Front Final Gear Case

[KE4AVB]

Anybody here serviced the Kawasaki KAF620A front final gear case? I got one here that popping in hard turns while in 4 wheel drive. It feel like the spiders either have too much backlash and are bad otherwise. Can lock the input shaft and while rotating one wheel feel the roughness.

[Luffydog]

Could it be a bad axle or cv joint that's popping or binding up. Is it both ways or just one way?

[KE4AVB]

I do know that RH CV boot is bad but I not thinking it is the CV joint though it can be bad as only does it under power and it not a constant noise. Usually I can feel the roughness of CV with my hand on the axle as I turn it though, feels smooth in both straight and hard left and right turns, forward and reverse. If I lock into 4 wheel drive with the front off the ground so only the spiders and cv's are in play I feel roughness as I turn either wheel. It is like the spiders are trying to climb on top the gear teeth as ring and pinion are locked in place. This roughness is felt both with the wheel straight or in hard turns (both left and right).

I'll check that RH CV later today and this weekend between rain showers after I get the UTV on stands so I can pull the RH spindle to get the CV axle out. First I got some 3rd of the month errands to do this morning. They usually take half a day. Be so glad when the neighbor get his driver license back; one more month I hope.

[bgsengine]

. If I lock into 4 wheel drive with the front off the ground so only the spiders and cv's are in play I feel roughness as I turn either wheel. .

You know by doing that your transmission, transfer case, and rear axles are all in play in that equation, right? can you verify that this issue is indeed right in the front axle? also what you describe sounds a lot like a limited slip differential to me.. all 4 tires the same size (diameter) and pressures?

[KE4AVB]

Noise is in the front. That is the reason I left the rear on the ground so I lock the drive system so nothing turn including and ring and pinion in the front final drive. The limited slip should not be in play with both front wheels off the ground. To my thinking the spiders should turn through smoothly.

Now checking the LSD will require disassembling the final drive if I am reading the manual correctly so I check for 9 ft-lb slip rate. Looks like I got work to do as I going need to pull the final drive for the tests. Looks like I going need another pair of 6 ton stands. At least they on sell this weekend.

The manual I have is for the 3010 instead of the 2510 but the final drive appear to be the same one.

[Luffydog]

I had one in shop reason why I asked that can hear it popping and rough turned out to be partly broken axle and cv joint when we thought it was internal. Might be a rock or other inside that cv cover making noise you how those people ride the creeks and try to make it go anywhere.

[KE4AVB]

I know this one is covered in cow pie stuff and smell like creosote fence posts. Asphalt too hot to work on this afternoon already blistered my forearm checking a mower deck.

I had one last that barb wire was in the sliding sheave clutch and nearly all the CV boot were ripped to pieces.

[Luffydog]

Hot hear to as well. Looks like things might change this weekend to bad weather ahead. Keep us posted on what u find.

[KE4AVB]

Well didn't get too far today as I got covered up in regular work. I did manage get the spindle off and found the CV joint is full of grass seeds but when I put it through its full motion felt very smooth. I would nice if they mounted it with circlips like automobiles but they didn't, I got drain the final drive. Has an oddball size fill cap. None my wrenches would except that universal metric adjustable wrench.

[Luffydog]

Friend of mine back a few years ago had one grinding and making noise turned out to be sand and small rocks from creeks got in there plus water in a altogether mix of ingredients made the noise he was hearing. He didn't ever tell me what they did to resolve. He took it to the dealer so guessing they flushed cleaned and replaced with fluids. He moved from here and haven't heard from him in years I don't have his number or I would give a ring. He was a car mechanic and I think he thought it was going to be in a warranty spec but thinking he found out differ.