I just bought a new 08 Sportsman 400 HO and it came with the free "polaris" winch. After much searching and reading, I cant find anywhere, a free spool switch or lever. Does this winch have one???? This is my first winch also! Thanks for the replies!!!!

 

Most have a knurled **** on the right side looking at it that you turn to make it free spool. Looking it up on pol site it does not appear that it has it. So looks like it is power in & out no freespool.

 

not to make you second guess anything but, I also just picked up my new 400 on Friday and got a $500 credit instead of taking the "FREE" winch! I have been using a Gorilla winch on the wifey's Hawkeye and am very pleased with it so I will be ordering another 3000# with synthetic cable for much less!

 

Should be a lever on the left (drivers) side and rear of the winch. If its like mine it pivots up and down from a horizontal position.

 

hey Mongrol, followed your lead and added the 400 HO to the toy box!

 

What do you think of it so far. If you're half as pleased as I am, you must be exstatic.

 

as mongrol said the lever is on the back of the winch...

 

well it's hardly out of the box yet since I just put the first 20 or so miles on her today, but my first impressions just leave that huge silly grin on my face when ever I think about it!
I am SO glade that I went with the 400HO over the 500HO now that I have had a chance to put some serious trail under her! After a little tweaking of the suspension, it handles exactly the way I like, no braking dive or body role that I found so noticable on the full size machines.
There is no problem popping the front up with the 450cc powerplant and it handles the 25" Swamplites, (actually measure 26"), without a hint of power loss.
I also noticed that the Polaris engineers really added some beef to the frame and suspension compared to the 06 Hawkeye...
Overall I couldn't be happier with the 400 and I am sure that I'm just scratching the surface so far

 

one more thought, for all you Hawkeye owners complaining about the stiff suspension and sore backs, forget about finding softer springs and order a new 400 HO seat! They are almost twice as thick and are MUCH softer then the original 06 Hawky seats...just move your latching system to the new seat and your in business

 

Ya, they built a winner here. Great all around machine/Its hard not to like it.