Subtopic	Posts		Updated
	Archive through July 25, 1999	8
	Archive through August 19, 1999	1
	Archive through March 6, 2001	5
	Archive through March 15, 2001	49
	Archive through March 23, 2002	67

By craig rothamel on Unrecorded Date: Edit

MAX 11 OR ARGO BIG FOOT
not sure witch one i sould go with.will need tracks down the road.max needs a kit for tracks not sure about the big foot.so give me some help with this.
craig in jersey

By Mark Rader (Chinook101) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I just bought a 20003 MAX IV 850T when I went home for
vacation. I had it exactly one week and maybe 5 hours on
the thing. I was running up a riverbed, miles from nowhere
when the throttle cable broke at the throttle lever. Great,
now what do I do? No tools, huge mosquitos and a thunder
storm moving in. The only thing I had with me was a cheap
(really cheap) leatherman style tool on the keychain. At
first I tried pulling the cable out of the sheath from the carb
side and feeding it back thru from the throttle to try to
screw the frayed end into the set screw at the carb. This
would have woked had the cable not been so frayed and
the wire cutter on the "Leatherman" actually cut wire. But,
after several unsuccessful attempts at trying to push the
cable thru backwards and loosing a pint of blood to
the mineature vampires, I decided to try to rig the choke
backwards and use it as a throttle. I disconnected the
choke cable from the choke and made several "slight"
bends hooking it up to the closed throttle at the carb. Now
when I pushed the choke lever in, the engine would
accelerate. Took some quick throttle jockeying and lever
pulling to get back down the river, but I made it back
home. I called RI and told them what happened and they
sent me a new Aluminum throttle and heated cable the
next day-free-. They told me they were having problems
with the old plastic throttles cracking. I love that machine,
what a tank. By the way, anyone else have a problem with
bending the tire rim lips? Also, when I go down a dirt road,
the machine doesn't like to keep a straight track and pulls
to the right slightly, I have to keep compensating by pulling
left stick all the time. Any suggestions?

By Missouri's Max Dealer (Brandon_price) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Great story, Mark. A leatherman has come in handy on a few of my adventures and it pays to have a good quality tool. Good thinking with using the choke as your throttle. You must have got one of the last '03s with the plastic handle. All my new machines have aluminum and it is 1000 times better than the plastic. It only took RI 30 years to change that design, but better late than never.
I have bent the edge of the rims on rocks while creeking. It won't hurt anything as long as you don't bend it so bad that it affects the area where the tire seals. Just be a little more careful when driving over rocks or other hard obsticles. Let the tire go over it instead of the rim dragging across.
It can be difficult to make a skid steer drive a strait line. With your new machine, it is probably uneven tire pressure. Make sure all six tires are running equal pressure. If it is pulling to the right you probably have less air in one or more of your right tires.

By david berger (Davidrrrd) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

yah i got 1, just put your new aluminum throtle on the left laterel, this will alow you to operate the machine some times with just the left hand,now you can use the right hand to hold a soada or a camcorder, heh heh heh

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

The pulling can be a bunch of things, different air pressure in the tires, one tire on one side being a little bigger then the rest, the chain on one side is tighter then the other side, mud or water in one tire.

Best thing to do is air up each tire with the same air pressure and check to make sure each tire is the same size, by measuring around each tire. Then check the chains to make sure they are all tighten about the same. Try it then if it still pulls to one side, then change the tires to the other side. Put all the tires from the left side to the right and vise versa. If it pulls to the same side, then it is not the tires, if it pulls to the other side, then it is the tires and you might have mud or water in one or more tires. Just weigh each tire and see if one is heavier then the others. Hope this helps a little.

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

Mark, Give it some time to loosen things up. The o-ring chains are probably still a little tight (the factory sends them out tight so the initial stretch isn't a big factor). It will take at least 25 hours to break your machine in and even then, your chains probably won't show much stretch. If your air pressure is OK, check your weight distribution. If after 25 or 30 hours, it still pulls one direction, maybe you need to check into it.

By Gary McGowan on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Hello All.... Great site. I just bought a used 1989 Max IV. It may be a little old but it looks like new. Was obviously well maintained over the years. When I make a sharp turn I get what sounds like a popping noise comming from I think the chains. Is this a normal thing or do I need to have something checked? Thanks for any help. Gary

By Missouri's Max Dealer (Brandon_price) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

The popping noise is probably worn out sprockets. They will start to hook the chain instead of just rolling it freely. They need to be replaced when the teeth start to look more like hooks instead of points.
If it is more of a grinding noise, that would be tranny chatter and is normal.

By Gary McGowan on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Thanks for the help Brandon. I will try to have them replaced on my trip from NH to Miami. Do you happen to know of any shops that can replace the sprockets that would be close to the east coast? Also, should I go ahead and have the chains replaced? Thanks again for all the help.

Gary

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

Gary,
I would think it is either your T-20 and that is normal or maybe one of your sprockets going bad.

