I have a 2002 sportsman 500. I put it up on the jack and switched on the all wheel drive button with the engine idling and in gear. The rear wheels both turn and the right font turns but not the left.

A friend said that the front wheels only turn on demand or when needed, that’s why they all don’t turn.

I say that the front hubs lock electrically and all four wheels should turn at once while on the jack stands.

 

the front end has a limited-slip differential....meaning that when the one tire that is driving gets pressure, the other tire will kick in to help it out.....this is actually true 4wd, not like some other manufacturers that just drive the right-rear and front-left tires.....

 

Don't quote me on this, but I think if you get it off the ground in AWD, all four wheels should turn.

 

actually elkbow it doesnt have a limited slip system.. it has a differential system where both front wheels will kick in a full tourq when the systems senses slippage from the back wheels... you have a hub problem Zbart1... try changing your hub fluid they take very little 4 oz. if in not mistaken in each.... go to your polaris dealer and get a bottle of premium demand drive hub fluid, its really not that expensive i think i paid 4 bucks for it or somethinglike that its an 8 oz. bottle enough for both hubs.

 

[quote]
Originally posted by: Zbart1
A friend said that the front wheels only turn on demand or when needed, that’s why they all don’t turn.q]

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if the back wheels are off the ground the system will be sensing that the rear wheels are slipping.. ask your friends why it wouldnt the front wheels be needed.... the back ones are slipping, just a thought
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Thats true, I was confused with just swapping fluids on my friends Yamaha Wolverine which takes LSD fluid in the front diff....the Polaris On-demand AWD is a sensing system that applies power to all 4 wheels when others are slipping....can't tell when sitting on jack stands....

 

If you think your having trouble take your bike out on a dirt road or some place that will leave marks easy to see. Put your bike in reverse, in AWD, hold the override button in and gas it. You should definately be able to see (and should feel) if both front tires are locking up. Hope this helps.

 

Theres no differential on the front, but the hubs on a 2002 do engage separately (mechanically, even though they get the same electric current). So yes, on jack stands all four should turn. Try changing your hub fluid, as mentioned above. If thats not it, theres a few things in the hub you can check/adjust, forget what they are, but a good search should help you with all that. its been brought up before

 

for the awd to kick in, the electical system has to sense the rear wheels spinning 1 1/2 times the speed of fronts to engage the front wheel drive. read your owners manual. this is a great system and is nice cause you don't always have awd unless you need it.

 

the electrical system doesnt sense anything,, it simply engages the hubs (which connects the front end to the shafts)

the front shafts rotate 1/5th rotation behind the rear tires,,,so you never really feel them kick in until the back tires slip

I would say you have a bad wire running to your left side (not engageing the magnet in the hilliard clutch),,,,or you need to change your hub fluid (grit is fluid is hindering your magnet from engaging your hub)

lots of crazy responses on here

-it has no differential
-all 4 should spin on jackstands

also,,,do what Zorro700 said,,,,,if both wheels lock in,,,,,,your wire isnt the problem