Fix One Problem, Another Pops Up

[Zircon]

Well, maybe a potential problem. Don't like the sound of it though. Backfiring problem totally fixed. Working as good as it ever did now. Had it up in mountains Tuesday and it climbed like a mountain goat. When we were almost down, I started hearing a sound in the front ... right side. Seemed worse on the downslope, but it's still there when I'm running it on the level. Thought first it was chain slap ... but I'm familiar with that sound and it doesn't sound like that. Close as I can come to describing it is it's something similar to small pebbles rattling around in a hubcap. I took a video with my cell phone ... even took off the firewall. Kind of hard to drive and hold a phone down there though. :-) Now that's where a selfie stick would come in real handy! I can hear it on the video, but I doubt anyone else would, so I won't upload it. Would a bearing make that kind of sound if it was on the way out?
It's an Argo Avenger 750 EFI, by the way. I greased all the bearings ... inner and outer fittings ... last fall. Didn't get the inner front one at the time though ... too darn hard to reach.

[msafi65]

I assume you have tracks on this one? Idd check lugnuts and if that dosent fix it pull the track and check bearings for play. Pull the wheel and inspect the welds at axle flange. I have seen a lot of the stamped flange axles break at welds. They make a freaking or popping sound before failing, fronts are the most common to fail. What did you find with poor running engine?

[Zircon]

Thanks. Yes, I have tracks on it. I uploaded a summary on that other post. I guess you didn't read it. Thanks again for your help with that issue.

[Zircon]

Problem fixed! Checked the lug nuts yesterday ... everything was good so I was prepared to take off the tracks today. But I decided to pull the firewall and check something again. Glad I did! Today the problem was obvious. The two idler chains were loose ... and I mean loose! So loose they were snicking on the cross frame member ... that was the sound I was hearing. So loose they had actually worn the cross frame a little. Yesterday I didn't notice it because the slack in the idler chains was on the inside. Today it was on the outside ... near the cross frame member. Very obvious. So, I loosened up the two side clamping nuts (inner one is hiding away ... pretty much had to feel for it), turned the two vertical adjusting bolts counter-clockwise to raise the power pack and tighten the idler chains, and then torqued the side clamping nuts back to 80ft.lbs. Tested it and everything was great ... noise completely gone. But there was a slight squeak. Shut it off, checked the chains again, and then I had to do it all over again. I set the chain deflection to 1/8 inch before I torqued the side clamping nuts back, but somehow the 1/8 inch deflection wasn't there anymore. They were tight ... no deflection at all. Don't know what happened there. Second try everything is perfect! Back in business again. But supposed to be a blizzard tonight, so doubt if it'll be taken on a long run tomorrow.

[curtisbyrne]

nice work... 15-20 cm snow tonight yay. id like to see it all melt im suck of this stuff.