By mikeworthing on Unrecorded Date: Edit

i have a new max4 will it have o ring chain,have
about 14 hours on it can hear whine in chain and
sproket area,is this normal? we live in ozarks
will b doing a lot of up and down driving any
maint tips would b helpfull. first 6wheeler
for us we are really enjoying it.mi

By Fred Sowerwine, Montana's Max Dealer (Fred4dot) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Mike, Didn't understand if you have the o-ring or not. Regular chains are standard on only the 16 hp Max IV 500T - so if you have anything else you have the o-ring chains.

If you have the o-ring chain and only 14 hours, everything is normal. The chains are a little tight on new machines to compensate for the initial stretch. If you have the standard chain, you might need to take out the initial stretch at 14 hours.

The chain drive is naturally a little noisy. Don't use too much lubricant as you will just make a mess in the bottom of your machine, but don't let the chains run dry or dirty as that will greatly reduce the life of the chains. When you do adjust the chains, make sure all wheels (at least all wheels on each side you are working on) are off the ground - don't get the chains too tight (a fraction too loose is better than a fraction too tight). Try to keep water out of the throttle cable, choke cable and ignition. It takes about 25/30 hours to break in your machine and use it in lots of different situations to learn how to drive it.

By mikeworthing on Unrecorded Date: Edit

fred,thk u for response mine is 16 hp,do u have
any good excuses to share on how to tell wife
that u bent an axle on brand new machine, im
going to need some. do u have any sugg on
straighting it thk u for your help

By Fred Sowerwine, Montana's Max Dealer (Fred4dot) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Mike,
You are on your own for the excuses. Just pull it out and take it to a machine shop and have them straighten it. If it were mine, I would have them put a solid rod inside and make it a "home made solid". Be aware that there is a lock collar on the inside bearing as well as on the outer bearing; both have to be loosened to get the axle out.

By MaxRules (Brandon_price) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Mike, there really is no excuse because you bought the only Max IV with hollow axles! I made that mistake once also. If I knew then what I know now, I would have spent a little more cash for solid splined axles and o-ring chain.
I hope you got tires no bigger than the 22"!

MaxRules

By mikeworthing on Unrecorded Date: Edit

thks again fred,i assume brandon is telling me
im going 2 have this problem again with the 26
in tire,didnt know about the solid axles when
i bought it or sure would have,but anyway u look
at it this is so much better than 4wheeling

By Midwest atv's #1 in 2000 (Hustler) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Mike,
Sounds like the dealer that you bought the Max from doesn't know what he is doing. He should not have sold you a Max IV with 26" tires and hollow axles. RI does not recommend that set up. I would recommend spending some money and replace all axles with solid axles. If not, you will keep bending axles. The 26" tires put to much stress on the axles.

By Billy's MAX and Argo Sales on Unrecorded Date: Edit

RI will not ship a MAX IV with hollow axles and 26" tires. If there is one out there either a dealer did it or someone else after the fact.

By mikeworthing on Unrecorded Date: Edit

i called dealer he says he chose the big tire
option,thats the way it was shipped,i called
ri they say it shouldnt have been shipped with
the big tires and hollow axles,but didnt think
they could do anything about it.any suggestions
anyone? this is a brand new machine that appears
now that ill have to buy new axles for

By david berger (David3rdd) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

well will thay at least ofer to give you a good deal on the new ones? if not richerd clark has them or you can have them made at your locle machine shop, my local shop made them for $100 a pair! thayr just as good! and thats from sombody that bends lots of them, solids streaten easyer than holow ones do, the hollow ones alwase look like spagety even when there isent any runout on each end there just not right in the middle, lol

By Fred Sowerwine, Montana's Max Dealer (Fred4dot) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Mike,
Unless you are going to make it a habit of running into trees and other immoveable obstacles and always carrying more than you are suppose to, I wouldn't worry about it. There are many many older Max IVs out there with 26" tires and hollow axles. If you run into a tree with a solid axle, you will bend it, too. Yes, it would have been better to have solid axles, but IMO, the o-ring chains are more important. If you have more problems, you can do the "home made solids" or replace the four corners as required. Now, if you were talking tracks I would say you need the solids, but then you don't have enough horses with the 16hp to worry about that. Just use your machine and drive with a little caution - everything should be OK.

By mikeworthing on Unrecorded Date: Edit

billy,they shipped mine that way! called ri and
they told me that it was ordered with the big tires,dealer i bought from is a new dealer but
he said ri didnt say anything about this being
a bad combination,ri says their not responsable,
dealer says he's not responsable,if this
combination isnt recommended,i would think ri
should hv told dealer,so the buyer,(being me)
wouldnt be stuck with a machine thats going to
be bending axles due to this combination.

By Midwest atv's #1 in 2000 (Hustler) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Mike,
Contact me @ 888-545-5713. I want to talk to you about this problem. I don't know what I can do, but I will try to help out anyway I can. We will be at the shop until about 10:00pm tonight. You can call us tomorrow also. Ask for Bud or Troy

By mikeworthing on Unrecorded Date: Edit

thx fred,wont worry too much now but will use
more caution till i get them changed over to
solids,ri said they will give me a good deal
on solids,i wish i had known about this website
b4 i bought,want to thk all u guys for the help
and comments hopefully ill be able to help some
of u later. got axle back in,putting fishing
pole in,and im going to the river