loose ones that just needed that nut tightened up!  Ya got lucky!

[Goober 1,555]

Most important thing i can think of:

ensure that a spec cotter pin is installed to prevent the nut from backing off in the future.

 

[Misterclean 420]

4 hours ago, Goober said:

Most important thing i can think of:

ensure that a spec cotter pin is installed to prevent the nut from backing off in the future.

 

This cotter pin doesn't lock the nut they way you would expect it to. It just goes thru the end of the shaft to prevent the nut from completely unscrewing. Silly design in my opinion. I almost didn't install it but did anyway. 

 

[_Wilson_™ 6,592]

I've run Into that issue many times on equipment ... I've used a number of those in the pic  ... and also lock tight thread kockier. 

[Fishfiles 20,147]

I call Wilson's second pic a stover nut , like them better than a nylon insert locking nut , if you read manuals they tell you to discard a used lock nut , I don't unless I feel that the nut turns easily from being worn out , I have put many hours on atvs and have had that steering nut come loose once or twice , like mentioned the cotter key doesn't lock the nut in place as it is not a castle headed nut ------   would guess if you want to make a mountain out of a mole hill and really wanted some extra protection , you could dig up a castle headed nut that would fit , add some washers under that nut to space the nut out so the cotter key would line up with the nut , and that cotter key is tiny diameter , would be better to drill the hole bigger and use a bigger cotter  ----Lock-Tite is the way to go 

[shadetree 5,969]

only loose nuts around here ?...IS US !!..LOL.

[Fishfiles 20,147]

There is no shortage of loose nuts in the country at the moment , turn on the TV and you can see herds of them ...  

[Misterclean 420]

4 hours ago, Fishfiles said:

I call Wilson's second pic a stover nut , like them better than a nylon insert locking nut , if you read manuals they tell you to discard a used lock nut , I don't unless I feel that the nut turns easily from being worn out , I have put many hours on atvs and have had that steering nut come loose once or twice , like mentioned the cotter key doesn't lock the nut in place as it is not a castle headed nut ------   would guess if you want to make a mountain out of a mole hill and really wanted some extra protection , you could dig up a castle headed nut that would fit , add some washers under that nut to space the nut out so the cotter key would line up with the nut , and that cotter key is tiny diameter , would be better to drill the hole bigger and use a bigger cotter  ----Lock-Tite is the way to go 

I thought of doing that mod too but was too lazy. LOL If it happens again I may do something different. In reference to the diameter of the cotter pin mine was fairly stout on the 2014 TRX 420. Now the cotter pins on the tie rod ends, they were tiny.