By digipix on Unrecorded Date: Edit

My Max is pulling to the left when just hitting the throttle with both sticks forward. That's really not so bad, as it's pretty easy to do minor course corrections as you go. What is worse however, is turning to the right. I've really got to pull hard on the right stick to turn to the right and it feels like the Max is fighting me to do so. This makes gradual right turns very hard to do (trying not to dig up the ground much). Turning to the left (the direction it pulls) is not a problem at all, easy to do. Any suggestions out there?

By david berger (Davidrrrd) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

first thing is to realy check out your tires, often enoph the problem is there, get a low psi gage and make shure there all even, also dont mix sizes and brands and if yours are unydirectional make shure there on the right direction,
what ever you have on one side had beter be the same as on the right side, if this dose not work you can expiriment with altering the psi on one side to compensate and fix the pulling that way, but first check it out therouly, you may only have a flat tire or somthing!

By ISAAC EISENMAN (Tropicjungleboy) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

HEY DDIGPIX:adjust your upper left plug on the t-20 tranny...lift your left side and on foward try to turn left tires when somebody grap the tranny pulley...you suppose to be unable to turn your tires..but if you can them you can be sure that you need to adjust the upper left band ( screw in the bolt in order to shorter the gap between level and this plug..........good luck and happy bouncing!!

By Oliver (Digipix) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Isaac, you recommended to adjust the left plug. Will that help with the difficult right turn as well? Or will that make it difficult to turn in both directions? Thanks for the help.

By ISAAC EISENMAN (Tropicjungleboy) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

HEY DIGIPIX: accoding to what you explain sound like left side of t 20 is slipping on foward shift mode...my sugestion is to ajust left front (left / up) plunger....you are the one next to max...that's assuming that all tires keep same diameter and in neutral both sides turn with similar resistence ( easy to find out if you raise max an keep all wheel on air and sprocker away from lower body )....by the way what's happens when you put t20 in reverse and pull back RIGHT stick...( sharp right turn or altmost straigh back) if sharp right turn happens ( left tires full stop/brake you should look away from t 20 tranny......
have a nice "find out" time an happy bouncing!!!

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

digipix, You need to give more information.New or used machine (if used, how much used!), size and kind of tires. Your weight and where you sit in the machine, etc., etc.

Pulling is usually tire pressure, tire circumference or weight distribution. It can be mechanical meaning bad bearing, bent axle, chains too tight, etc. My guess is unless it has several thousand hours on it, the tranny is just fine - measure the travel of the steering levers (all the way forward to all the way back should be between about 6" and about 9"). If it is a machine with lots of hours and not much care, go ahead and do as Isaac suggests - RI (and probably Richard) have a service packet that tells you how, when and why to adjust your T-20.

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

digipix, You need to give more information.New or used machine (if used, how much used!), size and kind of tires. Your weight and where you sit in the machine, etc., etc.

Pulling is usually tire pressure, tire circumference or weight distribution. It can be mechanical meaning bad bearing, bent axle, chains too tight, etc. My guess is unless it has several thousand hours on it, the tranny is just fine - measure the travel of the steering levers (all the way forward to all the way back should be between about 6" and about 9"). If it is a machine with lots of hours and not much care, go ahead and do as Isaac suggests - RI (and probably Richard) have a service packet that tells you how, when and why to adjust your T-20.

By Oliver (Digipix) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

More Information as requested:
The machine is Used, BARELY, it only has 10 hours on it. No sign of any of the axels being bent, all look perfect. I sit in the middle most of the time, only time I sit on the side is with a passenger. Tires are 22inch chevrons, all at 4.5 PSI. Full travel on the levers is about 8 inches, both sticks travel the same amount. Chain tension on both sides seems uniform, about the same amount of deflection and tension when I check it. The machine is a Buffalo Truck, I think that uses the same chain system as a MaxIV? Thanks for the help all.

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

Digipix, You have a couple of things going here. lower your tire pressure to 3 PSI and measure around each tire. You have a PSI on the ground problem with the Buffalo and the left side is heavier than the right side. You will need to have a little higher pressure in the tires on the left side, but make sure all tires on a side are the same measurement around (exactly). Try to drive from the right side and always load the machine with more weight on the right (big guy sits on the right, gun on the left). To see what I mean, put a jack right in the middle of the front and a jack under the trailer hitch in the back. lift slowly and when the right side comes off the ground, start putting weight on the right side and see how much weight it takes to balance. For minimal ground distubance, You will need the biggest tire you can find with the least amount of tread - also go forward and back up (with a series of minor corrections) just as a convention vehicle has to do.

