I took a ride on the Dusy - Ershim trail (featured in the April Dirt Wheels) this weekend. This trail is rated one of the most difficult in CA along with the Rubicon trail. With my racks loaded up for an over night, I had scaled the famed Chicken Rock. This is a granite face that goes up about 200 to 300 yards at a 50 degree incline. Things went fine until I reached a very rocky spot in the trail. My front left wheel dropped over a large rock as my back right wheel hit a rock on a slight down hill. This pitched my quad over on the left side.
As it lay on its side while I tried to figure out how to put it back on its wheel an oily fluid was leaking from the front. I could not find the origin of the leak, but it was leaking off the rack on the down hill side. Could it have been differential fluid? If it was diff. fluid could I have caused any damage on the way out (about 5 miles). only about a 1/2 cup leaked.

By the way the quad suffered minimal damage I however suffered a sprained left knee and calf mussel a large burse on my butt and spine along with a right leg strain.
The lesson I learned is don't go on that difficult trail alone. If it had flipped all the way over I may still be there.

 

The front differential IS vented, so it could very well have been that fluid. Polaris Demand Drive fluid is bluish-green. What color was the fluid you saw? Mine only holds five ounces, not sure what the capacity of the 800 front is. 1/2 a cup is a lot, I'm thinking that it probably wasn't that much. One ounce of spilled oil can make a rather large stain once it spreads out.

 

glad you didnt get hurt worse then you did. i agree w/ sherep as its most likely the diff fluid. make sure you add some asap so the front end will work right.

 

Thanks for the info. It was greenish, at first I thought it was antifreeze. But after I uprighted the quad I checked the overflow box and it was at the same level. And about the amount that leaked out, you are right it must have look like a lot more as it soaked up in the dirt.
I just hope it did not do any harm to the diff. If so maybe the extended warranty would pay.

 

if you ran that dry and brought it in for warr, work they wouldnt cover it. just buy some and refill and it will be fine.