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Thoughts On SuperATV Rhino 2.0 Axles - Knocking Already

23K views 177 replies 32 participants last post by  wolvymanx4 
#1 ·
So a few weeks ago on the RMAX FB group there was a guy with an RMAX4 that had just installed Rhino 2.0 axles and was having a CV knocking on his rear passenger side. One other person also chimed in with a video of their Rhino 2.0 doing the same thing. I had chimed in on that post saying that I had just installed them without any knocking issues. I would put a link to that video but it was a FB upload not a Youtube so I couldn't figure a way to do it. But three rides after my installation I am now having the same issue on my drivers side rear axle. I already changed the passenger side twice because the first one I put in had a hole in the inner boot right out of the box. SuperATV was awesome and warrantied it right away but now this on the drivers side. I am tired of changing axles and not being able to ride. I haven't contacted them on this one yet due to my work schedule lately but here is a video of me going down my street. You can hear it distinctly though. I'm not sure if they had received a bad batch or what but so far I am not impressed with these axles.
 
#2 ·
I heard somebody else say that. I don't think its the axle. One of ours had the stock axles clicking so they grabbed a Rhino before putting it back in the barn...and still clicked. The Talon does the same thing. Stock axles...aftermarket...no difference. The machines that click...just keep clicking no matter what you put in there.

One of my buddies in the shop says the diff or hubs just don't like the angle. We haven't narrowed it down exactly yet, but stock and aftermarket can do it.

I think its something in the trans. Maybe the input bearing...or could be a hub bearing. We can't seem to recreate it with stock or our axles when its off the ground up on a lift.
 
#3 ·
I heard somebody else say that. I don't think its the axle. One of ours had the stock axles clicking so they grabbed a Rhino before putting it back in the barn...and still clicked. The Talon does the same thing. Stock axles...aftermarket...no difference. The machines that click...just keep clicking no matter what you put in there.

One of my buddies in the shop says the diff or hubs just don't like the angle. We haven't narrowed it down exactly yet, but stock and aftermarket can do it.

I think its something in the trans. Maybe the input bearing...or could be a hub bearing. We can't seem to recreate it with stock or our axles when its off the ground up on a lift.
For 2 years I ran on my original OEM axles which were still fine when I switched to these Rhino's without anything close to a knock. One just had an oozing boot clamp and I couldn't get an OEM axle so I decided to try yours. 3 rides later and its knocking. Can't be a coincidence. We'll find out though because low and behold I got an email from Rocky Mountain ATV yesterday and they got OEM axles in stock so I ordered one. When it arrives I'll be putting my original axle that wasn't oozing grease back in on the passenger side where it was so it spins the same direction that it always had and the new one on the drivers side to replace where my axle with oozing grease was. Fedex tracking says that it wont be here until Monday so I probably wont be doing this for about a week and a half until Thursday or Friday on my days off that week but when I get it done I will definitely know if it was the Rhino axles or not.
 
#4 · (Edited)
I have the EXACT same sound coming from my drivers rear with OEM axles. About 700mi on my XTR rmax4. I did have tender springs installed and it was fine for 100-200 miles without any noise/knocking. So, last weekend I put the rear tenders back in and adjusted the preload in the middle of min and max stock specs and put stock wheels back on. Ground clearance is at 13.25” (with stock wheel/tires) where I was at 14.25” with the eibach tenders and 31” tires. I bought two rhino 2.0’s thinking it was the axle, but have not installed them yet.

It was frustrating since it started out of nowhere. I only noticed it after it had sat for a week or two. Yes, it only does it starting out at slow speeds then goes away after that and periodically when coasting at slow speed. Definitely related to wheel speed as the sound correlates up and down with mph. It seems that when it warms up it’s not as prevalent.

I haven’t had a chance to ride it with the oem tenders back in yet, but suspect it will still do it.
The FB videos you mention I saw those and it seems like they are running the schmidty spring kit and have ALoT of lift causing extreme angles on the CV.

I was running those Eibachs and loved that they didn’t cause much if any lift in the rear and rode awesome.
 