It takes about 30 hours to break in a Buffalo and if the tranny bands have been allowed to slip a lot, they could be glazed. I think you need to go out and use it and make some good hard turns (find an area that you can churn up) so your tranny can seat. The heavier your machine is, the more brake it takes to turn. You will generally have to brake hard (completely) to turn the buffalo. Remember, to brake (or back up) you are pulling against the springs so you have to put the same pressure over the spring that the spring exerts in forward pressure and the stick has to be all the way back to have the brake engaged (My guess is you are not fully engaging the brake on the right side and with the buffalo heavier on the left side, it just keeps on going straight. Also, get some belt dressing and put it on your drive belt (use your finger to put the liquid stuff on the edges of the belt or take the belt off if you use the spray stuff). IMO belt dressing used regularly is just as important as gasoline and oil. Your belts will last longer and you will get full performance.

I'm quite sure there is nothing wrong with your tranny - was that measurement of eight inches on the inside of the sticks or on the outside?

By David Bass on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Digipix,
Is one stick stiffer through the entire travel? The sticks operate rods that go back to the tranny. Back by the tranny there is a spring on each rod with an adjusting screw running to it. Look and see if they are both adjusted about the same. My Max came in with both of these adjusted so tight my daughter had to brace her feet on the dashboard to turn and stop it. I backed off on these and it is 500% easier to operate.

Good luck.

By Oliver (Digipix) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Fred and David...
Fred First: The belts are not glazed at all, they're in perfect condition actually. Good hard turns aren't that difficult, just goose the sticks hard and she'll turn on a dime... creating a new crater for you. The measurement is to the CENTER of the sticks, about 8 inches. I was unaware of the unbalanced nature of the Buffalo, I would have expected it to be balanced. When travelling along at a good clip, not stopped or crawling, but moving along a jogging speed or greater... I can make minute little adjustments to go left easily, but for a right turn, it really requires a hard (and I mean HARD). It's got to be close to locking up that side.

Dave: Yes, the right stick is stiffer than the left one. I can lightly pull back on the left side and it'll make a nice arch to the left (going forward of course). To do the same turn to the right, I really have to yank the right stick back, MUCH MUCH harder than the left. Both rods on the Tranny seem to be pretty close in adjustment to each other. I can relate to your daughter needing to brace to pull the stick!! When you backed it off, what did you do? Loosen or tighten the screw adjuster? This might help a little, and compensate for the unbalanced nature of the Buffalo that I just learned about!

Thanks both!

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

Digipix,
I meant you tranny bands might be glazed (these are inside and you cannot see them - they are partially emersed in oil and they have to work enough to seat themselves around the drums. There is an eyebolt with a nut that holds the tension spring. Normally the nut is run almost all the way on the eyebolt. turning the nut off just a little might help, but don't back it off too much or you will have to push the sticks ahead to keep it engaged in forward.

All max are heavier on the left side than the right (the engine and tranny sit off center to the left and the drive pully, etc. is on the very left side of the engine and tranny. The reason it is more pronounced in the buffalo is because the buffalo outweighs all other max by about 250 pounds or more and runs on the same tires. When you are dealing in smaller weights, these are big percentages. A Buffalo is about 50% heavier than a max II 450T. How wide are your tires?

Block up your machine so all six wheels will turn freely. Put the tranny shift lever in neutral and turn the wheels on each side by hand. My guess is the right side will turn more freely than the left side. Your left brake (on front axle either disk or drum) might be a little tight. A chain might have a tight spot. Then put the tranny in forward and turn the wheels - it will turn, but will be hard to turn, pulling the stick into neutral, the wheels should turn as freely as when the tranny was in neutral, pulling the stick all the way back should engage the brake and the wheels should not turn forward. With the tranny shifted into reverse, the wheels should not turn backwards with the levers forward, pulling into nuetral the wheels should turn as if the tranny was shifted into neutral and with the levers pulled all the way back, the wheels should turn, but be hard to turn.

I think with only ten or so hours on your machine, you just need to give it some time for things to lossen up and find their groove. Even if you find something is mechanically tight, I wouldn't change it unless you think someone else might have already misadjusted it (with exception of the tension spring if the levers are uneven) until it has some hours on it.

By Oliver (Digipix) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Fred, You mention that turning the nut off just a little might help, which side? My tires are the Carlisle 22x11x8's recommended by Richard Clark. They have a wider footprint on the ground than the Rawhide III's that were on it. I don't think the previous owner messed with the adjustments, just RI so it's probably not misadjusted. The pull on the levers is extremely uneven, but travel distance really isn't. I have to REALLY pull hard on the right stick, but only need to a little on the left stick.

Thanks.

