By yves Laurent (Yves) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Hi Folks,

I am a newcomer in the ATV circle
with a Argo Magnum 8 weels 1992 with
300 hours on board. Everything seem fine
except for that misalignment. My Argo
always want to go right (slightly but
surely). I check the tire pressure and they
are equal both side (3). Could I have a bend
axle and if so, how could I verify this?

By Attex Bob on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Look under shop tech tips: "My Attex veers" It could be alot of things but I think it is the stagger. Stagger causes alot of problems with these things. You have to messure this with a tape, not an air pressure guage. Hope this helps, Good luck

By Gary Harper (Garyinvt) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Air pressure is one thing, but stagger is another. I think you may be looking at a stagger issue. So get out a measuring tape and check the tire dia. The all need to be the same. I have found that most all tires have a little size change. Stagger is great when on a race track making turns all in the same direction, but not on these guys! Hope this helps

By Gord Young on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Yves, your brakes are probably dragging on one side. I'm not completely familiar with your ARGO but I have a 1994 ARGO Vanguard with mechanical brakes.
It is imperativve that the brakes be adjusted so that the machine does not pull to one side. The owners manual gives a procedure for adjusting the brakes, which at the end of the adjustment procedure leaves both brake levers approximately 6 to 7 inches away from the dash. If you have mechanical brakes let me know and I will write out the procedure for you.

If you do not have mechanical brakes, check to ensure that both brake discs are in good condition. This means that they do not have excessive runout which would cause hydraulic pads to grab a high spot with each successive revolution of the brake disc.

Tire pressures are often the cause but you've ruled this out. Ensure that both idler chains are properly adjusted one each side of the transmission. Most importantly, chain tension and lubrication on your machine should be checked to ensure that no single chain is binding and not tramsmitting power freely.

Lastly, if you have a bad axle bearing it may cause one axle to turn with excessive friction. To check, place the machine on milk crates or otherwise jack up the machine and check each axle for free play. There should be no radial free play. If there is any, the bearing is worn and may contribute to friction on one side of the machine causing it to pull to that side.

There you have it. Brakes / wheel bearings / idler chains / brake discs / chains. Argo's rarely bend axles as they are solid 1.25 inch steel axles that are designed to take a lot of punishment.


Good luck and let me know how you make out with your diagnosis.

Cheers,

Gord

By 99 Bigfoot on Unrecorded Date: Edit

I don't know Gord I've bent 4 axles in 1 year on my bigfoot. I now keep extras in stock in my garage. Other than bent axles and it being a pain in the #$% to change the oil it has been an alright machine. Definately not as good as my old Hustler.

By Gord Young on Unrecorded Date: Edit

What were you doing to bend axles? Did you roll the machine or did you just ride hard? I have only been told of one guy in the province who managed to bend his axles, and he did that when he rolled his machine. Did you strike something when you were going at or near top speed? I'd be interested to know....


Cheers,

Gord

By MaxRules (Brandon_price) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

You must have about 50psi in your tires. I have only bent one hollow axle on my Max and I don't know how that happened. You have solid axles and extensions on the front and with any driving skill at all I don't see how an axle would get bent. I also have an old Hustler and that thing is a piece of junk compared to my Max. It's fun if it is all you have but when a Max is sitting beside it there is no comparison.

MaxRules

By Pete Stefan on Unrecorded Date: Edit

To 99Bigfoot
Hi
I have a 16hp B+S in my argo.I put an extention
pipe (about4 or 5 inches long)on where the drain plug is and put the plug on the end of that.Now I can reach under quite easly,remove the plug and
drain the oil into a pan or container of some sort.I had to remove the firewall to install this
extention but that was no big deal.I hope this information helps.
Good luck and ride safe
Pete.

By david berger (Davidrrrd) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

shame on you branden, you must know by now if you ridicule somone today about bending alot of axels it will come back to get you," bad karma" so knock on wood befor you have another expireance like with the bearings ect. ect., i dont run hi psi in my tires but i bend axels frequently, learnd to live with it, i keep a stock of solid axels too! even one in trunk of my car! replacement axels and or another trick i know get me going agean. don't be in such a hurry to join us axel benders, at least not till yah have a stock of extras!!

By Marc Stobinski (Jerseybigfoot) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Brandon,
I assume you still need to recon the Hustler thats why its a piece of junk. You are not implying that Hustlers are poor quality or badly engineered? By the way you should be able to pull your Hustler axles easier than the Max.

By Ernie Savinsky (Lucky45) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Can someone who has done it?, or has the B&S Vanguard engine manual please post the procedure for adjusting the valves on a 14 hp B&S Vanguard
Engine.