By Gary McGowan on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Thanks Brandon.... I guess being that old it deserves new sprokets. I will inspect them tomorrow. Will it hurt anytbing if I use it for light driving while I'm in NH? When I get back to Miami I will get new ones. Should I also replace the chains at the same time?

Gary

By OOJIMMYC on Unrecorded Date: Edit

HI GARY, IN REGARDS TO YOUR CLACKING SOUND ON YOUR MACHINE. CHECK THE CHAIN TENSIONER. IF THEY ARE OUT OF ALIGNMENT OR HAVE BROKEN TEETH, THAT COULD CAUSE THE NOISE. THEY ARE SIMPLE TO CHANGE. ONLY ONE BOLT. RICHARD CLARK HAS THEM FOR $20.00 A POP. JIM

By Mike Siri on Unrecorded Date: Edit

NEW MAX IV OPERATORS

We have a new 1999 Max IV 900-T which maybe has 20 hours on it. It belonged to a friend who used it two times, then parked it. (It was serviced before our use.) My father is 88 years old and just began to use it to get to his duck blind which he can no longer walk to very easily, and the machine has worked well. (He has perhaps run it for a total of 3 to 5 hours total.) The last weekend of duck season, 1/24/04, however, we drove out and back parked the vehicle and when we returned to go out again, it would not steer left at all. It would go forward with a slight veer to the right, and would not steer properly to the right, only slightly, not locking up the wheels. It would go in reverse again with a bias to the right, and no steering whatsoever could be done in reverse. When the left handle was moved for reverse steer a noise could be heard much like a clutch disengaging or freewheeling. This caused a major loss to the last weekend of duck season and with dad being 88, he doesn’t have many days of hunting to lose. Does anyone have any ideas as to what could be wrong? Since the machine has such low operating hours, I’m hoping it may just be an adjustment problem. I can’t imagine it would be a major transmission problem again since it has so few hours on it. All suggestions would be greatly appreciated since we are new Max operators. By the way, just how durable are these machines?

Many thanks,
Mike

By Mike Siri on Unrecorded Date: Edit

NEW MAX IV OPERATORS

We have a new 1999 Max IV 900-T which maybe has 20 hours on it. It belonged to a friend who used it two times, then parked it. (It was serviced before our use.) My father is 88 years old and just began to use it to get to his duck blind which he can no longer walk to very easily, and the machine has worked well. (He has perhaps run it for a total of 3 to 5 hours total.) The last weekend of duck season, 1/24/04, however, we drove out and back parked the vehicle and when we returned to go out again, it would not steer left at all. It would go forward with a slight veer to the right, and would not steer properly to the right, only slightly, not locking up the wheels. It would go in reverse again with a bias to the right, and no steering whatsoever could be done in reverse. When the left handle was moved for reverse steer a noise could be heard much like a clutch disengaging or freewheeling. This caused a major loss to the last weekend of duck season and with dad being 88, he doesn’t have many days of hunting to lose. Does anyone have any ideas as to what could be wrong? Since the machine has such low operating hours, I’m hoping it may just be an adjustment problem. I can’t imagine it would be a major transmission problem again since it has so few hours on it. All suggestions would be greatly appreciated since we are new Max operators. By the way, just how durable are these machines?

Many thanks,
Mike

By Attex Bob on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Mike, this does not sound good to me if you have checked the obvious, like is the chain on the left sprockets? How do the laterials (handles, sticks bla, bla, bla) feel? Do they feel normal?

I know on my Attex the tranny shifter linkage is very week. They bend VERY easy. If this happened to your Max, it's an easy fix!!! Bend it back and your in business!!! Look it over very well and see what you think? I would say that you have about a 90% chance that thats the problem!!!

Other than that, it could be a broken pin, a broken band. Make sure that you don't have a simple problem like a chain or linkage problem first. If all that is good, then it will be something more serious like a broken band or you shucked the friction material off of the band.

I think they are very durable. But like anything, you can get a bad one, or have weird problems. From what I have read about your machine, you have a good one (900-T)

There are many on this board that will give you more help. Good luck Mike.

By Missouri's Max Dealer (Brandon_price) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Mike, Give us a little more info on how the sticks move. Does one move farther than the other? Is the tranny full of ATF fluid?
In my experience, these machines need regular maintenance. Beyond that they are nearly impossible to tear up. Believe me, I've tried real hard.
Where are you located?

By John Williford (Willi) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Subject: Max IV with corroded axle bearings.

My Max IV 900 is exactly three years old, but may be close to being economically totaled. I have used it for duck-hunting in our family-owned river bottom marsh 20 miles upriver from the Texas coast. This season, the Maxx started major leaking and I took it to the dealer from whom I purchased it. Apparently, there was some salt water content in our marsh, and the dealer's head mechanic tells me that all the inside bearings are rusted to the axle shafts. Basically, he is saying that all three axles + inside and outside bearings\fittings for six wheels may need replacing.

He did say he could try to pack the inside fittings with silicone, which might keep the ATV from leaking for one season at a time, but they can't guarantee it. But that procedure, plus adding a bilge pump, looks better than the $ 3-4 thousand to replace all the axles and wheel parts.

