By E L McKenney on Unrecorded Date: Edit

has anyone had the oppurtunity to replace the brake bands in a t-20, my travel amount is becoming excessive though the transmission seems to work if you move the sticks far enough.

By MaxRules (Brandon_price) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

McKenney, try adjusting the bolts on the steering pistons of the tranny. This should lessen the stick movement. If the T-20 works, it does not need bands.

MaxRules

By Lazerman (Lazerman) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

If you all don't mind I'd like to ask a question here about the T-20. I'm on my 2nd Max II, both have been 1998's. And on both of them one of the plungers in the T-20 sticks in. You have to push the stick forward to make it pop back out. I've tried spraying lubricant around the plunger but this doesn't seem to help. Is this a normal thing with the T-20? Also when the trans gets hot it will sometimes chatter in reverse. Both machines did this as well. My first one had only 135hrs on it and my latest on only has 50hrs on it. Thanks in advance for any feed back.

By ISAAC EISENMAN (Tropicjungleboy) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

hey lazerman: check your stick tension spring....foward action is achieve with this spring device...also check for oil quantity//quality on t-20 ( dextron lll should go on it!!)..happy bouncing

By E L McKenney on Unrecorded Date: Edit

therer is no more adjustment on the plungers, and the stick travel is from dash to seat,the transmission still works although maybe you are on the right path. this is a very old machine, 70's vintage, maybe I have to much slop in the rest of the linkage?

By MaxRules (Brandon_price) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Lazerman, that is normal and will probably go away after some time. Mine did that last year but has now stopped and the sticks move smoothly. It is usually caused by the springs holding the sticks forward.
McKenney, you might have some adjustment on the linkage near the bottom of the sticks. How far does the pistons come out of the tranny? The bands could be worn beyond adjustment.

MaxRules

By Harry on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Normal?????????

Tell us how many T-20s you have fixed? now be honest

By MaxRules (Brandon_price) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Harry, it is normal for some T-20s to bind up when the sticks move forward. This is not the actual tranny itself (only linkage) so it is no big deal. I know it is annoying but you just have to live with it.
I don't see a whole lot of people jumping in to help these guys. I am telling them what I know for a fact and will hopefully help them.
I have fixed my Hustler tranny, so tally one for me. I bet you have fixed over 20. My dad can beat up your dad.

MaxRules

By Lazerman (Lazerman) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Hey Brandon
Thanks for the advice. I know you're only 16 but it sounds like you've had a lot of experence with the Max. How about the chattering I get in reverse sometimes when it's hot? Have you experenced that as well?

By MaxRules (Brandon_price) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Lazerman, I think you are not pulling back on the sticks hard enough. When the bands are not completely engauged they will chatter. Most of the time this happens when in forward and making a turn. Mine doesn't do that much anymore and I don't think it has anything to do with the tranny being hot.
Make that 17 years old.

MaxRules

By George M on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I need some help.

I'm replacing O-rings on my T-20. I'm following the directions in my T-20 shop manual to split the tranny. After removing the I-rings and the bolts that hold the two halves togeather, I was able to separate the two haves about 1/2". It seems ther is still something holding them togeather.

Does anyone know if there is something else that needs to be done? I don't want to forcefully pry the two halves apart if I should'nt. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
George

By MaxRules (Brandon_price) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

George, the two halves are almost always stuck together. There is a center plate on the clutch side and it gets stuck on the other side, which holds them together. Use a hammer and a punch. Coming from the side without the clutch, use some of the nine center holes and you can usually hammer on the edge of that middle plate. This will push it out of that side fairly easily. Or, you can always use the pull like hell method. Tie the sprocket (non clutch side) to an unmovable object and pull on the clutch. Make sure you are on the ground because the stuff on the non clutch side can fall out.

MaxRules

By George M on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Thanks Brandon.

I'll let you know if I have any luck.

George

By drsam2000 on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Try taping in the band plungers a little
the bands my be jamming against the gear this will give it a little my clearance to let the gear come by the bands.

Also, what Brandon said was correct but let me put it this way.
There are two halves of the transmission and they sit on either side of the center plate try using a little screwdriver action to free both sides of the transmission from the center plate.

Sam

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

Don't know if this is too late to help or not. George, make sure the tranny is blocked solid with the input side up (side clutch is on). The center plate goes with that half and is held in place by a "c" clip. There is a little gear on the input shaft that might hang up, but if you lift straight up, it should slip right off. slide the plunger to the outside of the casing when putting on the o-rings and put a little vaseline all over the o-rings (this will let them enter easier and hopefully eliminate the plunger hang (a little snap as the levers are pushed all the way forward) that exists on some machines. Put the bolt head holder and bolt in the plungers and screw it in pretty far (make sure threads are clean and the bolt screws completely in/out easily - if any burrs, use a tap and/or dye to renew them) so the plungers doesn't go too far in when you are putting it back together. If the plunger does go too far in, take off the o-rings, slip the plunger to the outside of the case and start over.

I've only been in four trannys, but the first one was a good lesson - it took me twice as long as it should have and I learned several things the hard way. Hope yoour repair goes OK. One more thing, I don't think the "bigger hammer" theory works with max very well.

By Petec on Unrecorded Date: Edit

yes Fred you are a big help but max is not the only t-20 machine out there . i have a ? does anyone know how to tear down a argo trans or even had too ? the t-20 is a good trans i have worked on an drove a few but have not been in the argo trans yet tell me why FRED

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

E L, Are you saying there are no threads left exposed in the bolts that screw into the Plungers (band clevis)? You do know there are four of these? The tension springs have to be off to adjust the band bolts. I would think the tranny would quit working (from metal to metal contact) before all the adjustment was gone - I have never seen one in metal to metal condition, but I have seen some old machines with lots of hours that adjusted right up. If in fact all the adjustment has been done, you will have to change the bands.

