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95 fourtrax rear axle removal

47K views 45 replies 11 participants last post by  dpries10 
#1 ·
can someone help me with how to remove the rear axle on my 95 300 four trax
 
#2 ·
Don't forget to take the rear brakes and brake backing plate off after you take the two big axle nuts off the brake side.

 
#3 ·
sure..i can try...lol..first off..remove the right side..brake cover..when you get to the brake drum..don't try to force it off..most honda's have a tiny o-ring around the axle right there..it's hard to see.not sure if you have one on yours..but check to see...remove it..then slide the brake drum off..remove the brake shoes..take all your brake cables off..lay them aside somewhere out of the way..unhook the air breather hose that leads to the brake backing plate..now..inside ..where your shoes were..should be 4 bolts in the center..take them out..after you get them out..the whole brake assembly should come off..now..if you don't have the left rear side off..wheel..hub..take it off..jam nuts and all..after you got all this..the axle should slide out from the rear right..hope this helps.
 
#5 ·
Hear is how to remove the rear brakes and backing plate.



 
#29 ·
Ok, tried that but axle still will not bang out



New user here, I bought a more beat up than I thought 93 trx300 4x4 with no brakes. I went to replace brake shoes and realized the axle splines are messed up and want to replace the axle. I followed your instructions (thanks) but when I try to hammer out the axle I get no where. Since the axle was already going to be replaced I used a small sledge to bang it to the point I've curled the end slightly. What else could be making it stick? I fear there is a problem in the differential?
TIA
 
#7 ·
hey kinda new here and seen that this was a recent post while yall were on the subject of axle removals i was gonna see if one of yall might know what could be the problem with gear oil pouring out of the dust seal any advice helps just got the four wheeler is a fourtrax 300 but its a 99 figured there aint that much difference
 
#8 ·
Which dust seal are you talking about? Are you talking about the dust seal in the rear brake drum cover? If you are, the inner seal in your differential case is leaking. And if that seal is leaking, then your axle bearings are probably bad, too.
 
#10 ·
#12 ·
Yeah, I don't know why it says those diff seals are dust seals, because they're not. They're oil seals. They hold the gear oil in. The seal in the brake drum cover is a dust seal, though.
 
#14 ·
You'll have to remove the axle and the brake drum backing plate and then you will have to remove the differential and unbolt it and take it apart to put the bearings and seals in. You won't have to mess with the pinion shaft if you aren't replacing the pinion bearings. And remember, the brake backing plate has a bearing in it, also.
 
#16 ·
Did you remove the o-ring that's on the axle, under the front edge of the brake drum? If you didn't, it will be almost impossible to get the drum off. You will have to take a tiny screwdriver or pick and dig it out. You can't hardly see it, because it's under the edge of the drum. Here is a picture that shows it.

 
#18 ·
What lines? Are you talking about the vent lines? I would remove any vent lines, as well as the brake cables, because the whole backing plate needs to come off to remove the axle and to change the bearing in the backing plate.
 
#19 · (Edited)
I own a 1991 300fwd and a number of years back I welded the outer hubs to the rear axle as they had loosened up and worn the splines on axle and hubs. I'm currently repairing a stripped axle on a 2001 450s with a new ring gear and axle. Given my current visions of my own mechanical aptitude grandeur :icon_ nono2: I'm thinking about getting a new axle with hubs for the 300 and repairing it properly too. On the 450s the diff seals actually seal against the ring gear sleeve. On the 300 without an axle tube on the left side, I know from the pictures above that, the "dust seal" seals the axle, but does it also seal the ring gear sleeve? I'm wondering if the diff grease is able to get to the axle/ring gear drive contact area.

I think my 450s went bad because the bearing and seal on the left axle tube went bad and let water in which corroded the axle/ ring gear splines. I'm thinking that if the grease in my 300 diff is clean it should indicate that there is good chance the axle/ring gear splines have a good chance of being good too. Given what I've learned on the 450s I know if the splines between ring gear and axle are worn at all it's best to replace both.

The 300 is up at the in-laws place where I hunt (100 miles north)........which is why I'd like as much info as possible before I venture north to tear into the repair.

Thanks - Dan
 
#20 ·
I'm not sure if I completely understand your question, but I'll try and answer it and if that's not what you're talking about, then tell me and I'll try again. LOL.

On the 300, the ring gear has a sleeve that rides on the axles bearings in each side of the diff case. The seals don't actually seal on the axle, they seal on the sleeve of the ring gear. So, you can pull the axle out of the diff with gear oil still in the diff and it won't leak out. Also, no oil gets between the ring gear splines and the axle spines. If this isn't what you are talking about, let me know.
 
#21 · (Edited)
Thanks for responding Helmut.......this thread has such nice pictures...which is why I posted on it.

What you describe is the same on my 450s, but the seals on both sides of the 450s rear diff are the same size/#. In the schematic above it shows the seals to be different on either side of the 300s rear diff, and the picture of pounding the axle out appears to show a seal that seals up against the axle. I wish I could just go look at my 300, but is there not some kind of an axle seal on the left side on the 300s?

