ATV Rear Straight Axles & Bearing Carriers: When & Why to Replace Them

If you ride a sport or utility ATV from brands like Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Arctic Cat, or Polaris, your machine relies heavily on its rear axle and bearing carrier to stay stable and track straight. These parts handle constant torque, weight, and abuse on trails, tracks, and ranches/work sites—and when they fail, it can mean a rough ride or even complete breakdown.

In this guide, we’ll explain what rear straight axles and bearing carriers do, common signs of failure, and how to choose the right replacement for your ATV.

🔧 Rear Straight Axles Explained

Your ATV’s rear straight axle transfers power from the drivetrain directly to the rear wheels. Unlike CV axles, straight axles are solid, tough, and typically found on sport ATVs or utility models without independent rear suspension.

Over time, straight axles can bend or warp—especially from jumps, hard landings, rock hits, or aggressive riding.

Signs your rear axle might be bent or worn:

• ATV pulls or wanders while riding

• Wheels appear tilted or off-center

• Vibration or wobble at high speeds

• Premature tire wear

• Difficulty removing wheels or hubs

🛠️ Bearing Carriers: The Essential Housing

Most rear axles ride in a bearing carrier—a housing that supports and aligns bearings to keep your axle spinning smoothly. A worn-out bearing carrier can ruin bearings quickly and cause axle misalignment or serious damage to your drivetrain.

Common signs your bearing carrier is failing:

• Excessive axle play or side-to-side movement

• Grinding or clicking from rear end

• Bearings wearing out prematurely

• Visible cracks or breaks in the housing

🥇 Brands & Models We Cover

At East Lake Axle, we stock replacement parts tailored specifically to popular ATV brands and models:

✅ Rear Straight Axles (available for):

• Honda (TRX series, Rancher, Foreman)

• Yamaha (Raptor, Banshee, Warrior, YFZ)

• Kawasaki (KFX 400, KFX 700)

• Suzuki (LTZ 400, LT-R450, Quadracer)

• Arctic Cat (DVX 400)

• Polaris (Scrambler, Outlaw, Predator)

✅ Rear Bearing Carriers (available for):

• Honda (TRX 250 / 300 / 400EX / 450R)

• Yamaha (Raptor 660 / 700, Warrior, Banshee, YFZ450)

• Suzuki (LTZ400, LT-R450, Quadracer series)

Note: Currently, we offer bearing carriers exclusively for Honda, Yamaha, and Suzuki models.

🛠️ Installation & Replacement Tips

Rear Straight Axles:

1. Raise ATV and remove rear wheels/hubs.

2. Remove axle nuts, brake caliper, rotor, and sprocket.

3. Slide axle out carefully (replace seals and bearings if needed).

4. Install new axle, torque components to OEM specs.

Bearing Carriers:

1. Remove axle as described above.

2. Extract old carrier from swingarm.

3. Install new carrier into swingarm, reinstall axle and torque to spec.

Pro Tip: Replace bearings every time you replace the carrier (unless you install one of our new carriers)—it’s cheap insurance against future failures.

🛒 Shop ATV Rear Axles & Bearing Carriers

Ready to fix your axle or carrier issues?

➡️ Browse Rear Straight Axles (Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Arctic Cat, Polaris)

➡️ Browse Bearing Carriers (Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki)

All products feature OEM-fitment, heavy-duty construction, and fast shipping.

💡 Pro Tip:

If you notice axle vibration or premature bearing wear, check your swingarm pivot bushings and linkage bearings as well—worn components here can cause issues downstream at your axle.