#5 ·
I have the EXACT same sound coming from my drivers rear with OEM axles. About 700mi on my XTR rmax4. I did have tender springs installed but it was fine for 100-200 miles without any noise/knocking. Last weekend I put the rear tenders back in and adjusted the preload in the middle of min and max stock specs and put stock wheels back on. Ground clearance is at 13.25” (with stock wheel/tires) where I was at 14.25” with the eibach tenders and 31” tires. I bought two rhino 2.0’s thinking it was the axle, but have not installed them yet.

It was frustrating since it started out of nowhere. I only noticed it after it had sat for a week or two. Yes, it only does it starting out at slow speeds then goes away after that and periodically when coasting at slow speed. Definitely related to wheel speed as the sound correlates up and down with mph. It seems that when it warms up it’s not as prevalent.

I haven’thad a chance to ride it with the oem tenders back in yet, but suspect it will still do it.
The FB videos you mention I saw those and it seems like they are running the schmidty spring kit and have ALoT of lift causextreme angles on the CV.

I was running those Eibachs and loved that they didn’t cause much if any lift in the rear and rode awesome.
Ya mine seem speed related too but my springs are and have always been OEM. I have never touched my shocks other than the switch on them to adjust them from soft to medium or to firm. Mine does seem to shut up after the axle warms up too. Only seems to do it for the first few miles that you ride but I'm so nervous to snap one up on the mountain. This crap totally sucks ass!!!
 
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#7 ·
Dude mine are brand new axles. There hasn't been and shouldn't be any reason to have to take them apart and grease anything. Shit I don't even own the tool to take the boot clamps off of these new Rhino axles yet. They've been on for like a month and been on only 3 rides that were about 60 miles each.
 
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#9 ·
Shocks and springs are all stock and set still at the off the showroom floor specifications. I do have the SuperATV High Clearance Rear Arms but the camber adjustment is set to stock specs as well so there really aren't any changes to any angles.
 
#10 ·
So we have OEM and rhino axles, aftermarket and OEM tenders having the same issue. The hub or rear diff theories are interesting and have my attention. Wolvyman and I both have it coming from the same side, other videos on the inter web appear to be passenger rear.
I love the rmax and hope Super ATV or someone can definitively diagnosis the issue and save the day with a solution.
Wolvymam, anxiously waiting to hear your results and gain some more insight after swapping back to OEM axles.
 
#12 ·
Yep. 100%!!! If it sill knocks I'll owe SuperATV an apology and amend this thread. LOL. Then into the shop it may go under my YES Warranty. It definitely isn't coming from the trans. though. This is clearly coming from the rear corner not underneath the center console right next to me.
 
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#16 ·
Not what I wanted to hear Gentleman!
Just received a complete set for a 2020 X2, so not apples to apples....
Gonna be a while before install so following for now.
 
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#18 ·
I have the same noise as the video. Stock axles and preload is within spec. Riding by myself it’s hard to locate the source but definitely the rear. I was thinking it was the rear gear case as its always locked and sound is worse making slow speed turns on hard pack. Kind of like turning on pavement in a truck in 4x4. Now you have me wondering if it’s in the axles. Yay.


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#19 ·
I am finding it interesting that some of you guys are experiencing similar noises with stock axles.

How many miles do you guys have on your stock axles?

Again my stock axles weren't making any noises when I pulled them out and I was at about 2,600 miles on my RMAX4.
 
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#20 ·
When I would just start hearing a popping noise coming from the rear of my 2016 Wolverine and suspect it was an axle cv joint going bad, I would figure out in what condition it was repeatable, such as in a turn, coasting or under a load, uphill/downhill, etc. Then have someone drive it in the condition that would cause it and I would put my hand on each end of the axle, you can definitely feel if it is in the axle and can tell which end of it, just by placing your hand on each end of the axle, goes without saying you need to be very careful placing your hand on the rotating axle. You have to do the monkey walk pretty quick to keep up with the SxS going as slow as possible.

Has anyone done this to know without a doubt it is the axles? I ask because if a cv joint was making the kind of noise in the video, I would think that it is on the verge of exploding and that does not seem to be the case. Besides the cv joint cage nothing else to make a noise within the axle itself. I will definitely be following this thread closely to see what the root problem is.