Thanks - Dan
 
#22 ·
In the schematic above it shows the seals to be different on either side of the 300s rear diff
I can't remember if they're the same size or not, but why does it matter if they're the same size or not? The sleeve on one side of the ring gear may be bigger around, I just can't remember.

the picture of pounding the axle out appears to show a seal that seals up against the axle.
It just looks like that in the picture. The seal seals around the sleeve of the ring gear. There's an o-ring that fits around the axle in between the axle and ring gear to keep water and mud from going in between the axle and ring gear.

The seals definitely seal around the sleeve or hubs of the ring gear. I've changed many, many axle bearings and seals in those 300s over the years.
 
#23 ·
Thanks Helmut,

Sorry if I seemed to be asking stupid questions, but after seeing how rusty and worn the axle to ring gear splines were on my 01 450s, I was trying to get a sense of how well that area is sealed on the 300s. Given the creek crossing we do while hunting I'm guessing my 300 will probably need both too. I was thinking I might order the parts and tear apart and put back together in one weekend up at the in-laws. But I think I'll tear it apart and see what things look like before I order any parts.

Thanks again - Dan
 
#24 ·
after seeing how rusty and worn the axle to ring gear splines were on my 01 450s, I was trying to get a sense of how well that area is sealed on the 300s.
They have an o-ring between the axle and the sleeve or hub of the ring gear on the left side and they have an o-ring between the axle and the hub of the brake drum on the right side. These o-rings are supposed to keep mud and water from getting between the axle and the ring gear and the axle and the brake drum on the other side, where the splines are. Sometimes, if you buy a used ATV, it might not have those o-rings, because a lot of people don't put them back when they work on them.
 
#25 · (Edited)
This is where if I had the unit to look at I would have figured it out sooner. Now I remember that I believe there are jam nuts on both sides of the shaft, and the nuts on the left side hold the o-ring in between the ring gear and axle. It appears that the diff plate for the 300 is on the right side unlike my 450s which is on the left. So it appears to get the ring gear out of the 300 the axle tube inside of the swing arm has to come out.

I remember a few years ago that I got stuck in a creek and after the 300 sat in the water awhile before getting pulled out the brake drum area filled with water. It was Nov in Minnesota and after sitting in my stand for a few hours the water in the drum area had froze and the unit wouldn't move until I heated the brake drum up for a while.

After that I started to pull the right side apart to replace seals, but I remember not being able to get the drum off and I'm guessing I missed the o-ring on the drum side. I also realized that to get things tore apart properly I would have to cut the hub off that was welded on. Once I cut the hub off I knew I'd need a new axle which I decided not to proceed with. Now that I've seen where replacing an old axle due to the ring gear/axle connection can be a good thing has me thinking it's time to go through the old beast.

So my quandary centers around whether I just want to leave it as is, or fix it up right. Decisions-Decisions?????

Thanks for your patience and feedback Helmut!!! It's guys like you that make these forums pretty darn useful!!!
 
#26 ·
if your right side axle hub is welded on the axle..your not in too much trouble..because the 300's axle comes out the right side...soo..undo all the jam nuts from the left side..remove the brake backing plate..and the axle will slide out the right side....you can grind the wheel hub off the axle..if your going to use it again..if not..just throw it away..and get a new axle and hub's.
 
#28 ·
It appears that the diff plate for the 300 is on the right side unlike my 450s which is on the left. So it appears to get the ring gear out of the 300 the axle tube inside of the swing arm has to come out.
Just remove the axle first and then, just unbolt the diff from the swingarm. There's 4 bolts on the right side holding it to the axle tube and 4 bolts in the front, where the driveshaft comes in, holding it to the swingarm.

I remember not being able to get the drum off and I'm guessing I missed the o-ring on the drum side.
Yes, it's pretty much impossible to get the drum off without getting that o-ring off first. You have to take a small screwdriver or pick or something and reach back in between the drum and axle and dig it out.
 
#30 ·
You have all the large 4 lock nuts removed and hitting on the left side of the axle --- remove the dust seal on the rear diff spray WD40 in on the bearing -- make sure you have something like a 2x4 against the rear diff and something solid so the is no movement when trying to drive the axle out.
 
#32 ·
Remove all 4 large axle locking nuts,2 on each side of the axle,closest to the diff on the left,and against the brake cover on the right,remove the o ring behind the brake cover,the 4 nuts holding the brake backing plate on,remove everything from the right side,then using a block of wood,and small sledge,pound on the axle end on the left,or shifter side beating towards the right side..Usually there is rust between the axle splines,and the ring gear which has to be overcome...
 
#33 ·
Yes, all the axle locking nuts (all 4) have been taken off, the 4 bolts holding on the brake plate and the o ring on the diff side (the brake side didn't have one. I do have the drum and backing plate off entirely. Could the rust be that bad inside the diff to cause so much difficulty? Since I'm replacing the axle I went ahead and hit the left end of the axle with a small sledge to the point that the threads are boogered, but still no success.
 
#34 ·
If you have got the braking plate completely off,and the 2 large locking nuts,the tapered washer,and the oring off the left side,then it should come out through the diff towards the right side of the atv,aka the kickstarter side with a few whacks,maybe spray some penetrent inside the axle under the ring gear may help...
 
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