[Rocky D]

My generals front tires will not spin forward while in neutral. They do spin backwards just fine. My son and I were out riding the other day and got stuck bad in a mud hole. He pointed out that my front wheels were not spinning although I was in 4wd. When we got out of the hole,I noticed the rpm’s were high and it felt like the buggy was dragging. Sure enough when I got home,I jacked up the front end and noticed the front wheels only spun backwards,going forward they wouldn’t move at all with arm strength. I have a super atv front diff that’s about a year old and I have brand new brake pads,rhino axles,and wheel bearings up front. Things were fine until I got stuck in the mud hole. Any suggestions on where to start?

 

[Johnny 7]

Have you contacted Super ATV about their differential, maybe they might have a clue? Did the 4x4 work prior to getting stuck?

 

[Rocky D]

Have you contacted Super ATV about their differential, maybe they might have a clue? Did the 4x4 work prior to getting stuck?

I have not contacted them yet. Yes it did work prior to getting stuck.

 

[Renob4x4]

PM @SuperATV for help.

 

[Renob4x4]

Yh

 

[SuperATV]

That's an odd one for sure. The diff should always free wheel going forward unless the diff is locked and the rears are losing traction and over riding the fronts. My first guess would be either wheel bearings or possibly some kind of brake issue. Check both of those first since that'll be the quickest and easiest. Also a good time to grease your caliper pins.

Weird that they will spin in reverse but not forward.

I guess it could be the sprague in the diff. It may have locked up in that mud hole. Normally the axles would break first, so that's weird. Also...its weird that it'll still spin backwards.

If you don't find an issue withe the calipers or the wheel bearing, you'll probably need to open up that diff just in case.

 

[Rocky D]

Is there such a thing as the front diff getting stuck/locked in 4wd? If so,can it be fixed or unlocked by continuing to drive it or like drive in reverse and turn the wheels??

 

[SuperATV]

Is there such a thing as the front diff getting stuck/locked in 4wd? If so,can it be fixed or unlocked by continuing to drive it or like drive in reverse and turn the wheels??

Yes, its possible. It wouldn't or shouldn't lock up the wheels going forward though. But....I have seen some lock up in 4wd and unlocking after putting it in reverse and backing it up a little ways.

 

[Rocky D]

Yes, its possible. It wouldn't or shouldn't lock up the wheels going forward though. But....I have seen some lock up in 4wd and unlocking after putting it in reverse and backing it up a little ways.

Hey Super Atv,is there a warranty on your gdp front differential you guys sell,and if so,how long?

 

[Rocky D]

Disregard Super Atv. The front diff is apart and not broken. Is there such thing as a manual on how to reassemble a gdp front diff? If so,can you send me the link?

 

[Pirate]

So no damage to any of the internal components?
I was thinking if the roller cage got busted that might allow rollers to get wedged at different angles and that might make
for issues like you've had.
The Output Hubs are a bearing so I don't think they would behave like a one-way bearing unless damaged. Which should be pretty obvious.
Curious
Pirate

 

[Rocky D]

No damage whatsoever. He’s a quick recap of what I’ve found out so far. Front diff internals are all fine. When I jack up the rear end and the rear wheels are off the ground,I put the buggy in 4wd expecting the front tires to engage and move me across the garage floor. I had the rpm’s above 4000rpms and the front wheels don’t move at all. 4wd lights up on the switch and on the dash. I have two brand new wheel bearings in the machine and the front calipers and brake are off and tied up out of the way. So it’s not the brakes or wheels bearings. When I drive it down the road in 4wd,the rpm’s are way up and the front wheels drag bad,almost feels like the brakes are stuck on. I skinned the tread off the front tires just by test driving it a quarter mile down the road. One other thing I forgot to mention. When I first started troubleshooting I had told you guys the front wheels spun backwards but wouldn’t spin forward. That was because the front end was jacked up in the air and the axles and an arms were hanging. I put the an arms on jack stands right at the balljoints ,gave it its normal looking sag,and the front wheels did then turn forward. Front and rear prop shafts spin as they should when all 4 wheels are off the ground and I have the buggy in 4wd. Output shaft on the front diff spins,no 4wd action though.

 

[lueck89]

Take the driveshaft off the front diff. Does everything spin correctly then? Kinda eliminates the trans and driveshaft from the equation....

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

 

[deanrowski]

Front axles/hubs are turning freely both directions when elevated with/without tires? Can you drive in 2wd with no problem? Only when in AWD front wheels lock up? So you can switch to AWD while driving and front wheels lock up at that moment? Or after rear wheels spin activating front diff engagement? Guess I'm still trying to wrap my head around this.

 

[deanrowski]

I think you should be looking to Toxic-21 for some insight on this issue, I believe he has far and away the most experience with trans axle and front diff problems.

 

[Rocky D]

Take the driveshaft off the front diff. Does everything spin correctly then? Kinda eliminates the trans and driveshaft from the equation....

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

Driveshaft is off the front diff,but the

Front axles/hubs are turning freely both directions when elevated with/without tires? Can you drive in 2wd with no problem? Only when in AWD front wheels lock up? So you can switch to AWD while driving and front wheels lock up at that moment? Or after rear wheels spin activating front diff engagement? Guess I'm still trying to wrap my head around this.

yes,front turns freely with and without tires on it. I can drive in 2wd with no problem,but once I hit the 4wd switch on the dash,that’s when the rpm’s are way up and the front wheels are dragging. Then I tried putting it in 2wd and seeing what happened and it “felt” like it was then stuck in 4wd. I also tried putting the machine in turf mode after it felt stuck in 4wd,and that didn’t get it out of 4wd either.

 

[lueck89]

Take front driveshaft off. Spin front wheels in 2wd. Are they free spinning like normal? If not it's something in the front diff/hubs...

Now put it in 4wd (drive shaft still off). Do they still spin free?

If they don't spin free in 4wd without drive shaft hooked up, it's something in the front diff with how it's locking...

if it spins free in 4wd without the driveshaft hookedup, its something in the trans...

you gotta try narrowing it down.... there's a ton of possible issues. But it doesn't sound like much has been done to narrow the possibilities down...

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

 

[Pirate]

Next step is finding out whether you have voltage to the front diff to allow it to lock up.
The connector for wiring to the diff is up behind the brake master cylinder.
Disconnect it and check the voltage from the AWD switch to the diff. It requires +14V to create a strong enough field in the armature coil to act on the armature plate, tabbed to the roller cage.
Without sufficient voltage the armature plate won't slow the roller cage and allow a row of rollers to become wedged between the Ring Gear inner sloped Ramps and the Output hubs.
Thus no power turning the front wheels.
Learned this a year ago at Sand Hollow.
Pirate

 

[Rocky D]

I’ll try that Pirate,thanks. Does anybody on here have a breakdown on how a stock front diff goes back together and how a gdp front diff goes back together? I have a good stock front diff I’d like to put back together and sell,and I have a question or two on reassembly of my super atv gdp brand diff I’ll be reinstalling. Thanks.

 

[Toxic-21]

I’ll try that Pirate,thanks. Does anybody on here have a breakdown on how a stock front diff goes back together and how a gdp front diff goes back together? I have a good stock front diff I’d like to put back together and sell,and I have a question or two on reassembly of my super atv gdp brand diff I’ll be reinstalling. Thanks.

Personally, I would toss the SATV and build your OEM.

What is the part number of your SATV Front Gearcase?