max 4 wont turn in reverse

[chris moresi]

ok so it goes fine in forward,and reverse turns in for ward but not at all in reverse.drained tranny and but new atf fluid in. does my transmission need a rebuild?any help would be appreciated thx

[bierbower37]

First is your tranny fully engaged...should feel two distinct clicks when it engages. If thats not it check all your linkage going back? Also is this a machine u just got or did this just begin to occur?

[chris moresi]

I just got it what linkage do I check??thanks for your help.

[Mike]

There are two diamond shape shifters on top of the transmission. Those are moved when you move the shift lever from forward to reverse. On a Max IV it's hard to see since the motor is sitting on top of the trans but pull your floor boards out and look under the back seat. Watch each diamond shifter and see if it moves all the way from forward to reverse while someone else shifts it for you.

Also, just a thought but if it's your first T20 machine you may not know. When in reverse you pull back on the sticks to go backwards. While you have one all the way back you push the other one all the way forward to brake that side and turn. Is that how you are trying to turn in reverse?

[chris moresi]

mike thanks alot that worked!!I guess I wasn't doing it right this site is great.I just turned from atvs to these lots of fun.

[Mike]

That's great news. They are a little confusing the first time you try to go in reverse with a T20 especially if the person you bought it from didn't show you how to drive it. I'm glad that's all it was. You can't beat a cheap fix. Have fun.

[chris moresi]

what is the proper way to drive these things when turning etc since no one ever showed me. mike I apperciate all your help.also how steep of a hill can they climb,also whats the proper way to navigate down a steep hill thx

[Mike]

You will find different people drive them different ways. For good turns you typically want to be moving forward a little before you start to pull back on either lateral and brake one side. When you are going forward up steep hills one thing to keep in mind is that often the springs on the laterals will not keep enough pressure on the sticks to fully engage the transmission. That means that while you are climbing be sure to push forward all the way on the sticks.

For going down hills that is where you will probably get the most mixed results from different people. I typically head straight down the hill and let all the way off the throttle while pulling back on both sticks. You have to change your train of thought just a little because when you need to correct the direction you are traveling and go to the right for example you would have to let off the left stick so it turns the opposite way if you don't want to use the throttle. Some people prefer to use the emergency brake but I never touch it.

For how steep of a hill they can climb, most of the time you will lose traction and the tires will start spinning before you could flip it over backwards. Where most people get into trouble is when they go halfway up a hill that is too steep and then they panic and let the six wheeler come rolling back very fast downhill. You definitely don't want to change gears if you find yourself in that position because as soon as you hit neutral you will begin to roll. The best thing to do is keep the throttle squeezed and barely let off of it so that you roll back slightly. When you start to roll back too fast give it a little more throttle. You are just staying in forward and feathering the throttle to let you back down the hill.

I don't know the exact specs for the grade that they can traverse but the manufacturer's website will list that: Amphibious Six-Wheel Drive All-Terrain Vehicles: MaxATVs - Call 1-800-255-2511

Just don't do anything you aren't comfortable with and you will be fine. Try to practice in a controlled environment. Find a hill that you are comfortable with and can navigate fine and then approach it at different angles to simulate situations you may get into down the road. They can typically handle more than you would think they could.

[racerone3]

to add to what Mike said, usually on a steep hill your "Pucker Factor" will stop climbing the hill before the machine will give out. one risk factor on a steep climb is when the tires lose traction and dig 6 holes. as you start to back down the hill you have to climb over the dirt piles left behind by those 6 holes. when your front tires get on top of the pile left by the rear tires you will be at a steeper angle than you were while going up the hill. just keep that in mind and don't sit there spinning the tires a long time. once you lose traction you are not going to get it back.

[JAM]

these things are great my max II will climb as everyone else said until traction is lost, I've had several 4 wheelers and none can touch this machine, in any of the most important catagories for me, mud, hills, water..about says it all. as for me i like the ebrake heading down hill, mine has no seat belts and it keeps me in place, I then use the sticks to steer. If very steep, I will use both methods as the ebrake only has so much stopping power. But the tips about sticks forward is very important on steep inclines.