1991 suzuki king quad front left tire stuck

[jessewr1981]

I just got a 91 king quad. (I am very new to atvs) and know nothing about fixing them. While i was driving the other day at around 30km/hr the front left wheel locked up and was skidding. I tried putting it in neutral, that did nothing. The tire is still locked up. Tried putting it in 4x4 still locked up. Locked up in reverse as well. Only the front left is locked. 

Brakes? Berrings? I changed the differential fluid maybe a few days before. 

[Mech]

First thing is probably to undo the bleed nipple on the left front wheel. If fluid comes out and then the wheel turn, you have a problem in the brakes hydraulic system.

If releasing the hydraulic pressure makes no difference then it will probably be a wheel bearing, or one brake shoe has jammed itself on. The lining can come off the brake shoes and jamb up in there. You could try undoing the wheelnuts and taking the wheel off, and then try to get the brake drum off. If it's a bearing that's the problem, then the brake drum should wriggle around and come off fairly easily. Brake drums get a bit of wear where the shoes run on them, and it's sometimes necessary to manually release the self adjusting brakes to pull the drum off, but if taking the wheel off allows the drum to move in and out a little, and wobble around when you grip it top and bottom or front and rear, then it probably won't be the brakes causing the problem. If the brake drum seems locked solid with the wheel off, and can't be moved in any direction then it's probably a brake shoe jammed in there. To fix that you manually release the self adjusters on the brakes and pull the drum off.

If the drum moves with the wheel off, I'd be suspecting a wheel bearing. If possible rotate and pull the brake drum and it should come off. If it comes out a little but then jams and won't turn, you need to use a small screwdriver to hold the brake adjuster's ratchet off while you back off the brake adjustment. Then pull and rotate the drum and it will come off. After that you take the nut off the center of the wheel's hub and that hub should pull off the axle/drive shaft. Undo the brake hose, top and bottom suspension ball joints and the steering ball joint, and then the bearing housing will come away from the bike. Then check the axle turns in the front diff, and check the wheel bearings rotate or not in the housing you pulled off the bike.

The wheel bearings are held in by big circlips behind seals. Lever the seals out, use long nosed pliers or proper circlip pliers to remove the circlips, then use a hammer and punch through the centre of one bearing, to knock the opposite bearings out, being careful to move the bearings a little at a time on opposite sides so as to not harm the housing.

[jessewr1981]

Thanks for your help. I managed to get the drum off but it was a real pain.. something is up with the brakes for sure. Now that the drum is off the wheel spins nicely. I guess ill get new brakes shoes and springs and wheel cylinders and go from there.

[Mech]

Did you check there wasn't hydraulic pressure keeping the brakes on ? By loosening the bleed nipple.. Brake hoses when they get old can start to delaminate inside and a flap of rubber can start acting like a one way valve stopping the brake fluid returning, or, the hoses swell up and the pressure you apply with the lever is enough to force fluid down to the wheel, but the springs aren't strong enough to make it return. You might have forced the fluid back now in the process of getting the drum off.

I doubt you need any of those parts you mention. If the shoes have their friction material still attached then they won't be the problem. You can check the cylinders are free by using two screwdrivers, one on each side tucked into the lip on the backing plate, and levering against the shoes. By levering harder on one side at a time alternatively, the shoes will move left and right by making both pistons in the cylinder slide across left and right. If they slide they are won't be the trouble either.

Put the drum back on, pump the brakes hard, check whether the brakes are jammed on, if they are, undo the brake bleeder and see if they free up.

 

[jessewr1981]

I did release the bleed nipple, and fluid came out, but the wheel would not move still. With the drum off the wheel turns normally now. I will try the cylinder and see if it is working properly as well.