Knocking sound while turning left

[jp26]

hi,
we're 90 minutes from the dealer we bought from, so will be having to fix issues ourselves, mostly. I have greased the zerks and lubricated the chains (using the auto lube system which we got installed when we bought it), but there is a noise when turning left (not bearing left, but actually turning) which I first noticed a few weeks ago. I took this audio recording just now, first I spin left, then right, then left again, then drive straight:
https://faculty.capebretonu.ca/jpreen/jargoknock.mp3

I am thinking it is a loose chain, but would appreciate any insight from more experienced owners as to what it may be and the best way to fix it. Or is this normal?
Cheers,
James

[trevorakm1]

could get the link to work. Is this a brand new machine or used? lift the machine up and check the bearings. wiggle the tires is the first place I would look. mine was well used and the inner right front bearing was destroyed through neglect. this allowed enough wiggle / wobble of the axle that it would cause the front chain to skip and make a clunking sound when turning tightly. sounded fine while regular running. maybe coming from the brake calipers? pull the firewall and drive to see if you notice anything not operating correctly, but be careful not to get caught in any moving parts. the good part of these machines mine anyway is the drive line sides are identicle so if it's in the drive you have a good chance spotting a difference between sides. vidoe or pics always help.
keep us updated as you may help someone else just by expressing what you find.

[trevorakm1]

also if it is loose chains, lift the machine off the ground to tighten them with the tensioners. if it is loose chains and they are very loose check your sprockets for wear, shark fin shaped teeth.

[jp26]

Thanks, the machine is 3 years old, but only used for 100 hours in that time. What is the best way to lift up an argo? I have a jack and an axle stand; I took some wheels off when greasing and was able to park the argo on some planks so one wheel was off the ground, will that do? I'll try that and compare the wiggle on each side, its a good tip about using the symmetry of the machine to tell if things are wrong! The file I linked is an mp3, should be playable once downloaded, will try a video tomorrow if I can get the firewall off today.

[trevorakm1]

I jack it up with a car jack and but red bricks in the back and front of the tub so wheels are free to be turned and that is why you should adjust the chains while jacked up cause on the ground other tires in line that aren't free prevent you from getting full chain tension. once up grab each tire and wiggle will tell if bearings are shot. sometimes can grease them rigid but it's temporary. if wiggle they will need changing based on your comfort level for accepting wear and tear. I don't consider myself a mechanic but I got through the entire drive bearings and chains. Pretty obvious once dig into it but can be a bear due to limited space/access the fronts and in mine neglect meant many seized parts. I don't have a press either.
as for your link I'm on a decepid computer but feel free to text me 401-440-4445. hopefully others will offer suggestions. I only have two issues with my argo I haven't been able to resolve. One is actually a blessing and the other is mentioned in another current thread about idle speed.

[jp26]

Sorry for the delay, I got busy with work. I was able to remove the floor pans and take this video just now. Hope youtube works!
https://youtu.be/qzypjm_3muQ
There is a more slack in the left chain than the right, but not 3 inches, even with the wheels raised. As it is a 2018 it should have auto-tensioning?

I was able to grease the inside zerks as well, but that didn't seem to make a difference. There was a fair bit of water inside as we hadn't removed the drain plugs since testing it in the water...

[trevorakm1]

your video works. I can hear a clinking sound.The chains look in the video to be of good tension. Are the spockets in good shape? In the correct spot on the axle? are the rear chains tight. With my machine off the ground I have had times where the rear chains were looser that the niddles allowing slightly more free spin than the middles or fronts.
Are all the chains single link on the new machines? I guess saves weight and cost. also interesting to see the automatic chain lubebrication system, never seen that.

[trevorakm1]

with the machine completely off the ground you grabbed and wiggled the tires to check the bearings? Sorry if you mentioned that already. and I'm assuming the latest video is while driving,shakey. when I had a problem truning and getting a noise it was a very loud clunk. Yours in the video seems more quiet and chanin related.

[jp26]

Yes, I have it off the ground now and there was no wiggle in the bearings when I moved the tyres.
Can someone describe the motion you have to do to manually tension the chains?

The back chains seem a bit looser, which is harder to get a video of while driving...
Does it sound of concern to any of you?

[trevorakm1]

with it lifted can you turn the wheels and get the clunking sound motor off

[Buzz]

jp, I couldn’t get link to work. Does your noise go away when you turn right? If so, I would suspect a tensioner on the right side. Normally when you turn, the faster moving side of the machine will keep the drive side of the chains tight on that side of the machine (in the forward direction), and the tensioner side will show various levels of slack depending on how hard you are working. Sometimes this amount of slack is enogh to cause the tensioner to tap/rock/go back and forth because of the spring tension and the fact that there is enough play to let this happen, but maybe not enough play to automatically notch up and adjust tighter. But the inside (slower moving, braked side) bank of chains will get looser on the top and tighter on the tensioner side..often times this is enough to pin the tensioner down and keep it from tapping. They are supposed to be automatically afjusting “up” as tensioner pins slide up the groovies in the frame. If this doesn’t happen, the can tilt/rock and make all kinds of racket if the tensioner side of the chains increases its “slackiness”. Turning the other direction will often times cause the noise to go away as the machine (and therefore tires) are dragged along by the ground (or within a track). This rotates the braked side tires faster than the transmission output and tightens the tensioner side of an otherwise “too loose” chain, and the noise stops. The solution is to manually adjust/notch up the tensioner (both sides of the pin within both groovies, squarely) so that the notched plates are sitting on the frame crossmember equally/level. That’s probably a crappy description, hopefully it makes sense.
Trevorak: You noise sounds like a loose front chain that “droops” into the face of the front sprocket under heavy load (turning, especially climbing + turning) where the bottom of the front chain is about as tight as it’s going to get, and the top is as loose as it’s going to get. A link in the top of the chain droops into the face of the front sprocket (instead of going straight over and down/around...can’t cheat gravity). The link binds, then suddenly releases with a loud “bang”, and the process repeats itself under heavy load. The solution is to change front chains (no tensioners to help). Similar thing can gappen on rear chains if too stretched or if tensioner has no adjustment left. The bottom of chain will droop under the rear sprocket, skip a link, load up, and then bang into place as it settles onto skipped sprocket tooth. Just some thoughts (I didn’t get a chance to see the video)

[trevorakm1]

Hey Buzz, Mine problem was a completely destroyed inner front bearing that allowed the axle to wallow around and thus causing chain/ sprocket interference. Was a used and neglected machine but taught me alot refurbing the drive train.

[rickga]

Sounds like loose chain tapping or trying to jump tooth. Check your mid or rear tensioner. Front chain could be no good but 100 hrs shouldn't be. As mentioned by Buzz, the front chain slop could be tapping tub

[Avenger Bob]

Have you checked the tension on the idler chains? They will clunk when turning if one side is too loose.

[jp26]

Thanks to everyone for your help.

After I posted the last update I found these links from previous posters which may also help:

http://www.6x6world.com/forums/argo-atvs/11884-how-adjust-chains-dummies.html

http://www.6x6world.com/forums/argo-atvs/30605-chain-tensioner-2.html

I wont be able to try your new suggestions until next week, sorry, but will update when I get more information!