King Quad front diff locked.

[mmabry55]

My front wheels are constantly locked making steering extremely hard. I took the diff apart and it looks like it won't allow the front wheels to turn independently. Is this the norm? I have 27" paddles and it's almost impossible to steer while driving slow.

[Mech]

Most of the older ones had a manual shift in and out of front diff lock.. 

You'd better tell us what year and size this is, and what sort of transmission it has.. belt with two speeds or five speed foot shift ?

[mmabry55]

It's a 2011 King Quad 400 foot shift. I took the differential apart and it looks like it should allow each wheel to turn independent. I cleaned and lubed  against the manuals suggestion. Still have a locked diff.

[mmabry55]

It does shift in and out of 4wd, but the front axeles stay locked. This makes steering difficult.

[Mech]

Does it say on the shift lever above the fuel tank that it has a diff lock ? Because looking in the service manual, and the spares for that year, it doesn't show any diff lock.. It looks like it will be like hondas and others and have a limited slip diff.  I was looking at LTF400F models..

If it has a limited slip diff you can jack one side only of the front up, and turn the raised wheel and it should turn, but there will be quite a bit of resistance..

[Mech]

In #1 you say it looked like it wouldn't allow the axles to be independent, then in #3 you say it looked like it should allow the axles to move independently..  What were you making that assessment on, and did you have the actual diff assembly, that being the crown wheel carrier and the side gears inside it, apart ?

[Mech]

And, when you tried to get it out of diff-lock, did you try backing and turning and rocking the bike back and forwards to unload any load on the sliding dogs that engage diff lock(if it has one) ?

Perhaps those big wheels are causing the problem, either preventing it coming out of diff-lock, or, if it has a limited slip front diff, just being too big for the torque the limited slip diff caters for.

A lot of bikes have different sized front and rear wheels, and the diffs are set up with the right gear ratios to cater for wheels that size. If you change the size of wheels you can cause a lot of binding between the front and rear axles.. Perhaps that is happening and causing the bad steering. If you have the old wheels, or can borrow a set of original sized wheels, try them and see if it cures the problem.

[mmabry55]

I appreciate the comments. This machine has a manual lever to engage 4wd. It doesn't have any electrical controls. I am pretty certain the wheel size has a lot to do with the issue. When I disassembled the differential it was dirty and dry. I cleaned everything and reassembled it. I sealed everything and filled with oil.

This is a project, so I have everything torn down. When I get it to the point I can test it I will comment back. I hope to replace the tires as well. Thanks for the info and suggestions.

Edited September 24, 2023 by mmabry55

[Gwbarm]

Agreed! I would go back with factory sized tires, unless you need the larger tires for your adventures.

[Mech]

Ok. If it doesn't read 2Wd, 4Wd, Diff-lock on the shift lever then it doesn't have a diff lock and is just a limited slip diff. The test for their functioning is as described earlier, jack up one front wheel and try to turn the other. It should take some specified amount of torque to turn the lifted wheel.. It's stated in the manual.

And apart from being larger diameter wheels, if the new tyres have a flat tread/foot-print, then yup, they will really play havoc with the steering, and handling.

[Mech]

Oh..  and that limited slip diff likely needs special oil, not regular gear oil like the manual diff has.

[mmabry55]

Thanks for the help. I got it put back together yesterday and was able to test. It is steering much better, even with the monster tires. I think the front diff was basically dry when I got the bike. I think changing the tire size and style will make a huge difference. It needs basic maintenance more than anything. Beware of buying any machine from a 20-something. The price was too good to pass.

[Gwbarm]

When the price is too good to pass up, i always expect the worst. If i go to the trouble of hooking up my trailer, finding where the location is, generally out in middle of nowhere, drive until you think you are good and lost then turn left and you are there. If i go to this trouble its following me home. I do this because i already know what im going after from communication with the seller. It has to be something i like or want or i wouldnt bother. The price we agreed on is what i will pay when i get there, a lot of people will play the seller, get there and try to jew them down, i dont do that, even though its standard practice, of course i wont even go look at one if the seller doesnt even bother to wash the mud off before listing it, because good photos are woth 1000 words. Generally when they are really cheap there are major problems, but not always, one day it just wouldnt crank so they pushed it in the barn and forgot about it. Those are the ones i like to find.

[Mech]

Ha..  good bit of writing there Gw..  I like it .