Ampihcat won't steer

[thenewguy]

Just pick up an ampihcat with a Sachs motor, that runs great and drives forward and backwards but don't steer any suggestion on where I should look and what to look for I'm new to these Machines but know alot about mechanics

Thanks

[flippy]

depends on what transmission you have.My amphicat would not steer if the drive chain in the gear box was broken or slipped off its sprockets in the gear box.

[thenewguy]

Could that still be possiable with it driving forward and back I'll get a picture posted up soon
I thought they came with t-20 Trans and I been lookin those up and
One don't look anything like it..

[thenewguy]

here is some pictures

i got on it and tried to ride it, and it seems like with the main axle that has the brakes and everything is suppose to slip from each other from side to side.. and they don't seems like its stuck together?

what im talking about is the shaft out lined in red.. seems as if its one soild shaft and should be 2 separate shafts? i aint taken it apart yet to see but would like an idea before i tear into it.
and then a few other pics. not bad for 400 bucks?
thanks!

[jpswift1]

Could that still be possiable with it driving forward and back I'll get a picture posted up soon
I thought they came with t-20 Trans and I been lookin those up and
One don't look anything like it..

Amphicats never came with a T-20. This is a completely different transmission. Talk to 6X6World member AATVJunkie. He has an Amphicat the he rebuilt and he'll be able to help you out.

[thebuggyman1]

It sure looks to me like a slip-clutch system. It is hard to tell from pictures though. My guess is that the trans only does shifting from forward to reverse, and the slip-clutches do the turning. Usually the slip-clutches work in 2 stages. When not steering, the clutches are engaged to the shaft making it one solid shaft with no slip. 1st stage of turning (lateral stick pulled part way back): the mechanism separates the clutch slightly allowing that side to slip. This removes all engine power to that side( sweeping turn). The second stage is when the stick is all the way back....this is when a brake is applied to that side. The brake slows or stops all movement of the wheels giving the skid steer tight turn. By feathering the clutch and brake you get variable turning rates.

What happens when you pull back on the sticks? The clutch material may be frozen by rust if it sat for a long time.

[thenewguy]

i guess you could call it a slip clutch, pull the rods back and it twist a piece of steel with bumps on it onto a piece that has a little ramp that makes it apply pressure. just seems these clutchs aint releasing enough.even those the pieces that apply pressure are loose
i had all the turning pieces out and all the clutch pieces look good once out and everything loosened up everything worked.. so i put it back together and with everything back adjusted by feel and it seems like the clutches wont let up enough and they still drag making it really hard to turn.. should there be some kind of springs inside the steering part of the 2 clutches that push the clutches off so they don't hang up?

[thebuggyman1]

I'd have to look at it to see for sure, but usually it takes A LOT of spring pressure to keep the clutches together so it doesn't slip.

[thenewguy]

I'd have to look at it to see for sure, but usually it takes A LOT of spring pressure to keep the clutches together so it doesn't slip.

my problem is its not letting up enough pressure even tho the part that applys pressure is loose.
it drives froward and reveres good. i have to really jam the sticks and hit wot to get it to turn since i messed with it.. wouldnt do anything because how they had the brakes setup they were applied with the sticks all the way forward or revers so that didnt work..

what is needed to see better i can go get the pic right now id like to figure this thing out i wanna ride it.

also think the belt that is ran between the motor and trans is to loose because i really have to rev the motor up before that clutch engages the trans.

[thenewguy]

2nd pic shows the ramp and bump deal im talking about, this is how the steer clutches should apply and release pressure.
1st pic shows the steer clutch housing looks like a rear car rotor with a round disc with clutch material on it in there and when this whole steer shaft was out the the aatv it turned very freely..

when the bump moves from sticks the ramp applys pressure to the wheels now my only prob is i cant seem to get them clutches to loose enough grab to steer.. not that the nut next to the deal wont loosen i can have it so loose it wont apply pressure and the clutches still seem to grab.

well thats what it seems like???

then it also takes a decent rev to get it to move is the belt too loose? or possibly the wrong one? last pic is a of the belt its also a little loose side to side in the primary clutch

and with the brake deal they had it so that the lever in the last pic is what applys the brakes and it was fixed to the shafts. im not sure if this is the right way it should be?but it works if not id like to know how they should be? when the sticks are pulled back and in drive mode the brakes ride in the slack of the long bolt but when you go forward with the sticks it pushs pressure on the brake lever and applys the brakes.. is this fix right?

thanks!

[thebuggyman1]

Yes, your belt is too loose. Read this: ATV and Snowmobile Belts - by Dayco

For the clutches: It's just too hard for me to see the detail in the pictures...maybe with younger eyes. lol
Is there a second stage to the cluches? Where the rotor actually hits a stationary brake pad to make the wheels lock up?

[thenewguy]

does this make any since ???

[thebuggyman1]

Perfect sense.
1st stage of turning: the ramped steel piece that pushes the clutch disc to the rotor will loosen up removing the drive power to the wheels.
2nd stage: the brake caliper should clamp on the rotor braking the wheels on that side.

It sounds like your brake caliper is not working/adjusted right.

[Bazooo guy]

Sounds like the clutch is stuck engaged and wont release.
Loosen the nut on the clutch and try and break it free by driving and applying the brake one side at a time.
If it breaks free you will need to re-tighten the nut or the clutch will slip.

[thenewguy]

Seems to me maybe the steer axel if that's what we agree to call it is flexed because I was thinking after coming in that maybe its binding because that axel gets pulled on to tighten the chains I'm wondering if that caused it to bind..

I agree seems like the clutch is stuck but I took it apart and they are free moving but in the machine something is binding both steer clutches?? Making them hang up and not let it steer. The brakes are working and aint applied when the sticks are in the drive position, just won't release the steer clutches enough to get it to turn.