[Randy]

Has anyone ever had a problem with their Mule popping and clunking from the front end when locked in four wheel drive? The dealer tells me this is normal. I can't believe that this should or would be considered normal! Any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

[hcjp]

3010 front end clunking noise

You want to check your universal joints in the front drive shaft. They may be worn or damaged.

 

[Koboss]

mule problem

I had a problem like that check your cable linkage settings at the engine, make sure that the bottom nut is on the last set of threads at the end of the cable or it will keep poping in and out under stress, also check your differential linkage aswell i had to change that one too
let me know how you make out

Koboss

 

[fredila]

4wd disengagement noise

My 3010 makes a very loud noise after I disengage the 4wd and drive forward about 100 feet. It sounds like a very loud rifle shot. Been happening ever since I got the vehicle two years ago.

The dealer tells me that it is "normal." Says it has something to do with the mechanism being "all wound up" and taking time to disengage. Sounds odd to me plus with all that racket I have to believe that one day it's going to fall apart.

Does this seem to be what you are experiencing...or does anyone else have a comment?

Thanks,

Fred

 

[bukshotbob]

klunking in ft end

I had clunking in my 2510 in frt. it was the bottem diff support mts broken
and that let the upper mt break out of diff case. I had to remove diff and disassemble diff to get it weilded. I also repaired the frt posatraction
at the same time.

 

[fredila]

Clunking

Nope...it's the 4WD mechanism. I got a Kawasaki service publication from the dealer that describes the problem. There is no fix.

On the other hand, Kawasaki says that it should not do any damage. :lol:

If I take it out of 4wd and back up about 30 feet, the mechanism "unwinds" without the popping sound. If I don't do the back up exercise, it eventually "pops" with a loud bang.

Fred

 

[bukshotbob]

clunk in mule.

Fred that sounds like something is mismatched from frt. to back.
Check tire size, check diff. ratio. The tires must match and gear ratio must be the same. If off just a little bit it will cause a prob like you discribe.. Bob ps this is only a prob. with 4-wheel.

 

[fredila]

Gear ratio

Thanks for the suggestions. The tire sizes are identical.

Don't mean to sound like a doofus :roll: but how do you check the gear ratios?

Thanks again,

Fred

 

[bukshotbob]

clunk in mule.

Fred with out takeing the dif apart the only way you can check ratio
Is to. MARK THE WHEELS AND MARK THE DRIVE SHAFT WITH THE
WHEELS OFF THE GROUND NOTE THE MARK ON WHEELS AND ON DRIVE SHAFT. NOW TURN THE DRIVE SHAFT BY HAND AND COUNT HOW MANY REV. IT TAKES TO TURN WHEELS ALL THE WAY AROUND YOU HAVE TO
COUNT AS EXAT AS POSSIBLE. THE DIFF IS YOUR RATIO, BUT DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT YOU WANT TO KNOW IF THE COUNT IS THE
SAME FRT. AND REER. YOU HAVE TO PUT SELECTOR IN 2 WHEEL DR.

I would also measure diam. of tires they have to be the same.
This goes for trucks/cars/ATVs if 4 wheelers. This may be the positraction, if this is a new vec.a person could add some posi. additive to frnt diff and than drive in 4 wh and do about 10 or so figure 8s and se if
that helps. We used to do that to Corvettes. Bob


ps you divide the number of teeth in pinion into ring gear
and that figure is the ratio.

 

[fredila]

Thanks!

Thanks Bob, I'll give it a whirl.

Fred

 

[joey]

The best solution the the famous front end pop in Mules is to come to a complete stop when disengaging 4wd and then when the selector is back in 2wd back up about 10 feet or so and the 4wd will disengage. Kinda the same as an old ford w/ manual hubs to get them to disengage you must back up.

 

[fredila]

Yep, you've got to do the old backup

Yes, thanks. I learned that awhile ago. Bit of a pain in the a.. but better than hearing that bang.

Regards,

Fred

 

[krkidwell]

Has anyone ever had a problem with their Mule popping and clunking from the front end when locked in four wheel drive? The dealer tells me this is normal. I can't believe that this should or would be considered normal! Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Randy, I have owned 3 mules and all 3 of them make the same noises that you are talking about. If you have noticed, it probably only happens when you are in 4-wheel drive on hard surfaces. The reason for this is that there is a knuckle in the drivetrain that acts as a limiter to prevent any damage to the rest of the drivetrain. For what it's worth, I wouldn't be concerned about it. Hope this helps.

 

[murchison]

2510 Front end noise...

I have a 2510 has made front end noise when running two wheel drive at higher speeds. It has done this since the day I bought it new...Had it back to two different dealers...said they made cable adjustment;;noise didn't stop. Finally,I took it to a third dealer and told him the history..He said Kawasaki told him they knew about the noise but that it wasn't a problem..but that if the customer complained that they had a part.. (bushing?) that would help(not completly stop) and it doesn't have a part #...
Sort of works..
Bill

 

[dh32811]

front end noise

The front popping you hear when you are in 4wd is the differential. The mules are designed with a slight "power steering" affect in 4wd so that it is easier to turn while engaged. It takes about 100 feet or so (what a kawasaki tech told me) for the difference in the ratios to catch up to create a popping noise. The only recomendation for this is not to use 4wd on hard surfaces. The clunking noise that you hear when it goes into 4wd is the cable out of adjustment. Hope this helps.

 

[Kawi]

The pop that you hear is because the mule was not designed to be engaged into 4 wheel drive on a hard surface simply because it is not in synch front to back like a 4 wheel pickup, tire pressure is very critical at all times and if you run it in 4 wheel drive on a hard surface that won't give you will be replacing the bevel gear spring and dawg. The clattering noise when in for wheel drive is from the cable linkage not adjusted correctly usually on decileration is when you will here it, refer to the manual. 8) 8)

 

[fredila]

Pooping

For what it's worth, I never run in 4WD on hard surfaces. Refer back to my Mar. 31 posting.

Then again, what's the definition of "hard surfaces?"

:roll: Fred

 

[Kawi]

Any surface that won't give such as pavement or real hard pack dry gravel roads. 8)

 

[fredila]

Hard surfaces

Nope, never use 4wd drive on those surfaces.

I run the vehicle in 4wd on soft surfaces, generally a wood chip mulch composite on a slope. Immediately upon moving onto a gravel surface, I disengage the 4wd. I then drive about 150 feet or so and during that time you can feel the vehicle still in 4wd. Then a very loud banging sound occurs and the vehicles goes into 2wd. You can avoid the problem by going in reverse for about 20 feet after disengaging the 4wd.

I think it's a design issue that has no fix short of tearing the Mule to shreds. Kawasaki says it's not a problem. Just live with it. So far that's what I've done...for 4 years. :wink:

Thanks for the response.

Fred

 

[datadude]

I have the same problem with a 2510. it just started doing it. on any surface
only in 4wd. it sounds like loud pop in the front.