Locking left and right axles together (momentarily)

[Rock Doctor]

My experience is spinning tires on an Argo just gets you stuck faster. It doesn't take much spinning to eat out the soft ground you're on and you'll be high centered in no time flat. Taking it nice and easy and keeping at least one side of the machine on something that gives traction seems like the approach to take.

Good point, I was thinking more of the times I had one bank of tires on firm ground and the other bank swimming, with the Belly Pan sliding along the bank. Spinning on soft ground will definatly high center you fast, but spinning in "Soup" can get you out easier than slow and steady. Really depends on what conditions you are in, and it's difficult to relay that info with "words on a page"


RD

[Rock Doctor]

[I]The open diff doesn't bother me as much as the turning effort/power loss it causes. A max's tranny doesn't whine and has no power loss in turns. There are other + and - to the two trans, but we all manage to get around well once you learn the machine.

I agree with this as well, The issue that I'm finding is that these new Transmitions seem to be 500hr units. Of the 6 that I have anything to do with, all have piled the transmitions between 460 and 520 hrs. My experience with the older style is 1700 to 2500 hrs before rebuild, and the reason for the larger variation in the older style is becouse I only (Personally) have experience with 3 that have needed rebuild. I don't claim to be an expert, but when you consider the length of time that the older and newer styles have been in service, I think that does say something.
I do hope I'm wrong about that, this is just one guys experience talking.


RD

[JohnF]

... I do hope I'm wrong about that, this is just one guys experience talking.

Well, if we want to count your experience.

<From the geek corner> All of 6 seems statistically significant and the SDMTPT (standard deviation of mean time to piled transmission) is ridiculously tight. You wouldn't happen to know those machines' birthdates? Are any bumping against their second 500 hours? (I'm assuming replaced transmissions?)

As for the driving and dealing with the loss of power in turns: My rookie and very limited experience (98 conquest) tells me that the loss of power in turns, when one is navigating in deep snow or very soft sand, is important to keep at the front of ones awareness. Whoops. Easy to deal with (but no less annoying) once you get the hang of it. And I have no experience in any other AATV.

[Rock Doctor]

Well, if we want to count your experience.

<From the geek corner> All of 6 seems statistically significant and the SDMTPT (standard deviation of mean time to piled transmission) is ridiculously tight. You wouldn't happen to know those machines' birthdates? Are any bumping against their second 500 hours? (I'm assuming replaced transmissions?)

.

OK, here's the short version (I don't want to try to get into a whole bunch of details that I don't know. MOST of these HDI's are "Company Machines" located at sites where I DON'T work. I just made a call to get some info)

9 HDI's, 7 of them are 2010's (1 is a friends) 2 others are BRAND NEW (2011's, I'm told)
All 6 2010 Company Units piled their trans between 480 and 550hrs. All trans were sent back to dealers, and then forwarded to ODG for inspection. All took about 8-10 weeks to be returned (Rebuilt). No info is available to me as to what went wrong.
8 of these machines have had Fuel Pump, AND/OR O2 sensor failures.
1 of the 2011 machines was backed off the trailer, driven to the fuel tank for fill up, and piled the Trans when it was pulled away from the fuel tank (It never made it 1 km)

2 of the 2010 models are aproaching their 1,000hr mark, and SEEM fine, but they SEEMED fine while aproaching their first 500 as well.

This is starting to look like I'm "BASHING" HDI's, but that is not my intent. I would HOPE that if I was intending to purchase a machine, and asked for info, that I would get REAL life info from people that I asked.

Just made a call to another friend who, I just learned, also purchased a 2010 HDI. He just had to replace his Fuel Pump.

Sorry, I seem to be Highjacking threads today


RD

[JohnF]

I think it's relevant; but

Thanks for the info. When I first studied this machine and its inner working I wondered about trannys more along the lines of modern tanks. Definately the way to go to improve power efficiency. Just assumed the cost/benefit was too much for production.

Truth is, once it is worked out, I want one. Imagine a 40% increase in engine power (in turns) without too much of an increase in weight or space requirement.

I don't know, I haven't actually seen one, but it may be a simpler mod than the engine swap. (but then, who wouldn't do both? )