Max gets bogged down

[rparker7255]

Guys,

I own an Argo and don't have the problem I'm about to describe. My cousin bought a Max for this duck hunting season and continually get's bogged down and tires won't turn. He put new tires on it when he bought it, and my guess, they are too big. Pic attached. He put 8 x 12 x 22 on it. My Argo only has 20" tires and slings the mud off fine. OR, it could be the tires he bought the Kenda Bear Claw that has a real agressive tread. It could be a combo of both. Please offer advice.

[amphibious drew]

Which engine is in it? My guess would be it needs a new belt or an adjustment. Are we talking just a stroll through a muddy hole or going up a 50 ft 45 degree incline.

[thebuggyman1]

My guess is a clutching issue. Read this: ATV and Snowmobile Belts - by Dayco

[rparker7255]

Thanks for the feedback guys. The prob is that the mud collects quickly between the tire and fender. There's about 2 inches of clearance. The Max got bogged down today in a muddy field, no incline. Just a stroll...

[hydromike]

My guess is a clutching issue.

I'm going to +1 Jim's suggestion. Is that a Kohler Magnum he's running? The Max IV will turn 26" tires without any issue, so tire size isn't the problem. The tire aggressiveness likely isn't to blame, either. My guess is that the clutches need to be serviced. With the machine in neutral, rev the engine and see if the belt is moving up and down the sheeves on the drive and driven clutch. On the drive clutch, the belt should move all the way up the sheeve so that the belt surface is about 1/8" or so above the top of the clutch. When you let off the throttle, it should immediately move back down the sheeve. If either clutch is sticking, you'll be stuck in a "higher gear", and the engine will have to work harder to move you around at slower vehicle speeds.

[Noel Woods]

I agree w/Hydromike. Look at the clutches, as well as the belt. I had a similar issue a few years ago with dirt and gunk in the engine driven clutch, I washed it out with the water hose, sprayed Prestone super clean on, washed it out again, then used an air hose to dry it out. The result was that things went back to normal.

If this doesn't work there may be another issue. When the tires don't turn it may be a result of some teeth off the sprocket on a driven axle. I would get the machine up off the tires and check things out.

[msafi65]

I would swap the tires with your Argo and go for a ride. Wet snow can do the same thing at low speed and some tires are worse about balling up. Ive had snow stop a vehicle by filling between the tires and body. It would clean out with speed if we could get going that fast. Hope this helps .

[mightymaxIV]

I have had this happen to me twice with my max.
Once at Doles and once at H and H. In both cases the mud was so thick that it jammed between the tires and tub. At Doles Lee Gave me a little yank with his Argo frontier and got me moving, at H and H I used my winch, I have a pictiure of that stick in the gallery. At H and H ATV park I probably could have spun the tires but I wasn't willing to smoke an $80.00 belt. Once I was clear from the mud I hit the gas a spun the mud loose and went about my businesss. It is easy for me to see a situation where gummy mud jams between the tires and the tub and the mud taxes the system to the point that you will damage something without a little assitance to get the machine moving again. Usally a little tug from another machine will do the trick

I have also been in mud so thick that I could barely turn the tracks with my Argo in low range, mud takes alot of power, I have seen high lifted 4x4's smoke their belts on several occasions trying to get their machines moving in this type of mud. My Vinson broke the right front axle trying to turn my Tatou tracks in this type of mud.

I have seen trucks and jeeps drop drive shafts in soft mud. Mud is hard on a machine, sticky mud is worse, mud between the tires and tub is a difficult situation for any machine be it an Argo, Max or a high dollar high horse power 4x4.

[spd1235]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I am the poor soul that has had all the issues with the Max.
I think I have either a clutch issue or transmission issue.
I got it out of the mud but now the Max is stuck in drive, I haven't tried to force it out...but its hung in there.
Also another possible symptom is the Max is pretty slow in comparison to the Argo my cousin owns.
The Max has a 20hp Kholer Mag and the Argo has a 16hp engine...it blows my doors off.
Please help.

[smog]

I have had this happen to me twice with my max.
Once at Doles and once at H and H. In both cases the mud was so thick that it jammed between the tires and tub.

No wonder you are so happy with the Adair tracks; I have never heard of mud so sticky it will pack between the tires and "inner fenders". I can understand filling the tires but mud filling the space around them is quite disturbing.

[Noel Woods]

Have you checked engine compression? As these things age you lose compression, which translates into a loss in power. It may be that the old engine is not providing the horsepower and torque to get you through.

[spd1235]

Power issues on my 98 Max IV

I have a 1998 Max IV with a 20hp Kholer Com.
I am having issues bogging down easily, going up steep hills, and just in general little power to include slow speeds (myc cousins Argo with a 16hp blows me away).
The engine runs great, so I hafta assume there is an issue with the clutch, belt, transmission...or who knows.
I'm new to 6x6 vehicles and I am no mechanic, so I need help.

Thanks

[thebuggyman1]

Read this about belt tension; ATV and Snowmobile Belts - by Dayco
My guess is it's an adjustment issue, but you could have a clutch issue too. Put it in nuetral and rev the engine, you should see the belt go from all the way up in the secondary(transmission) clutch and all the way down on the primary(engine) clutch when Idleing to......all the way down secondary/all the way up pirmary when wide open throttle.

[msafi65]

Even if the engine runs great I always check the governor speed. It should be 4050 rpm with the drive belt installed and transmission in reverse at full throttle. A clip on tachometer is needed to check accurately. The next quick check is the clutch operation. Run from idle to full throttle and watch the belt. It should not raise all the way in the engine clutch untill at near full rpm. If the clutches convert just above idle or part throttle the driven spring could be damaged or broken. Hope this helps out

[MaxRules]

Check to make sure it is running on both cylinders. The 20hp Kohler runs really good on just one until you need real power.