Eiger rear axle fell out.

201 Views 6 Replies 3 Participants Last post by olddude, 7 d ago

olddude

Discussion Starter · 9 d ago

My friend has a 2004 Eiger 400 that I have worked on several times. My problem now is that my shop burned to the ground taking out all my tools, manuals, notes that I have amassed over the past 30 years or so. I haven't seen it yet but he told me that he was going down a trail when all of a sudden the left rear wheel and axle assy just fell out. I'm thinking one or more of the bearings were trashed and somehow let the axle pull out. Just a guess as I never have worked on the rear axel assy before. Looking at the drawing I can't see how the axle could have pulled out without removing the hub but I'm probably wrong about that. I have looked at a few u-tube videos but I don't know anymore now than I did.
We used to race bikes and I learned to work on all our race bikes and had all the tools to work on about anything. I had a nephew that used to race ATV's and I worked on his bikes many times too so I'm not a complete moron when it comes stuff like thiuts b I know I'm no ATV mechanic either. I just did what I had to do to keep racing.
First off I'm wondering how the axle could just pull out like that.

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ajl719

· #2 · 9 d ago

A axle popping out of the axle housing is not a common occurrence, but it can happen. Here’s a few reasons as to why the rear axle could potentially pop out the rear axle housing:

1. Axle Retaining Clips/Circlips Failure: The retaining clips or circlips that secure the axle shaft within the axle housing may have failed or become dislodged. If these clips are damaged or not properly installed, they may allow the axle shaft to slide out of the housing.

2. Axle Bearing Failure: The axle bearings that support the axle shaft may have worn out, become damaged, or failed completely. If the bearings fail, it can lead to excessive play in the axle assembly, potentially causing the axle to dislodge.

3. Axle Housing Damage: The axle housing itself may have suffered damage due to impact or wear. If the housing is cracked, bent, or otherwise compromised, it can affect the stability and retention of the axle shaft.

4. Suspension System Failure: Issues with the ATV's suspension system, such as worn-out or broken control arms, shock absorbers, or linkages, can cause excessive movement or misalignment of the rear axle. This increased movement can lead to the axle falling out.

5. Improper Installation or Maintenance: If the rear axle or related components were not installed correctly or were not properly maintained, it can contribute to their failure. Incorrect installation or lack of regular maintenance can weaken the axle assembly and increase the likelihood of it falling out.

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olddude

Discussion Starter · #3 · 9 d ago

ajl719 said:
A axle popping out of the axle housing is not a common occurrence, but it can happen. Here’s a few reasons as to why the rear axle could potentially pop out the rear axle housing:

1. Axle Retaining Clips/Circlips Failure: The retaining clips or circlips that secure the axle shaft within the axle housing may have failed or become dislodged. If these clips are damaged or not properly installed, they may allow the axle shaft to slide out of the housing.

2. Axle Bearing Failure: The axle bearings that support the axle shaft may have worn out, become damaged, or failed completely. If the bearings fail, it can lead to excessive play in the axle assembly, potentially causing the axle to dislodge.

3. Axle Housing Damage: The axle housing itself may have suffered damage due to impact or wear. If the housing is cracked, bent, or otherwise compromised, it can affect the stability and retention of the axle shaft.

4. Suspension System Failure: Issues with the ATV's suspension system, such as worn-out or broken control arms, shock absorbers, or linkages, can cause excessive movement or misalignment of the rear axle. This increased movement can lead to the axle falling out.

5. Improper Installation or Maintenance: If the rear axle or related components were not installed correctly or were not properly maintained, it can contribute to their failure. Incorrect installation or lack of regular maintenance can weaken the axle assembly and increase the likelihood of it falling out.

Thanks that's what I needed, I'm thinking #2. As far as I know noone has ever had the axles out or the seals replaced. I'm thinking seals failed which in turn cause the bearings to fail. This old ATV don't owe anyone anything, it's been a good one and nothing much has ever been done to it. I replaced the drive belt, one front axle and put a starter on it 4 or 5 years ago other than that it's like it was when he brought it home.

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Foot0069

· #4 · 8 d ago

Sad to hear about your shop, horrible experience. 😢

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olddude

Discussion Starter · #5 · 8 d ago

Foot0069 said:
Sad to hear about your shop, horrible experience. 😢

Yeah it burned up everything, lawn mowers, tractor, my new King Quad, welders, mill, lathes along with thousands of dollars in tooling. I had 3 Snap On tool boxes filled with tools, those alone topped over $70,000.00 maybe more. The really bad thing that took over 2 months for me to be able to talk about was all my antiques, Civil war relics, fossil collection, and Indian artifacs along with all my notes and research papers, plus some books that you can't even get anymore. All of which took me 55 years to collect and those were a hard pill to swollow.

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ajl719

· #6 · 8 d ago

I can’t imagine losing all of those antiques, relics, old books, all those tools, power equipment, toys KQ etc. Can imagine the horror and emotional toll it had on you. That would honestly be one of my worse fears aside from my house burning down. My car caught on fire in February of 2022 from a block heater short. That scarred me pretty good and it took me a while to get over it. Ever since then I’ve got a fear of block heaters. For good reason after that.

But having lost all of that stuff is tenfold compared to my car. So I’m real sorry to hear about that devastating loss. Losing a car, atv, or a structure can be easily replaced. But all of thar contents in that garage that you’ve collected throughout the years can’t. Definitely hurts your soul and mind.

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olddude

Discussion Starter · #7 · 7 d ago

ajl719 said:
I can’t imagine losing all of those antiques, relics, old books, all those tools, power equipment, toys KQ etc. can imagine the horror and emotional toll it had on you. That would honestly be one of my worse fears aside from my house burning down. My car caught on fire in February of 2022 from a block heater short. That scarred me pretty good and it took me a while to get over it. Ever since then I’ve got a fear of block heaters. For good reason after that.

But having lost all of that stuff is tenfold compared to my car. So I’m real sorry to hear about that devastating loss. Losing a car, atv, or a structure can be easily replaced. But all of thar contents in that garage that you’ve collected throughout the years can’t. Definitely hurts your soul and mind.

Thanks and sorry for your loss also

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