Excited to have just bought my first Max IV

[cwilliams]

A few hours ago I was please to take delivery of a 2003 Max IV with few hours on it and in really great condition. It has a roll bar and winch kohler 25 and the good year 26. It took a little while but I already feel better about driving it but I definitely need more practice.

The owner didnt think it needed much maint but I hought the engine just sounded a little rough. So I changed the fuel filter, plugs, oil and filter and I also seafoamed the intake and it all seemed to smooth things out.

My bigger concern is that the trans fluid hasn't been done I don't think so I want to do that and need to figure out how to get the plug out I do own a vac pump.

The chains look to be well adjusted and the previous owner owns many of these.

I do want to lube all the joints but I also noticed that the trans seems to make a high ptiched sound like metal on metal if I turn sharp so I am wondering what that might be.

Anyways I am glad to be a part of the forum and own one of these fine machines after wanting one for 15+ years.

[Rusty-Gunn]

Once you get everything squared away you will enjoy it a lot. These machines are very enjoyable to run.

[Mike]

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your purchase. It sounds like you have it mostly sorted out. For the high pitched metal on metal sound, that is most likely from your bands needing to be adjusted. Look in the T20 how-to rebuild article on the home page of this site or search the transmission forum; The directions for how to adjust the bands are listed in several places. It's a very simple job but it's difficult to get to the plungers on your transmission to adjust them. You may want to remove the rear seat or pull the motor/motor stand as one unit. Either one should give you better access to the front of the transmission where the plungers are.

The other thing that could be making that sound are wheel bearings or the output bearings that support the transmission output shafts but I've had that noise happen on two different machines and it was bands needing to be adjusted. Since the machine is new to you, it wouldn't hurt to adjust the bands anyway and just see if that corrects the problem.

[cwilliams]

Thanks! It is defiitely a lot of new stuff to learn and figure out. I will change the fluid later today in the T20 and then will get to doing the band adjustment you mentioned. The little I have driven it so far has been pretty cool. For me I mostly bought it to use in some ponds I have down by me to use around the shore, edge, etc. But I will be taking it slow before i hit the water. I also need to install a bilge pump too but i will do that after I get the transmission stuff done. Thanks again!

[amphibious drew]

Jack it up and check your bearings for play too. Bad bearings can make strange sounds especially when turning.

[cwilliams]

Thanks I was able to change the transmission fluid, I used Type F with posilock additive. Didn't go too badly.

I also grease all the fittings except for the two middle wheels, any ideas how to do this without taking the wheels off? THis wouldnt be that bad, I tried to jack it up but it just made the body bend?

Are there any tricks to jacking up the body without damaging it?

[amphibious drew]

I usually put a 2x6 the length of the body in between the jack and the body. Well sometimes I use a no parking sign, but you get the picture.