ATVs and UTVs are becoming more and more popular over the past few years. With the wider selection of all-terrain vehicles coming to the market, many outdoor enthusiasts and ranch owners are purchasing UTVs and ATVs for work and recreational purposes.
With the nature of these vehicles, they are often times pushed to their limits. From trail riding to mud pits, ATV owners are quickly testing what these vehicles are made of.
One of the most common issues that arise from ATVs is a damaged or worn-out axle. An ATV axle is used to allow the wheel to travel up and down while still getting power from the engine and transmission. Today, we are going to look at a few symptoms of worn ATV axles to help you determine when you need to replace your axles.
1. Popping Or Clicking Noises When Turning
One of the tale-tale signs of a bad ATV axle, or any vehicle axle for that matter, is a popping or clicking noise while turning. This is the sound of the joint not rotating correctly due to damage or lack of grease. With no lubrication, the joint binds and slips, causing a popping or clicking noise.
2. Clunking Noises When Accelerating Of Slowing Down
A clunking noise that is noticed when speeding up or slowing down is also a sign of a bad ATV axle. This is similar to the clunking noise symptom but is caused by the axle having too much slack in the joint to where it clunks when weight is transferred during acceleration or deceleration.
3. A Constant Humming Sound When Driving
When driving your ATV, the only noise you should hear is the engine, exhaust, and tires running across the road. If you are experiencing any other strange noise, chances are there is an issue. One symptom of a bad CV axle is a constant humming sound while driving your ATV. If you can drill this down to when your wheel is rotating and confirm that it gets louder the faster you go, you may have an issue with your CV axle.
4. A Vibration Is Felt When Accelerating Or Speeding Up
Much like the clicking sound, this noise is coming from a bad joint. Not only will you hear the clicking noise, but you will also feel a vibration that matches this sound. This is going to be most present when accelerating or speeding up as the wheel speed increases or decreases.
5. You Lose Power To A Wheel
Lastly, if your wheel simply does not rotate, you have most likely broken an axle completely. With the constant abuse that some ATVs take, a broken axle is a common issue if you are running factory axles.
At GSP North America, we offer high-quality replacement ATV axles to give you factory-like fitment with upgraded components. Our ATV axles install with no modification and will be built using higher-quality materials to give you an axle that will stand up to more abuse and more miles.
