[byethesea]

My 2006 500 Rubicon has recently developed a serious problem...the steering is yanking to the right;usually rhythmically, sometimes sharply and sometimes easily. Brakes, tire pressures, alignment have all been eliminated as the problem. In general the bike turns easier to the rigth than the left. With high speed running the problem seems to disappear but thenm returns with a vengeance, partucularly when running slow through water (whether the water is a factor of not???). The local Honda dealeer has has it twice but has yet to pull the front differential...thanks for any advice.

 

[Saber6]

Cv shaft binding would be my guess. boots in good shape?

 

[byethesea]

Byethe sea

Boots are in good shape...my guess is that you are corect!

 

[TRX2fiveO]

You Agreed^^^^ you possibly have a cracked cage and it's allowing the ballbearing to fall in and out of it's race.

 

[69quadracer]

When is it more noticeable in 2 wheel or 4 wheel?

 

[byethesea]

byethesea

2 or 4 wheel drive doesn't seem to matter...I should find out on Monday...going back to the Honda dealer with your welcome comments
...will post the result...

 

[Saber6]

Keep us updated..

 

[byethesea]

byethesea

I will keep you updated...you recall the bike yanked to the right...and there appeared to be a relationship with running in deep water..well, finally ..the Honda shop found a large hole in the outboard "left" boot...not as you might suspect on the right.

This hole had been there for some time and the bearing was nothing but bunch of loose rusty balls in a water, sans-grease, slurry.

The chief mechanic surmised that since the Honda Rubicon primary drive is the left axle and if the left bearing "caught up" i.e. froze monetarily that the power would shift to the right side??? and thus the yank...confused??? so am I? ...but I can agree that there must be some differential shift thing happening here (I am more inclined to think that a shuddering in the left bearing translated into some sort of momentary grabbing on the right???)

Now here is the amazing part...this yanking first happened last fall during a local run in heavy water...since that time I have been on three local runs totalling over 200 miles and this summer travelled across Newfoundland (1100 km i.e 660 miles) followed by another 180 km run...on these same bearings....and with the same cursed yanking after deep water.

One of the Honda mechanics feels that (and I tend to agree) that the realtion ship to deep water was that the boot/bearing filled with water limiting the movement of the bearings and causing a hydraulic movement- limitation causing the "freezing" and sunsequent transfer of problem to the right side.

Two days ago the left shaft axle unit was replaced...thus far no problem runnig around my back yard but Thursday through Saturday the bike will get a good workout...I will keep my fingers crossed and pass on the results...

Thanks for your continuing interest.

 

[Saber6]

The chief mechanic surmised that since the Honda Rubicon primary drive is the left axle and if the left bearing "caught up" i.e. froze monetarily that the power would shift to the right side??? and thus the yank...confused??? so am I? ...but I can agree that there must be some differential shift thing happening here (I am more inclined to think that a shuddering in the left bearing translated into some sort of momentary grabbing on the right???)

You would think if the shaft is locking up it would jerk to that side.. WTF!!! Thats a head scratcher...

 

[byethesea]

byethesea

I agree with you... I will let you know by Sunday if the problem is fixed???

 

[byethesea]

byethesea

...don't need to wait until Sunday...the bike worked like a charm...now to talk to the Honda mechanic to get him to better explain why replacing the left axle i.e. outboard bearing, would corect a yanking to the right???