I have been reading this bulletin board for the first time, and now see that amphibious ATV users in or near salt water wash out the inside thoroughly and recommend re-lubing all the bearings each time they use the machine. Our hunting location is remote and performing this degree of maintenance appears to be time-prohibitive. Frankly, I would not have bought the ATV if I knew that much maintenance was required.

All suggestions and comments welcome.

By masteratver on Unrecorded Date: Edit

You need to contact Richard Clark operator of this site route 6x6
he has new axles and so on at good prices. I jusy bought a set
of new solid axles for 75$ each. About you rlast statement, maybe
you would be better off junking machine as our machines do need a
lot of mainatance, much more than say a honda, but then you would
have to get a wrecker to get your honda from off the bottom
of the swamp Robert

By liflod (Liflod) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

3-4 k$ ? That sounds really expensive. Even at $50 for each bearing, that's only $600. You should be able to get bearings closet to $25 each. I doubt the axles are ruined beyond use. It may take you a while to get all the axles out of the machine, but you should be able to rebuild it yourself for less than $1000.

How much maintenance did you figure a 6 wheel drive machine with 12 bearings and 30 + feet of roller chain needs?

By masteratver on Unrecorded Date: Edit

John

According to Richard price sheet

6 outside bearings 90$
3 inside bearings 45$
3 axles 225$

Total 355$ parts

He is charging you 4000$

So 4000 - 355$ = 3645$ for him.

What does everyone think is 3645$ a fair price? Ha Ha

Seriously 1000$ should cover all including labor, sounds
like your fine dealer is SCREWING you big time.

Robert

By tropicjungleboy on Unrecorded Date: Edit

HEY MIKE:
forget about the silicon stuff........keep handy a 14oz hand grease pump and fill it up with marine or trailer bearing grease.....after each use you must pump grease to replace water and contaminant from bearing....use wd40 spray (or similar) over chains.......light oil is better than heavy oil due to excesive adherence to dirt into the sprockers...better wd40 over chain often....15 minutes labor and you should be done!!!....sure a bilge pump is a must on any floating device (aatv) just by logics!!!..even the better quality bearing means nothing if you use on salty ambiance and don"t replace grease often

By Missouri's Max Dealer (Brandon_price) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Bearings seize on the axle all the time. My '99 Max II did the same thing and it wasn't in salt water (just severily abused). Pull the axle out with the bearing stuck on it (unbolt the flange). Put it in a hydrolic machine press and that will make short work of any stuck bearing. Your local machine shop can take care of it for you in just a few minutes. Mine actually made a huge pop when the bearing broke loose. A good quality bearing will run you about $30 and you'll be rolling again in no time.

By Evert on Unrecorded Date: Edit

John

Maybe you should consider taking your machine
to Richard or Brandon who ever is closest to you.

Better yet, learn to do the repairs yourself, the
machine is really just a bunch of simple parts, dirt
and time seems to be the worst things to them

Evert Kroger

By david berger (Davidrrrd) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

add to what brandon said above you sohould look into geting corect spaner wrench for the tightining of the lock collers, and loosening also if not rusted on from many years of wether,
otherwise yes the removel is alwase a shur thing when you just pull the bearing flange and axel all together, i do it this way almost every time,
i keep extra flangets and bearings and axels for quick trail side repairs too!
the spaner will keep your bearing coler from getting eaten up by the punch they tell you to use

By John Williford (Willi) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Subject: MAxx IV with corroded axle and bearings

I really appreciate all the great comments, and in less than 24 hours! This is a great website with devoted readers who own these machines.

A couple of follow-up comments and questions:

1. This dealer (I know his family, who are good people) is in a small Texas town but has only serviced a few Maxxes. His main business is 4x4's. I think he is more concerned about getting into a job with unknowns and losing money.

2. His mechanic says all six inside bearings are corroded to the axle. According to him,unless he can loosen at least one of them on each axle to slide it through, it will take a cutting wheel to get them out, possibly sacrificing the axle. Does this make sense?

3. I feel somewhat "had" on this problem. Neither the dealer nor the Owner's Manual provided any warning about salt water and the need to spray lubricant on the interior bearings. All the Manual states is to lubricate the bearings once a year, which I have had done. [It is not self-evident to me that an amphibious vehicle would require the interior bearings to be lubed after each use--I don't think it is unreasonable, in the absence of a warning, to assume that they are sealed and impervious to corrosion.] And I am not using this Maxx in real salt water. The salt content in the water is so mild that our cattle drink it.

4. I feel that Recreative should replace the axles and bearings at factory cost. If I had been properly warned, I don't think this would have happened because, as with all my outdoor gear, I have taken good care of this vehicle-- always kept it in a barn when not in use, always washed out the inside and sprayed the chain with motorcycle spray lube, and had annual maintenance done on it each year by a dealer. Am I off-base here in making this request to Recreative? Maybe it's cheaper and easier to just buy the parts from Richard from what I am hearing from you guys.

Thanks for the responses. Willi