I was never fortunate enough for the popping to occur on level ground. On a level hard surface I might have tied a floor creeper to lay on and be pulled to keep up with the machine easier. Would at least be a funny site for the neighbors to watch. 😆
 
#23 ·
I was never fortunate enough for the popping to occur on level ground. On a level hard surface I might have tied a floor creeper to lay on and be pulled to keep up with the machine easier. Would at least be a funny site for the neighbors to watch. 😆
I'd watch. I'd probably pay to watch.
 
#22 ·
@wolvymanx4 have you tried greasing your wheel bearings?

We have only been able to recreate it with that one OEM axle. The new Rhino cured it...but, I'm guessing it'll come back at some point. From this thread...it sounds like the axle isn't going to be the "cause" of the noise. I mentioned before that we've gone over this with the Talon. Same thing. People bought Rhino's because they thought the stock axles were popping. Rhino cured the pop...then it came back. Turns out it wasn't related to the axle.

I'd drive really slow, and have somebody put their hand on the outside of the wheel to see if they can feel it when it pops. Just don't run over anybody's toes.
 
#27 · (Edited)
My all stock Rmax4 (1600 miles) has started having the axle knock on rear drivers side. I decided after so much reading that I was just going to go out and ride it just as hard as I normally would. This consist of fast trails not using 4wd or diff lock. The noise stayed the same, never got worse. Most noticeable turning sharp and slow, grass or pavement. I really want to seek the truth to this. Why is yamaha replacing some cv shafts under warranty? Staying tuned.....



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#28 ·
Well everyone I did get my new axle on Monday and have tomorrow off so I'll be diving into putting the OEM axles back in first thing in the morning. Stay tuned.....
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#31 ·
Yep. I'm back on OEM axles and the rotational knocking is gone. It was the axle. I finished just before dark and only got to take it for a couple short spins around town after dark. Let me tell ya. If I don't have nightmares about changing RMAX axles I'll be surprised. LOL. Totally happy to have my ride back to normal again though. I plan on heading up the mountain tomorrow to give it a proper test.

I do have some other thoughts to share now that I've removed and installed both the OEM and SuperATV axles. Until today I had only removed OEM axles but installed and removed the SuperATV axles. There was a noticeable difference between the two. I'll have to post that later though.
 
#32 ·
Thanks for the follow up.
Like I said I was 99.9% sure it was the CHINA made axles causing your problems.
It would sure be nice to be able to buy upgraded items but in todays world it's all about profit and no one cares about quality.
I can't wait to hear SuperATV's response. I personally think you deserve a full refund.
Thanks for all your work, you saved me a bunch of money and time.
 
#37 ·
Okay everybody. Here's the video I filmed yesterday of me pulling it out of my driveway and going up the road. If you watched my first video you can clearly hear the knocking as the axle rotated. In this video the only sounds you hear are the normal RMAX suspension clunk and gravel crunching as my RMAX drops off the edge of my driveway into the gravel but when I am backing down the driveway and driving down the road the knocking that you heard in the first video is not there.
 
#38 ·
Anyone know of a retailer online that has the OEM rears in stock? My Partzilla backorder says next July 😭. I have not checked locally yet but figured id ask.
 
#39 ·
I would go to Rocky Mountain ATV and go into the parts schematic for the RMAX and click the send email alert when product is in stock button. That's what I did. You have to be quick when you get that email though. They go fast and each time you get that email you have to go in and resign up if you don't make it in time.
 
#44 · (Edited)
There's 2 in stock right now at Rockymountainatv.com
Not that i see. I do believe the 4 seaters have a different shaft. Looks like you have a 2 seater.
 
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#43 ·
What a shame that we are dealing with this. I get it, its not Yamahas fault, its the supplier. It just sucks.......
 
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#51 ·
SATV has a history of being outstanding with these situations and for working with companies like Slick Rock who continually test the limits of there products, find the weak points and then work on improving the product.

