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Front diff.... Noise

48K views 44 replies 16 participants last post by  Spawn  
#1 ·
Riding on sunday i got into the deepest thickest mud ive ever gotten into with the xmr. Ive never knoticed only having one tire spin in the front. Usually always slings posi, but when i was in the real thick stuff it would only spin one at a time. I also got into some very off camber situations causing one of the front tires to come off the ground, when ive gotton into those situations b4 ive been able to get out because both front tires would spin. But yesterday only the tire in the air would turn. I kno the front diff arnt 100% locked but its almost always spinn both tires. Also when the tire in the air would spin and the other not, i would hear a "rubbing" sound, no grinding, poping, clicking sounds were heard. Is that a normal sound from the front diff? Whats in the front diff, what really is a viscolok? In lighter mud the bike would sling all 4 tires no prob,
 
#2 ·
Oh yeah, had same problem with my 13 XMR, they told me it was only on a hand-full of these, warranty fixed mine. Its the clutches in the Vico-lok that can't be repaired... replacement only
 
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#4 ·
Ok, i dont think that the visco lol is broke.. I remember this now, later that night i hot into some nasty stuff and layed in er hard and slung all 4 no prob. Now i just read online that the way the visco works is when one tire spins over the other, fluid preasure builds and locks up the clutches this transfering power to the stationary tire.... Which if that is infact true im wondering if a simple fluid change would be a good idea. After all the bike has 140+ hours on it and i havent changes fluids in the diffs.
 
#5 ·
I don't know much about this although I just bought the brand new 2016 Xmr 1000 and one thing the guy did say was after a certain amount of miles (200 or less I believe) he said I should bring it back to change the diff oil.
 
#6 ·
Im going to change the diff oil just to say i tried. When the viscolok engages is there suposed to be absolutly no slip at all? What is the best way to test it? I kno it does lock because like i said earlyer that later that night she would still sling all 4 in good mud. I only saw the one tire spin in front when that front tire was up in the air. I cant afford a diff right now so i guess ill be happy with it working most of the time and when i get into situations where one front tire is off the ground ill just winch it out. Really sux
 
#7 ·
my 2016 1000 did pretty well the same thing on some ice the other day. broke through the ice and couldn't climb back up onto it, one tire would spin and the other that could of got me out was trying to spin (could see the lugs of the tire flexing while the lug was grabbing the top of the ice) i didn't want to risk breaking anything so i took it pretty easy on the throttle. i understand that my situation would require the entire front end of the machine + my weight to be pulled straight up half the height of the tire but i was surprised it still slipped. maybe if i goosed it the front end might of locked ?
 
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#8 ·
It dosent happen very often. I think this is the first time i knoticed it because ive never been in mud that thick. When i stepped off the bike i sunk straight to my nips standing straight up. I think ima jack up the front have someone hold one tire then soin the other by hand, if that holds im going to jack up the rear chain the bike to my truck put it in 4x4 see if both tires will spin togather. If it can spin both fronts on dry pavement like that then the visco has to be working, ob viously ill be giving it light throttle, im not gona hamer on it.
 
#9 ·
My brothers did the same thing.
This is what I did to check it out.
Jack up the front and back so all 4 tires are off the ground and stabilize the machine. Now have someone get on the machine and put it low gear and 4WD.
SLOWLY apply the throttle and hold onto one of the front tire lugs to provide resistance. It should quickly engage and start pushing your hand out of the way. If it does engage and doesn't make any noise or skip your OK.

If when you provide resistance it starts to engage and then you hear a clicking noise along with the tire kinda jerking, the Viscolok is junk and your done. The Viscolok is not serviceable and you will need to replace the front differential. Changing the front differential fluid has absolutely no effect on the visco since its a sealed unit inside the differential.
My brothers 2016 XMR is at the dealer right now waiting for the new diff to come in from BRP so the can replace it under warranty.
 
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#10 ·
421- i will do just as u described. It hasent been making any noise at all so im hoping thats a good sign. On ur brothers bike did it make noise??
 
#11 ·
His made a clicking noise when the visco tried to engage and you could feel it "skipping" as you held the tire. I think he broke it on a off camber situation with one front tire in the air while trying to crawl out of a hole. Hopefully yours will be OK! Any other questions let me know!
 
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#12 ·

Not sure how to get the video on here but thats the link to youtube.

I think im fuked, i jacked it up, in 2x4 spun the tire by hand holding ther other, it locked. Started bike put in low and 4x4 held the tired gave it very little gas n it locked and stopen all 4 from spinning then i gave it a little more gas and it started making that noise for a second but i couldnt hold it the more i gave it gass and it riped it out of my hand. How could clutchs applying make that sound. Ill ride it this weekend and she what it does.
 
#17 ·
https://youtu.be/Jm1IksLPrh8

Not sure how to get the video on here but thats the link to youtube.

I think im fuked, i jacked it up, in 2x4 spun the tire by hand holding ther other, it locked. Started bike put in low and 4x4 held the tired gave it very little gas n it locked and stopen all 4 from spinning then i gave it a little more gas and it started making that noise for a second but i couldnt hold it the more i gave it gass and it riped it out of my hand. How could clutchs applying make that sound. Ill ride it this weekend and she what it does.
Unfortunately that sounds just like my brothers. Not as bad as his yet but it will get worse. That sucks! Sorry!
 
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#13 ·
Good post and info here, one question tho who says the replacement one from the warranty is ant another bad one? I suppose I need to get a lot of use on mine and find out what is junk on these before my 6 months is up lol
 
#14 ·
This is the first issue ive had with this bike and its 1 year old next week. And i ride just about every weekend. My advice to u is buy the rpm one warranty b4 ur factory expores. Friend has rpm one and its paid for itself. 3 times over. I kick my self in the but for not buying it.
 
#18 ·
It is what it is at this point. Not going to stop me from riding. I think its dumb that you have to buy a entire diff to fix this issue. This really should be somthing that is serviceable
 
#20 ·
Hoping that it is my front right axle making the noise when I'm in 4x4 but I fear the front diff. I replaced the rear diff about 6 months ago.
 
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#21 ·
i rode sunday, deep water sloppy bottom, climing out of deep holes and dead pulled a Honda for about 2 miles thru rack deep water and mud, and the 4x4 preformed flawlessly so not im not sure what the noise was.
 
#23 ·
I had the front left tire not spinning on mine as well recently. I had it stuck in muskeg as high as the tires. I thought I had broken something but couldn't find anything broken. I was with a dozen can am owners and they all said that it's normal on the front diff when you get stuck bad. I have been through a few good mud pits since and it's still working
 
#24 ·
Yea, ive learned its not a true locking diff like can am makes it seam to be. My friends new can am. Does seam to lock better then mine does but mine still works fine for what i do. What i have noticed is that on a diff with less miles it will still let one tire spin in the right situation but fosent have the sound that mine makes. Ut my bike is also 2 yeArs old now

Eather way it still works, IMHO when it truely does fail send it out and have a halo locker put in, thats what ill be doing atleast. But untill then.....:aniwheeler6:
 
#25 ·
That noise in the vid is not normal......period
 
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#29 ·
lol i never said it was normal. but 9 out of 10 times when i really need it to lock it does, only when im super buried.

but im out of warranty and don't have 1k laying around, so until it stops working all together its gone stay lol
 
#26 ·
Guys there is an internal thrust washer inside the differential, that have 4 locking teeth that lock into the internal gear when the differential is clicking that is the internal washer when the differential is grinding or whining that is the clutch pack.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
 
#27 ·
so is the clicking bad or normal? i have heard mine click but not grind or whine.?
 
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