Creeking/poping/crack noise coming from rear end.

[jasonp]

After a great weekend I found when turning or going over uneven ground the fourwheeler would make a loud tick noise coming from the rear. I pulled the rear axle off and the swing arm.. to my suprise that the needles in the swing arm still have grease and look great. The rear axle bearings look like the seals just started to leak and it looked like the lips where wore right off of the seals. I suppose for how old they are. The bearings didn't feel or look bad at all, though. I know the axle nuts were not all that tight and the drive hub and brake hubs looked like they could have been tighter on the axle shaft. Maybe the axle was sliding on the bearings inside the carrier? I really don't know. The hubs to the axle feel a little worn out, there is a little play there. I wonder if that's the problem. Anybody have the same issues?

 

[yamarider]

The axle nuts being loose is probably what did it to you. Without them holding everything TIGHT together nothing will seal up quite as tight as it should, then a little dirt and moisture works its way in. That grit between the seals might have been what caused them to wear out so quick.

My hubs on the axle always had some play in them. I think it's normal. As long as the axle nuts are torqued down tight like they're supposed to be, those hubs won't budge when you're riding to begin with, so the splines won't be doing much.

I couldn't keep my axle nuts to stay tight for the life of me. Last time I finally gave up and soaked it with some green loctite. That was a mistake, because it was a real treat getting them back off a year later. I heard a trick to wrap electrical tape tightly around both the nuts and part of the sprocket hub. So far it seems to be working real good to keep them from working their way loose.

 

[dshiznit]

My hubs on the axle always had some play in them. I think it's normal. As long as the axle nuts are torqued down tight like they're supposed to be, those hubs won't budge when you're riding to begin with, so the splines won't be doing much.

I couldn't keep my axle nuts to stay tight for the life of me. Last time I finally gave up and soaked it with some green loctite. That was a mistake, because it was a real treat getting them back off a year later. I heard a trick to wrap electrical tape tightly around both the nuts and part of the sprocket hub. So far it seems to be working real good to keep them from working their way loose.

My hubs were like that too and i did the black tape thing and theyve held up good so far.