By ISAAC EISENMAN (Tropicjungleboy) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

HEY DIGIPIX: DURING A OUIJA SESSION THIS AFTERNOON WITH TATOO'S SOUL HE MENTION ABOUT YOUR CASE :" CHECK THE BRAKE BAND ADJUSTMENT BOSS....THE BRAKE BAND ADJUSTMENT..." SO THINKING ABOUT TATOO'S CONCLUSION I FOUND THAT HE IS RIGHT ABOUT THIS CONCLUSION.....LEFT LOWER PLUNGER ( LEFT BRAKE BAND WHEN TRANNY ON FOWARD) IS TOO TIGHT ( MAYBE BECAUSE IS NOT PROPERLY BREAK IN YET!!) AND RIGHT LOWER PLUNGER (RIGHT BRAKE BAND WHEN TRANNY ON FOWARD)IS TOO LOOSE.....BAND GET RELEASED WHEN PLUNGER GET INSIDE TRANNY......AND ACTUATED OVER THE OUTSIDE OF TRANNY'S DRUMS ( TWO ON LEFT SIDE AND TWO ON RIGHT SIDE)..AGAIN THAT'S SOMETHING TO CHECK WITH ALL WHEELS ON AIR AS I EXPLAIN BEFORE....ENJOY CHECKING SESSION AND HAPPY BOUNCING!!!

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

Oliver (Digipix), The nuts are shortening the eyebolt, stretching the spring. If the right stick requires more pressure to move it, maybe the right spring is tighter than the left (the left could be too loose). If the same amount of eyebolt sticks out on each spring, they are adjusted evenly - the nuts are run all the way up (using all the threads) if correct. I suppose one spring could be a lot stronger than the other.

What does happen when you go in reverse?

By Oliver (Digipix) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Isaac, stressful day? ;-) I'll check that.

Fred, I haven't gone any distance in reverse so I'm not sure if it does the same thing or not. Both sticks engage reverse fairly easily, so I don't see any problems there. Both sticks also brake about the same when in reverse. The only major difference is in forward, making a right hand turn is a workout.

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

Oliver (Digipix), I can't think of anything else to tell you or have you look for. The tranny uses all the same parts to go forward or reverse, just mirror image. By all rights, you should have the exact same problem engaging reverse that you have engaging the brake going forward.

By ISAAC EISENMAN (Tropicjungleboy) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

HEY FRED: i disagree with you about "mirrow image"..i mention that because on reverse you start with max stopped and brake action applied....it's not the same brake efficient needed to keep max stop that to brake one side of max on movement so digipix should raise all 6 wheel of buffalo on air and test brake eficience ( as tatoo's soul mention!!!"the brake band boss....check the brake band")...or use more the buffalo in order to collect the "maggic 25 hours of break in period" and figure out if "problem" vanish...........

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

Isaac, we agree in principle, I just feel it is a new tranny and I hate to see adjustments made or things done that will shorten the life of the machine. I feel confident in saying the machine just needs to be broken in right and at this point the right tranny band is probably glazed just a little (from not completely engaging the brake) and needs to be used so it can seat.

What I meant by "mirror image" is that the band that brakes the right side going forward is the same band that drives the unit going in reverse. If it is hard to engage the forward brake, it should also be just as hard to engage the reverse drive. If it is hard to pull the lever back far enough to make a right turn, it should be just as hard to pull the lever back to get that side to go in reverse. If the forward brake does not want to fully engage, the reverse drive should likewise not want to fully engage.

By Oliver (Digipix) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Fred, you said something in your last post, "it should be just as hard to pull the lever back to get that side to go in reverse" which is exactly what I thought as well. That doesn't really seem to be the case though, which puzzles me a bit. I use reverse infrequently, mostly in the woods to squirm between tight areas, not to move any distance. So, what do you guys recommend? Just keep running it for now and get more hours on the hardware? See if everything finds it's 'groove' and evens out a little on it's own, without making any adjustments to anything? Thanks.

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

Oliver, If it were my machine or one of my customers, I would drive it, making a lot of hard right turns (trying to get a good seat on the right tranny forward brake band. After I had about twenty hours on it I would check the chains (the initial stretch should be out of them and they will need adjusted). After about thirty hours, I think your problem will have gone away and your tranny will shift easier and your engine will give you more speed and power. You said it has about ten hours on it - the breakin oil should be or should have been changed between 8 and 10 hours. tip: make sure you don't undo the short pipe nipple when you take off the oil drain plug - makes one heck of a mess in the bottom of your brand new machine.

By Oliver (Digipix) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Fred, I was going to change the engine oil and the tranny fluid this weekend. I was told that about 10 hours in the breakin period I should change the tranny fluid. Is this correct? Speed? Not much there in a Buffalo, but fast enough for my taste. Power? In abundance, lots to spare and pulls itself with ease, even with a full load of wood on it's back, doesn't even flinch. Is the Buffalo geared lower than the others? It seems to have an enormous amount of power for only having 20 horses in the tub.