By 99 Bigfoot on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Gord:

Truthfully, 3 of the times I bent my axles I was trying to keep up with a 18hp MAX IV that a friend of mine owns. The other time it was when I bumped the edge of a tree. The first three were bent during good old fashioned trail riding.

By MaxRules (Brandon_price) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

The Hustler seems like a good machine but I don't see how anyone could say an old machine is better than a new one. The only design flaw I see is the six chain set up. The big sprocket is at the bottom on the middle axle and to do this they had to make a dip in the lower body. That won't be good when ground clearance is important.
I don't think removing the Hustler axles would be any easier than Max axles. I've done it to my Max and the Hustler axles would be removed in the same way.
If you have k-rims you should not run any more than 1-1/2 to 2 psi in your tires. This gives a great ride and if you go stump jumpin' you probably won't bend an axle.
My Hustler restoration has been put on hold while my Max gets restored. I am pretty much done now. All I need is one new #60 half link to replace the one that broke. I might just get two new #60 chains since they are worn out. I cleaned out the whole machine inside and out. I sprayed water through the exhaust pipe (had the engine out) to wash out all the mud. Once I had the engine back in I started it up and it ran so much better! Mud had made the muffler about 1/2 the internal size it should have been...
Everything is lubed heavily and this time I will try to keep it that way. Notice I said TRY.
Global Recreational Vehicles will have another ride at Deepwater Missouri on the 15th of October. Everyone is welcome to come watch me tear up my Max again. I'm going to jump it into a lake, about 3 feet of air. There is another place were you could get about 8 feet of air and I'll do that with someone else's Max...

MaxRules

By johnmaiolo on Unrecorded Date: Edit

MY TERRA TIGER WAS PULLING TO THE LEFT A LITTLE. I LOOKED AT THE TIRES AND THE DIAMETER OF THE RIGHT MIDDLE TIRE WAS GREATER THAN RF AND RR. I SWAPPED THE RF AND RR WITH MY STOCK OF TIRES TO MATCH THE DIAMETER OF THE MIDDLE TIRE. NOW IT PULLS HARDER TO THE LEFT! ALL AIR IS 2 PSI. SUGGESTIONS? BY THE WAY BRANDON, IF YOU WANT TO SELL THAT "PIECE OF CRAP HUSTLER" I'LL TAKE IT OFF YOUR HANDS. JOHN

By MaxRules (Brandon_price) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

HAHA I knew there had to be a good reason for bending those axles.
If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch!

MaxRules

By Marc Stobinski (Jerseybigfoot) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Brandon,
You take the expression "Go jump into a lake" to a higher level. What might be more interesting is to find a spot where you can hit the lake flat out and try and hydroplane it like a snowmobile. Maybe this is where you need the Hustler 440. Just don't get killed. We wouldn't have any mud to sling around on the Discussion Board. I assume mud is your passion wet or dry.

By johnmaiolo on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Brandon, was that a reply to my post?

By ddeank on Unrecorded Date: Edit

John, Maybe you should check your chain tension.Sometimes that can do it.

By MaxRules (Brandon_price) on Unrecorded Date: Edit

John-
I will probably sell the Hustler once I get it restored. I put new seals in the T-20 and I will hopefully put that back together soon (took me long enough). I have been thinking about which engine setup I am going to sell it with. I might put my Max's 14hp engine in it and buy a new 20hp Kohler for my Max. This would make the Hustler a good running 'like new' machine and when it comes time to sell my Max it will sell for more with the bigger engine. I would then rebuild and resell or keep the 440cc 2-stroke. There are benefits to both the 4-stroke Briggs and the 2-stroke Kohler. Maybe I'll just set a price and let the buyer pick the engine that suits them best?
I would need a new clutch and exhaust for the 20hp Kohler. I could sure use the extra power and with the right clutch it would run like a raped ape.

MaxRules

By Gord Young on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Yves,

Did you ever sort out your pulling to the right problem?

Ernie, if you go to the Briggs site they have an owners manual that you can download free. I've done the procedure on my 16HP Vanguard and its fairly simple. Briggs engine valve clearances are not set while at Top dead Center, rather just past it. The owners manual will tell you what that movelent past TDC is, I forget at the moment but will check if you are unable to download the manual successfully. The only tools needed are a vernier calpier for accurately measuring distance past TDC (this is a measure of piston travel past TDC back down into the bore)and a set of feeler guages. You will need the engine model, type and code to be able to do it. These numbers are located on the front of your engine. The info is stamped in an aluminum plate on the red cowling or the right or front cylinder.

Good luck, and use new gaskets!!! (else you risk oil getting onto your primary clutch!


Cheers,

Gord
Good luck.

By johnmaiolo on Unrecorded Date: Edit

Brandon, I measured the diameter of my goodyear rawhides, the ones on the right side are 3 inches in diameter larger than the ones on the left side. That should explain the pulling to the left. John