What is making my MAX do this?

[ScubaCat]

I just got a 2003 with the 25HP Kohler. It has approx 15hrs on it. It seems that the right side wheels are frozen up. When in forward and gassed it wants to go right , not forward. It will not turn left at all and will not go backwards.

The parking brake is not binding or frozen. Belt and chains look to be fine.

Any ideas?

[Mike]

Is the linkage on the shifter connected to the transmission on both sides? Also, are the steering levers connected to the transmission? Check that first and let's start there.

[ScubaCat]

It is at my parents house right now. When gassed from a stop both sticks forward it wants to go right. Put in reverse and gassed with no stick input nothing happens. I pulled up the front floor plan and all looked ok to the naked eye. I looked at the linkage with the engine cover off and all looked ok there as well. I will check it out further tomorrow.

[philipatmaxfour]

2003 Maxiv 25 hp.- I like it!

SCubaCat, If the tranny linkage is ok. jack the right side up and spin the wheels by hand. Something jambed in the main chain,t-20 to rear axle is hard to see and will stop the whole side. Good luck

[philipatmaxfour]

It is at my parents house right now. When gassed from a stop both sticks forward it wants to go right. Put in reverse and gassed with no stick input nothing happens. I pulled up the front floor plan and all looked ok to the naked eye. I looked at the linkage with the engine cover off and all looked ok there as well. I will check it out further tomorrow.

IN reverse,no stick imput,-the brakes are on-- pull sticks all the way back to go in reverse- you will get used to it and love it.

[Mike]

IN reverse,no stick imput,-the brakes are on-- pull sticks all the way back to go in reverse- you will get used to it and love it.

Exactlly! You have an easy fix

Also, when going forward, try pushing the sticks forward. Even though they are spring loaded, sometimes they need a little more input if not adjusted properly.

[ScubaCat]

No matter the stick input or lack thereof there is no reverse movement. Baffles me, it has less than 16hrs on it in 4 years.

Guess I can't complain, I got it for $1500. Has the 26" tire package and ROPS.

[MaxRules]

It sounds like your shifter linkage could be broken and it's probably the shifter on top of the trans. Check to see if your shift lever is moving the linkage all the way back to the diamond shaped shifters on top of the trans near each chain. It's a fairly easy fix and is common when people force the trans into gear. If that appears to be the problem, let us know and we'll go over what needs to be done.

[jpswift1]

The same thing happened to our friend Hydromike, on the Humphrey, NY trail ride. Luckily he was able to fix it on site. You might be able to just get a replacement shift pin from Recreatives. Amphibious Six-Wheel Drive All-Terrain Vehicles: MaxATVs - Call 1-800-255-2511 Good luck with it and let us know how it turns out.

[rdr]

when i put my t20 back to gather it didthe sane thing called max rules and it was the shift pin not lined up right .he fixed it over the phone .

[Mike]

Scubacat, any update yet? I think I would try what Jeff and Robbie mentioned. On the side of the T20 that doesn't seem to be working, pull that shifter plate and then the shifter will pop right out. It only takes a couple of minutes to pull and will tell you if that is the problem.

Keep us updated.

[mudbug3]

when i put my t20 back to gather it didthe sane thing called max rules and it was the shift pin not lined up right .he fixed it over the phone .

rdr ,

This is the reason why this forum is so popular that Mike started . People in the know , are VERY helpful here . This is great for those who have recently bought a used amphib , and need lots of advice fixing it . This is where jpswift and others like him,,,that know a lot about amphibs , will advise you what to fix , or check out .

[ScubaCat]

I got over to my parents house to pull all the floor pans and take a closer look. I noticed what seemed like an inordinate amount of ice in the bottom and decided to try to bust through it.

There was ALOT of ice in there! About 3" or so. I noticed the left side that was free was broken up and free while the right side was still solid. I chunked up as much as I could and pulled the drain plugs. It will be much warmer the next few days. I am hoping that the ice was/is holding the right side chain and sprockets in place.

[philipatmaxfour]

3 inches of ice inside the machine

[QUOTE=ScubaCat;13787]I got over to my parents house to pull all the floor pans and take a closer look. I noticed what seemed like an inordinate amount of ice in the bottom and decided to try to bust through it.

There was ALOT of ice in there! About 3" or so.

Ice left in the bottom of the machine is not good. I pull my plugs when I,m loading it on the trailer so ice won,t form on the way home. If it turns out that your bearings are OK, use this as a cheap lesson, good Luck

[argohunter]

Ice freeze up

I had something similar happen to me one season. I made some mistakes and I learned a valuable lesson. The Max was parked in the bush while I was hunting. It snowed all day and several inches of heavy wet snow accumulated on it and in it. I forgot to cover it with a tarp that I carry just for this reason. I cleaned the snow off the seat and away I went. I should have also pulled the drain plugs before I drove back to camp. The snow inside melted and if it had drained out, there would not have been a problem. The good thing that I did do was to put the Max on the trailer at camp. We were breaking camp in the morning to relocate and I wanted to be ready to go. It went below zero overnight. After moving camp and attempting to unload the Max, it would not move. The laterals were free but the water in the bottom of the tub had frozen and the drive train was jammed. It was fortunate that the Max was on the trailer before it froze. I don't know how I would have gotten that ice out of it at camp without damaging something. I trailered to a nearby village where I got the trailer into a heated shop and let it thaw. I learned some valuable lessons that I won't forget.