I can understand the frustration on Wolvymans end for sure, however we should all be patient on this on not draw any early conclusions. If there’s lots of these axles going bad I’m sure they’ll get it resolved. A poor one here and there is just going to be reality. That goes for leaking boots too. I just fixed an OEM boot that began seeping under the band at 700ish miles. I’ve bought a brand new boot that was leaking from a defect from factory on the first ride, after all the trouble of changing it. I’ve bought a HD replacement axle (not SATV) that made all kinds of noise after 700 miles of easy riding and then replaced it with the cheapest possible replacement available, and had it going strong after thousands of miles when I sold the machine.
It’s sucks but it’s part of the imperfect world we live in.

I’m not on Facebook and I don’t know if there is a common issue here but it’s possible lightning struck twice at once for Wolvyman.
 
#53 · (Edited)
Nah...no bad batch or bad design. You just got a clicker....and that's annoying. We've already put out more than Yamaha in the last year, and they've doing great. So far, we warrantied less than 1% and put out over 2k axles. The 2.0's are vastly superior to the OEM axles. No doubt about.

Just like those OEM clickers....sometimes it happens, and its annoying.

Its easy to jump to conclusions on this stuff, but I see it on the grand scheme and these axles have been awesome for the number out there and percentage that have been warrantied. Warranty is solid. No worries there. The excitement about some of this stuff online far exceeds the reality of it.
 
#54 ·
Nah...no bad batch or bad design. You just got a clicker....and that's annoying. We've already put out more than Yamaha in the last year, and they've doing great. So far, we warrantied less than 1% and put out over 2k axles. The 2.0's are vastly superior to the OEM axles. No doubt about.

Just like those OEM clickers....sometimes it happens, and its annoying.

Its easy to jump to conclusions on this stuff, but I see it on the grand scheme and these axles have been awesome for the number out there and percentage that have been warrantied. Warranty is solid. No worries there. The excitement about some of this stuff online far exceeds the reality of it.
A week ago it was his transmission and today he just got a clicker.
Would be nice if he also got a full refund.
 
#57 ·
So, clicks are OK?
I'm a noob to noises, and would expect a click not to be an issue.
Let the debate begin!
I’ve had 2 different axles through the years begin to click.
I disassembled and cleaned the CV joint on both looking for the smoking gun.
While a hairline crack in the inner cage that holds the ball bearings in place can be the culprit, I never found anything wrong with either one.
One of them was on standby for a spare after that but I never needed it or ran it again. With the other one, I turned the inner cage around the opposite direction and changed the order of the ball bearings from the waythey came out. It quit clicking for about another 1000 miles but eventually started again.

It’s annoying if there bad. Both of mine only did it in a tight turn. Wasn’t to big of deal. I’ve always told everyone on the forum that got one and were panicked before a big ride, to go ride and not let it stop there fun. Typically nothing happens.

It can get in your head however because the circumstances do arise where a CV gets injured on a ride but is working, then on the next ride under stress it’s fails. You never really know till you tear it apart.

The clicking axle discussion has been going on since before the side by side was invented. If you do a search, it’s just as common on the ATV forums.
 
#58 ·
What click? LOL. My CV was knocking like one in a front wheel drive car that had a hole in its boot, lost all its grease and was ready to explode. Plus I have never heard a knock like that from any axle in any SXS that I ever owned. Now I have only owned 3 SXS's so far but they've all been Yamahas. I think that is enough to form an opinion though. My Rhino was still on original axles that never made a sound. On my X4 I had changed out one OEM due to only a leaky boot but changed the boot after I switched the axles to have an extra that went with it when I sold it. But they never made a sound after the 3,600 miles I put on it. As far as the RMAX4 goes we all know the story. Hahaha. But those axles never made a sound either after 2,600 and I just put one of the 2 originals back in that still doesn't make any noise. The other will eventually have the boot replaced to use as a spare if I ever need it. Not saying it can't happen but to me it's anything but normal. It was definitely embarrassing to drive the machine that I probably am into 30K down to road when its making noise like that. Especially after I supposedly just installed upgraded parts. Not gonna put up with that.
 
#59 ·
I don’t think anyone could live with the sound I heard on your video!!!!
 
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