Do mobility scooter transaxles have friction plates?

[Anonymous]

I have a Drive Medical King Cobra Scooter and my question is does this mobility scooters transaxles have a friction plate?
My reason for asking is that I use my Mobility Scooter to do Wildlife photography and I’m taking it into places it just shouldn’t be going, under normal conditions everything is fine but when I’m climbing a steep grade (way beyond what is recommended or sensible) I sometimes get slippage in the transaxle, I’m thinking that it’s probably a transaxle friction plate meant to protect the gears from over torque situations where they may suffer damage, as long as I slowly back off of the speed controller as I’m climbing a steep grade I can control this slippage (make it non existent)
I’m no stranger to Mechanical Devices I was a machinist during my working life and still have a home machine shop.
I would like to know if this slippage is a friction plate at work doing its job properly or am I dealing with a gear slipping on a shaft, I’d really hate to tear this transaxle down looking for a non-existent problem if it’s just a friction plate working properly.

Thanks
Don B

[Andrew Fatalo]

As far as I’m aware and on most of the scooters I’ve worked on a scooter transaxles is OD (open differential) so if one wheel looses traction the other side will turn and this is what you might feeling.

What you are using the scooter for will damage the transaxle is not recommended by the manufacture and will invalidate your warranty. Average replacement transaxle (parts only) can cost from $300 to over $1000 to replace.
If you are getting slip in both wheels the damage may already be done.

I.