[cherokee94nz]

Go back next week, and try the same hill in low range, and post the results. May pay to change out the brake pads, and check rotors not warped. And bleed out old brake fluid.

 

[cherokee94nz]

Opps forgot to add. Ride any brakes for a long period and they will overheat, and cause brake failure. Thats why you see all the truck ramps on steep hills. And a 6 seater defender would have to be classed as a HGV in the ATV world.

 

[xsever]

The defenders do not have a one way bearing they have a regular needle bearing that free spins both directions. So once speeds are low enough and belt rides on primary bearing you wont have engine braking. Although this should be a speeds below approximately 6 or so mph. The defenders don't have nearly the engine braking of the outtys or even commander primarily because of the weight.

I learned something new today. I love this forum. Thank you @CanAmRancher1 !

 

[EastCoastATV]

Go back next week, and try the same hill in low range, and post the results. May pay to change out the brake pads, and check rotors not warped. And bleed out old brake fluid.

We were on a week-long trip around the Gaspe region of Quebec. It was an 800-mile ride ATV over 7 days and the owner of the Defender would have to drive over 12 hours to go back.

 

[Tozguy]

That climb in the Mont St-Louis area is very steep. It would not be easy to find another climb like it.
That must have been an amazing trip. The Gaspe peninsula is beautiful. If you would you tell us more about it in the Members Rides forum I'd appreciate it immensely.

 

[EastCoastATV]

That climb in the Mont St-Louis area is very steep. It would not be easy to find another climb like it.
That must have been an amazing trip. The Gaspe peninsula is beautiful. If you would you tell us more about it in the Members Rides forum I'd appreciate it immensely.

Absolutely, I will put some information together later this month or in the fall explaining the trip in detail.

 

[Troy Liebhardt]

A few weeks ago, my friends and I did a week-long trip around the Gaspe region of Quebec, Canada. Near the end of one day, we had to drive from sea level to about 1500 feet in a few miles and then back down just as fast. I was driving my 2015 Commander 1000 XT in low gear on the way up, and high gear on the way down. The engine braking worked flawlessly on the descent. I didn't need low gear. The guy behind me, however, was driving a 2020 Defender HD10 6-seater and apparently those don't have engine braking in high gear. This is a new machine for him, and he didn't realize that. He was using his brakes all the way down when he noticed terrible brake fade. We were communicating with one another with headsets, and I could hear the panic set in. We were on a very steep decline with a serious drop off one side of the trail. He pushed the pedal as far as it would go, and it took a few hundred yards for him to finally get stopped. The guy riding behind him attached a tow rope to him and guided him the rest of the way down. At the bottom he had zero brakes at all. The next morning, the brakes seemed to be fine. Anytime we came across a steep downgrade he used low gear after that for the rest of the trip. That was probably one of the scariest things I've ever seen happen in all our trips. I think Can Am needs to upgrade the brakes on the 6-seater. They are so heavy they gain speed fast on a steep decline.

Has anyone else experienced this with a Defender?
(Picture of the machine below)
View attachment 107830

Yes just had my brakes get so hot I lost them. Was going down hill low range and slow. Very steep grade for a long distance. I have a 2021 hd 10. Looking for answers myself. Haven't had dealer call me back yet.

 

[Freewill]

I think if I had one of those HD10s I would be adapting brakes from a mid size pickup truck to it. Fabricate some brackets and install an electric assist brake booster.

 

[Duece]

It would be interesting to know the size difference on brake parts. Are the Defender brake calipers, rotors, and pads sized large enough for their larger size? Hard to imagine the outcome if it was fully loaded and pulling a trailer, all withing specs. Would low range have been enough? I never had an issue with my Defender, but I will fully admit I never had the opportunity to drive a trail like that. Sounds like a great test site for these manufacturers.

 

[Ducvet]

I would start with checking what you have for brake pads, often times you can get a much stronger pad than oem. With stronger brakes you need them less so you do not hold them on for extended periods. Step one is to find out what you have and what options are available.

 

[Chief...]

It would be interesting to know the size difference on brake parts. Are the Defender brake calipers, rotors, and pads sized large enough for their larger size? Hard to imagine the outcome if it was fully loaded and pulling a trailer, all withing specs. Would low range have been enough? I never had an issue with my Defender, but I will fully admit I never had the opportunity to drive a trail like that. Sounds like a great test site for these manufacturers.

I had a 2012 Outlander 1000 and a 2015 Outlander 1000 6x6 and the engine braking was so strong that I had to give them gas when going down steep hills, jump forward to 2020 when I got my Defender 6x6 and when going down a steep hill, it felt like it was in free-wheel and began picking up speed so that I had to stay on the brakes all the way down these steep hills. Later I was told that the Defender does not have engine braking and I assumed that it was because it did not have a one-way bearing in the clutch. A little research explains it a little better: “A one-way bearing is a type of clutch that allows the engine to spin freely in one direction while locking it in the other direction. It is used in vehicles with automatic transmissions to provide engine braking when going downhill. The one-way bearing is not required for engine braking, but it can help provide additional braking power. Some vehicles have a one-way bearing on the primary clutch to provide engine braking at idle.”