By ISAAC EISENMAN (Tropicjungleboy) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

WELL PETEC: maybe you don't dissambled argo tranny for basically two reason:

a) argo tranny doesn't has integrated brake device

B) an "open differential" configuration use less stress on tranny..

in return you have:

a) a lot of heat build up on argo brake system...(i presume that's nice on cold weather)...

b) not a real "positive" traction when you need it badly ( on noman's land where aatv soul belong....)....after all that's the reason to handles (bounces!!) a aatv..otherwise you will have smoot ride on quads or golf carts ( maybe kawasaki mule??).....remember the "3 wheel drive syndrome" ah ah!!!

By E L McKenney on Unrecorded Date: Edit

there are a few threads left, but like I said this is an old and abused machine that has seen no service, it will still turn but just barely to the right, it seems to work properly in reverse though.

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

Well, E L, I would check to see how much movement you have in the channel brake bar (piece steering levers connects to) You want 3/16" of movement of the channel brake bar away from the case (not over 1/4"). Take up as much as you need to on the bottom bolts and try to keep the brake bar parallel with the front of the tranny case (might have to loosen the top bolts if the bands get too tight). It is very possible you need to change bands, but since it works OK in reverse, I am thinking maybe your bands are just way out of wack.

By Dano on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Just started looking at adjusting my T-20. Looked through all these posts but still have a question or two !! Do the bands engage when the plungers are pulled??? When adjusting the bands the plungers stay stationary and the stud needs to be turned in or out of the plunger ???

By ISAAC EISENMAN (Tropicjungleboy) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

HEY DANO:

the plunger get band "engage" when pulled...so to get tight you have to turned in the stud...remember to adjust t20 with all same side aatv wheels on air and somebody else to turn them in order to obtain proper result..

happy bouncing!!!

By Jerry W. Covington (Pusa) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I just bought a new Max II, should ship next week, what are the things I should go over before I take it out to play.

JC

By frank on Unrecorded Date: Edit

My linkage on my Max II is wierd only the left side wheels go in forward and I can't get my reverse to engage. I have looked at my tranny from the outside and see that the left rod connecting the shifter to the tranny is bent about 1.5", my left side engages in forward, but not my right side rod it is straight and does not go all the way forward to engage in forward gear. I was told there is no type of adjustment that can be made to these rods and O should now bend my right rod like the left which will then put equal tension on both sides of the tranny triangular shifting plates and therefore my right and left side will be engaged in forward gear at the same time. I'm about to do this. Is this a good idea. Also, I unlatched both rods and popped off the triangular metal plates that holds the pin on each side in the tranny for gear engagement. Both pins are about 1/16" shaved off - from grinding the gears. Well at least they are not broken off like I feared. Will my repair work? Do you have a better idea? Thanks, Frank

By david berger (Davidrrrd) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

well frank your rods defenatly should be working together at the same time moving each shift coler exactly the same amount, so i think your ok,
just as long as they will go all the way in both direstions after your mod,
why not straiten the bent one insted?

By frank on Unrecorded Date: Edit

David: Yeah I just straightened the bent rod and will test tonight. Let you know how it goes. Thanks, Frank

By frank on Unrecorded Date: Edit

David:

I attached the straightened rod - now it still won't engage the right side of tranny as wheels do not move - yet left wheels do move in forward gear. Maybe I messed something up when I took off both rods to inspect the pins that are under the diamond shaped pieces of metal on each side and saw that the pins were slightly worn. I then put them back in and tightened the nuts. I talked to RI and they suggested I look at the pins to see if maybe the right side pin was broken completely off. Its not and besides its worn down on one side just like the left - trouble is the left side engages and the right will not. Do I need to re-synchronize the right tranny so the pin engages and if so - how do I do that? Is there some other thing I should do? We have no Max dealers here for at least 500 miles. Sadly, Frank

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

Frank, Make sure you have the machine blocked up so you can move all six wheels by hand. When you have the shifters out of the tranny, can you engage the right side by moving the shift collar with a screw driver? Be careful not to force anything and use clean tools. If you can engage the right side, then your shift pin was not in the groove or you have a piece broken out of the shift collar. Make sure the linkage (of both sides) move together and that the diamond piece on each side is in the same position as the shift lever is moved and make sure the diamond piece rotates all the way forward and all the way back. If your shift pins are very much out of round, they should be replaced and if there is any imperfection in the shift collar groove, the shift collars should be changed.

By ISAAC EISENMAN (Tropicjungleboy) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

HEY FRANK:

in order to know if linkage is the problem...just detach BOTH SIDES and move by hand the diamont shape part of t-20 to forward position (BOTH SIDES!!)......if you still find that right side doesn't moves the tires then you have something else wrong....if so..first check if right ouput shaft rotate....and then check for loose chain or so..............

By Frank on Unrecorded Date: Edit

David & Isaac:
I will try these things. Issac I was able to detach both sides and moved both diamond pieces forward and back. When I did this I had the engine shut off. If I get your advice right then maybe I should start the Max II and leaving the left diamond in nuetral position try moving the right side diamond with someone ready to apply the brakes. This is the only way I can think of to see if the right side wheels move. My usual occupation is a lawyer and not a mechanic - I' ll let you know if this works. Thanks, Frank