Yamaha Big Bear transfer case shifter cable lubing?

mtk · #1 12-04-2005, 07:37 PM

Does anyone on here have an older 350 Big Bear? I got some water in the range shifter cable on mine, which resulted in it freezing (it was 22F here at the time) and jamming it in Low range. Once I warmed up the ATV in a garage, everything was fine. But I'll be needing to use this thing this winter so it being a garage queen is unacceptable.

I was told that a little WD40 in the cable will fix it, but I can't quite see how to get to the cable to do it.

Any suggestions?

**2fun** · #2 12-05-2005, 02:04 AM

Sorry, I am not of much help on this one.
Hopefully some of the other guys can give you a hand on this one.

TRXman86 · #3 12-05-2005, 04:31 AM

maybe if you just got a cable luber if that would work? if not that, try to undo the cabel from where it was frozen or near it, get a can of liquid wrench (works a little better then WD40) and try to spray it into the cable using the straw. if the spray is forced in there, it should work. i have done it to my clutch cable before and seemed to work fine that way. let me know if it dont work, ill try to think of something else

**Woody_YZF** · #4 12-05-2005, 04:38 AM

I believe they make a cable lube tool. Not sure if that would work or not.

mtk · #5 12-05-2005, 08:34 AM

I've got a cable luber tool. The problem is, I can't quite see how to get the cable off the shifter mechanism. I'm hoping to do it without having to spend two hours on disassembly so I can take 30 seconds to lube the cable.

mtk · #6 12-11-2005, 01:39 PM

It turned out to be water in the shifter mechanism and not the cable itself. I disassembled the shifter mechanism, sprayed it down with WD40 and then white lithium grease, reassembled it and it's now good as new. I left it out all night in the back of my truck (~22F) and it still shifted fine in the morning.

**Woody_YZF** · #7 12-12-2005, 08:48 AM

Good to hear you got it figured out. Sorry we weren't much help. That's just not too common of a problem, but next time someone has the problem we'll know.

mtk · #8 12-14-2005, 08:23 AM

That's why I posted the fix.

A dealer friend figured it was water in the cable and removing the cable would be a real female dog, so I wanted to make sure I posted the real fix and saved someone a lot of work for nothing.

Now this weekend I can use it to drag some logs for firewood.