The one things that my defender had over the ATV's was 4 brakes with Dual 220 mm ventilated disc brakes with hydraulic twin-piston calipers vs 3 brakes with Dual 214 mm cross drilled disc brakes with hydraulic twin-piston calipers that were on the ATV's. And I assumed that they upgraded the defender with better braking because of the weight and lack of engine braking.

 

[Angore]

I would start with checking what you have for brake pads, often times you can get a much stronger pad than oem. With stronger brakes you need them less so you do not hold them on for extended periods. Step one is to find out what you have and what options are available.

I would add that if a sintered-metal pad , shoe is used , it most likely will accelerate wear on rotors .
My ideal setup would be a sintered metal shoe on a ductile iron rotor . They would stop a freight train but wear and rust too quickly.

 

[Ducvet]

Reminder I deal mostly with motorcycles so the rotors may be different they certainly are smaller on atv's. I have not worn a brake rotor out with sintered pads yet and have been running them since late 90's , even on iron which is supposed to be a no-no (works so good though). Offroad may be very different though as you often run in mud,dust and dirt that street bkes do not. Sintered do squeal more but a good set of HH rated pads can bite hard.

 

[First ATV]

I cannot think of any vehicle, where dragging the brakes for a mile would not over heat them.
Brakes use friction to work, friction causes heat.
In the case of brakes, their friction is very high, thus creating enormous heat. So it would seem obvious that they need to also be released regularly for a while to cool down. If a semi truck has to stop going down hill, it could take 600 feet to get stopped. They they need a fair amount of cooling time before they have to work that hard again, especially if going slow or stopped, because no air stream is passing over them.

 

[6x6rules]

THE DEFENDER HD10 DOES NOT HAVE A ONE WAY BEARING.
SO ITS LIKE OLD SCHOOL MACHINES BEFORE EBS. SO HIGH GEAR THERE REALLY IS NO ENGINE BRAKING.
THEY STATE THAT IT HAS ELECTRONIC HILL DESCENT CONTROL.
I HAVE YET TO SEE ANY INFO ON THIS FEATURE. MY DEFENDER FLIES UNCONTROLLABLY DOWN HILLS IN HIGH.
EVEN LOW I HAVE TO RIDE THE BRAKES. I CAN'T IMAGINE A STEEP MOUNTAIN TRAIL. THE BRAKES WILL FADE SINCE THE FLUID IS BOILING. I PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE BOUGHT ONE IF I KNEW THIS. I HAVE TO GO ON STEEP HILLS ALL THE TIME.

 

[zrock]

THE DEFENDER HD10 DOES NOT HAVE A ONE WAY BEARING.
SO ITS LIKE OLD SCHOOL MACHINES BEFORE EBS. SO HIGH GEAR THERE REALLY IS NO ENGINE BRAKING.
THEY STATE THAT IT HAS ELECTRONIC HILL DESCENT CONTROL.
I HAVE YET TO SEE ANY INFO ON THIS FEATURE. MY DEFENDER FLIES UNCONTROLLABLY DOWN HILLS IN HIGH.
EVEN LOW I HAVE TO RIDE THE BRAKES. I CAN'T IMAGINE A STEEP MOUNTAIN TRAIL. THE BRAKES WILL FADE SINCE THE FLUID IS BOILING. I PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE BOUGHT ONE IF I KNEW THIS. I HAVE TO GO ON STEEP HILLS ALL THE TIME.

If it does not have a one way bearing why do they list a replacement? Also in the spec's it shows standard engine braking and electronic braking as standard feature.

 

[6x6rules]

The bearing on the hd10 is 2 way. No engine braking .hd8 and everything else has a one way bearing The part they list looks the same. I am in the process of trying to install one on my hd10. It flies down steep inclines in high. In low it revs at 4000 rpm but you are going 17mph. My outlander idles down hills in high and in low you can walk beside it. Can am must not test the hd10 on hills since it is dangerous.

 

[Chief...]

The bearing on the hd10 is 2 way. No engine braking .hd8 and everything else has a one way bearing The part they list looks the same. I am in the process of trying to install one on my hd10. It flies down steep inclines in high. In low it revs at 4000 rpm but you are going 17mph. My outlander idles down hills in high and in low you can walk beside it. Can am must not test the hd10 on hills since it is dangerous.

OK, when you do this, you have to keep us posted on how it works out. Definitely will be interested in this.

 

[CanAmRancher1]

All sxs except the og mavs use a two way needle bearing.

So once you hit low enough rpms the belt is gonna ride in the 2 way bearing. The secondary does have engine brake but only down to that rpm when the prinary disengages.

No way to install one way in a defender. Try giving it a little throttle to enage the primary and then the secondary will engage the helix to engine brake.

 

[BombardierBomb]

OP hasn't been on in over a year, @6x6rules. You should start your own thread