[atomicjoe23]

Is there such a beast as a chain drive ATV with a differential???

We just finished our first competition in a collegiate STV series (Sport Terrain Vehicle). . .and we need a differential in our rearend. . .our turning radius was HUGE!!!, but we don't want to run a CVT. . .have a chain drive was one of our advantages. . .once those CVT's get wet all bets are off and we run on every type of terrain you can find all at once (grass, dirt, mud, gravel, logs, water, etc.). . .plus we like having a manual transmission (we used an '82 Yamaha YZ250 5-spd separated from the cylinder this year (but I'm already on the lookout for a more purpose built tranny. . .one that is light, for a 300-400 lb. buggy, and separate form the cylinder case unlike an motorcycle or ATV tranny. . .oh and we need reverse for that gearbox too!!! the rock crawl is really tight and you have to reverse multiple times for some of the switchbacks in the course). . .a shaft drive set-up would be even sweeter, but I think that woudl be even harder to find something that is already available for our purpose or that we could modify to work. . .

Anyway. . .if you can think of anything to help us out it would be greatly appreciated!!!

 

[twissty]

A GIO "badboy" has this kind of rear end.
GIO Bad Boy 250cc Utility ATV Quad | GIO

It's chain driven, with an open differential, and reverse gear integrated into the rear axle.

I sold mine last week.

 

[atomicjoe23]

I'm not familiary with GIO so take this comment with a grain of salt and let me know if I'm totally off base, but the impression I got from their website is that they are a Canadian version of Kymco. . .

. . .if the Polaris rear end broke with less than 2 hrs. on it I can't imagine that the rear-end from a cheap 250 would last even half an hour. . .

Thanks for the suggestion, but I need a part that is going to reliable and durable. . .I need to be able to readily get parts (at least not have to search for someplace to get them and then wait for slow service). . .with Yamaha, Suzuki, Honda, and Kawasaki. . .I know that I can usually have a part within a week if it's not in stock. . .

. . .what about UTV rearends. . .anyone know if any of them are chain drive with a differential. . .pretty sure most of them are CVT and aren't chain driven although they do have diff's. . .I may end up stuck with a CVT. . .even a driveshaft would be OK. . .I just don't like CVT's

 

[dmit]

good luck finding an atv or utv rear axil with a differential, unless you find 1 with a "turf mode" the majority (like 98%+) have locked rear ends