Easiest Amphib to work on

[Breadstain]

Based on experience, which machine is easier to work on and replace parts? I think the Argo is a pain in the butt. My starter has gone bad again and it’s just a nightmare. I’ve spent all week working on it and don’t find it easier. Is there one where access to the engine and all the parts is easier?

[curtisbyrne]

max

[dave phelps]

Attex is the easiest in my book.

[john swenson]

i like my modified max 2. j.b.

[Dozerlarry]

having never worked on another I can't compare but my Max 4 seems easy enough

[liflod]

Easiest:
1. Attex
2. Max IV
3. Either any Argo or Max II.

[racerone3]

None. Followed by what Liflod said

[ARGOJIM]

As far as starters the Max IV would be easiest followed by the Kohler aluminum engine machines, Vanguards just plain suck no matter what machine except the maybe the IV. The starters in Argos are a pain sometimes.

[Noel Woods]

I don't think which machine you work on makes much difference, still plan on skinning some knuckles, getting some cuts, and contorting your body into some positions it wasn't really designed to flex to.
Every machine I've ever worked on had some positives, and negatives.

[amphibious drew]

None. Followed by what Liflod said

Well said. Attex has easy access to everything! The Max IV’s downside is the transmission being under the engine. All engine points are easily accessible, but to get to the t-20 you must remove the engine. Max II’s access to the engine is limited through the access panel in the upper body, but once you unbolt all the wing nuts around the machine, everything is right there to wrench on.

[liflod]

but once you unbolt all the wing nuts around the machine

and contort yourself under and over the upper body and deal with the jack shafts and deal with the tight access to the center sprockets.........

[racerone3]

This makes a Max II way easier to work on, but you have to find a donor upper body http://www.6x6world.com/forums/max-a...ine-cover.html

[allwheeldrive]

Defiantly NOT the Coot, half the bolt’s heads are so close to mating surfaces not only can you not get a socket or box head around them but even with an open ended wrench you get ONE face of the bolt rotation at a time. This is ignoring the transmission bolts where you have to mount wrenches in vice grips and find everything blindly just poking around with 2 fingers extended to even reach still. Then you get to hold that in place for 30-45 min as you painstakingly rotated the top bolt with your cut off wrench to clear the drive shaft just one 1/6th of a revolution per clearance allowance. Its borderline impossible almost as silly as how there is 1/8” of an inch to little room to remove either the driven clutch or the bolt out of the drive clutch meaning both engine and trans need to be removed first, which of course means going after those 2 impossible to access trans bolts. At least the hotglued magnet-ed drilled nickel and dime coin spacer tool I built to get at the rear engine bolts work fast.

I should post a how to on fixing the trans bolts there is a way to make it (doable) in under 5min. Just need to use a 12 point star bolt with a handle-nut on the bottom. I almost get giddy now it’s so easy compared to before. I’d make this suggestion to anyone facing very hard to get at underside nuts and bolts with too little room to fit a box head.

https://www.mcmaster.com/#handle-nuts/=19zbahm

https://www.mcmaster.com/#12-point-screws/=19zbar4

Add in some https://www.ebay.com/i/251806510067?chn=ps&dispItem=1

It’s a life changing experience