Need help on my Max IV!!

[maxIV]

I just recently bought a max IV and I have already found several problems with it. First off the tire direction is not clear. I want to do more mudding than anything. Should my >>> be pointing toward the back of the AATV for this. Second it does alot of popping when turning and doesn't want to go into reverse easy. I have adjusted the chain tentioners to 1/2'' to 3/4'' sag according to the manual and this fixed alot of the problem. I think one of the problems is that I do not have a stock motor that comes on this machine. The motor I bought it with is a 20hp Kohler and the belt has about 3'' to 4'' of sag on it when pushed. The person I bought it from has the motor shimmed with a 2''x4'' block of wood. Please help me get this straight. I know next to nothing about these machines.

[thebuggyman1]

Tires with the tread >>>>> (forward) will do slightly, very slightly, better in the mud, but do poorly in the water. Turn them backwards you will be pleased with the results.
Try taking all the slack out of your chains....any slop puts alot of stress on the system. It allows things to get moving, then bam engage!
Your belt problems.....read this: ATV and Snowmobile Belts - by Dayco
Good luck

[timothy]

it also sounds like the bands are worn out in the t-20 trans. replacing the bands will help take the clicking out. for now avoid slow moving turns. ether stop and turn or with a good amount of speed and don't pull so hard on the stick.

[racerone3]

for the popping, make sure your sprockets are aligned. if the chain is running crooked, that will make the side plates of the chain try to run up on the sprocket teeth. also look to see if a chain adjuster is pushing the middle of the chain out of alignment.

for the hard shifting... first, inspect all the shift linkage to make sure nothing is bent. then lube every moving part in the shift assembly. spray some lube down in the diamond shifter bores on the trany. if that doesn't help, pull the shifters out of the trany and look at the condition of the shift pins. T-20's can be hard to shift till you get the knack of it, and each one seems to shift a little different (at least the 7 or 8 i've had all have). you usually need to jiggle the laterals a little while trying to shift, and sometimes it helps to use your body weight to rock the machine front to back a little.

I like to run my rear 4 tires in the correct swimming direction, and the fronts the way you would for mud. it still has good water speed this way and seems to pull out of a mud hole a little better this way.

[Mike]

I wouldnt start by replacing the bands. That shouldnt be an issue. For the tires, run them the stock way because anytime you begin to float even in a mud hole you will need forward water propulsion. Look in the gallery for pictures of the stock direction if you are unsure. Remove the block of wood from under the motor and replace it with metal shims like the factory uses. Basically they are just small pieces of metal with a hole through them. You put one at each corner for the bolts to go through. Add shims until you get the belt tight.

For the popping sound the previous posters said it very well. Let me add one thing since I have experienced it on a couple of max IVs. Every time I began to hear that sound it was from one of the rear two chain tensioners not being aligned with the rear sprockets. If you look closely, the two pieces of flat metal that hold the idler sprockets in place can sometimes get bent from over torquing the bolts and this will pull the sprocket sideways just enough to make the chain pop every few dozen rotations. That sound is from the side of the chain getting caught on the sprocket tooth, getting pulled up a little before slamming back down in the correct location on the sprocket. If you pull your motor and engine stand completely out you can push the Max forwards and backwards and watch it happen when you hear it pop.

[Patmax]

Which Kohler is in there, the red one or the black one? (snikers)?
Check the other IV post about belt tension. 2in is way out, and what barnyard mechanic used a 2x4 for a shim?
You can call the factory for adjustment specs for the transmission, as I recall it should be about 1/2" max when pulled, mesured at the belt plungers.

[maxIV]

Thank you for all the advice. I have pulled the motor and stand and the chains were definatly loose. The linkage was also bent up very badly. I straightened it out and also found the reason that the max was having such a hard time going into gear. someone had the hardstops for the shifter to broad and it wasn't allowing me to shift in the range of the shifter. I tighted the shifter all the way due to all the slack it had. I can now shift it alot easier. My manual says to adjust the belt to 1 3/4'' of deflection. My question is that my max came with 26-12-12 tires and it seens hard for it to pull it. Before I removed the motor the clutches were offset and I had a 3''+ belt deflection. I'm going to install 2'' motor mounts that I have made out of aluminum channel. Hopefully this will fix my problem with the power loss. I also changed my transmission fluid and only 8 fl oz of ATF came out. I overfilled it by 7 fl oz according to the manual. would it be a good idea to remove some or will it be fine? Again thanks for all the help guys. I want to get this thing right.

[maxIV]

Which Kohler is in there, the red one or the black one? (snikers)?
Check the other IV post about belt tension. 2in is way out, and what barnyard mechanic used a 2x4 for a shim?
You can call the factory for adjustment specs for the transmission, as I recall it should be about 1/2" max when pulled, mesured at the belt plungers.

It has the 20hp Kohler Command (black) Motor

[maxIV]

Thank you for all the advice. I have pulled the motor and stand and the chains were definatly loose. The linkage was also bent up very badly. I straightened it out and also found the reason that the max was having such a hard time going into gear. someone had the hardstops for the shifter to broad and it wasn't allowing me to shift in the range of the shifter. I tighted the shifter all the way due to all the slack it had. I can now shift it alot easier. My manual says to adjust the belt to 1 3/4'' of deflection. My question is that my max came with 26-12-12 tires and it seens hard for it to pull it. Before I removed the motor the clutches were offset and I had a 3''+ belt deflection. I'm going to install 2'' motor mounts that I have made out of aluminum channel. Hopefully this will fix my problem with the power loss. I also changed my transmission fluid and only 8 fl oz of ATF came out. I overfilled it by 7 fl oz according to the manual. would it be a good idea to remove some or will it be fine? Again thanks for all the help guys. I want to get this thing right.

[philipatmaxfour]

If the machine is parked dead level,remove the bottom plug and let the overfill run till it stops.You will then have the proper fluid level. 28 oz. of type f trany fluid and 4 oz. of limited slip differential fluid. Some people say Dextron, my manual 2003 says type F. Good luck

[maxIV]

I put my new motor mounts in today and got everything back running right. I know need to adjust the steer sticks. Do I do this by tighting the bolt on the T-20. If so is there any way to adjust them too far. My right stick will now engage the same as the left when pulled back.

[Mike]

There are a lot of threads on adjusting the T20 in the transmission forum. This one should get you started: http://www.6x6world.com/forums/trans...nsmission.html

[maxIV]

I appreciate the help mike. I wish there was someone close to me that knows alot about these things to tell me if mine is done right. haha

[Mike]

I may have read your initial post wrong. Are you adjusting the T20 to steer properly or the sticks so that they are even? If it is the T20 you are adjusting then my previous post has what you need. If you are just trying to adjust the sticks so that they are physically even with one another then you do that at the bottom of the laterals themselves. Remove the floor board and you will see what to do. If I remember correctly you have to take the lateral loose and then loosen a lock nut, screw the end of the linkage in or out as needed and then put everything back together.