Well, I never thought it would happen again, but after a 5 minute ride through the snow, and crossing a bank, front left wheel stopped turning. Another cv joint! I've had it with this shoddy workmanship. At a time I could say nothing but good about my quad, but, as time goes my, I am realizing that I am not brand dependant. Hello Kawasaki 650, cause there just ain't gonna be a 700 SP.

 

Did the wheel spin and then suddenly find traction?

Hello Kawasaki?

Keep the faith brother, it could have been worse, you could have owned a 3 chain two stroke.

(Or have you already done that Polaris penance?)

 

Since "86" I have only sold 3 CV joints and it was from running into something or rolling down a mountain. Do you have a lift kit installed? Engaging the switch while the rear tires are spinning?

 

SWAC1,

Chopperbill may be onto something here. I believe you do have a lift kit, and I know you have those huge mudslinging tires. Maybe these are a contributing factor???

In past discussions we have advised you that a Hummer may not be enough off-road vehicle for you based on the severe punishment you inflict on the machine. You were breaking A-arms and other things that most normal riders don't break.

The punishment, the lift kit, the huge mud slinging tires ... not really surprised that drive train components break over time. Just surprised they don't break sooner!

If I recall correctly your machine doesn't sit in the garage. It has had a lot of hard miles on it in a relatively short period of time.

Have to agree with the previous poster - Kawasaki????

If you trade brands we can only hope your new machine endures the pounding that this one has taken. Good luck. Let us know if you trade and what you go for, and of course, how it does.

Dismantle that poor old Sportsman, box up the pieces, and put them on a bus to Ottawa. I'll take them off your hands!!!

Any snow left there? Lots here yet but it has now warmed up. Was riding the groomed dog sled trails last night having a blast until one front wheel hooked the deep powder on the edge. Sucked the whole machine into the powder and stopped me in about 10 feet. It was all I could do to not go over the bars. Getting it out of 3 feet of powder was another story ...

DJ

 

Ah, so the truth comes out about the broken down Polaris as possible rider neglect???

 

Well, you guys have me all figured out. I am just a brutal savage rider who cares not for what he drives over, or at what speed. And I also don't care that I have spent thousands to repair this quad, still paying thousands to the bank for it. I think this is the way it should be, drop all of your dough, and never care. I blame myself for all of the modifications I have made, the bigger tires, the lift kit, clutch mods. pipe and such. I was told by Polaris that this would cause problems, eventually, and they were right. Seems the only way I could find out just how solid the machine was, was to attempt to make the machine more to my liking. And now I find that I am going the wrong way. You have to adapt yourself for the machine you ride. There is no other way unless you have a wheelbarrow of cash to spend. None of you, having neither been with me, or ridden with me, knows nothing of me, aha, could that be the old assumption clause? Kawasaki? you say? It doesn't matter what I could have written there. I have yet to see a machine that I cannot destroy. Machines are not made to last, they are not built to withstand the rigors of HARD riding. What keeps a company in business? Rotate in the new stuff, abandon the old, keep the flow of cash current. new models each year, why? The company is learning as it goes on too, as in most situations, the end of the line user usually knows well in advance of what the machine needs. Can you say that you perhaps know more than the R&D boys at Polaris? I know for a fact that there are many of you on this forum. Thats my 10 cents today, and my own opinion, no flames, just idle commentary.

 

I am not quite sure what that whole last post was, but here is my opinion.

I am not saying you don't take care of your machine. For all I know, you may be the model of perfect maintenance.
But you cannot blame the machine for all of the problems you are having. You did add heavy tires, and increased the drive angle with a lift kit. You have to expect problems when doing this.

When poeple add large tires to there trucks, you will notice the serious guys swap in heavy duty axles, and even replace the axle shafts to high strenth ones. This is because they will break things, such as axle shafts and CV joints, without the new items.

Jeepers have problems with driveline angles whenever they do a serious lift. Many of them have to modify the drive shafts, or even get a high pinion axle to help remedy the problem.

There are not many products out there to help remedy problems with modified quads. This is why you can't blame the quad entirely.

 

Swac1,
Sorry to hear about another "bad luck" breakdown.
But.. Hav'n run in desert races, many 4x4 outings in the desert, the Rubicon, etc. I know what it takes to ruin a vehicle. You cannot buy a stock rig and expect a miracle. You have to build from the ground up.
I don't blame Chevy because I have big tires and twist an axle. Or blow an engine because I forget to put a rev limiter on the ignition.
Be as agressive as you wish, but a stock/modified machine is going to break under extreme conditions.
These cannot be placed on the manufactures' shoulders. You need to take the responsibility for any and all problems. I am not flaming you, we all want more from our machine, whether it is a trcuk, buggy or ATV. They do and will break, if pushed beyond what they were designed for.

Much success with your next ride. Plan ahead.

weetoots

 

So who is going to be the guy who builds and sells aftermarket products that will stand the rigors of add-on mods that I am putting on my quad? Sure they've got them for big trucks and the elite group of "money no object" kind of folk. How about us simple folk like me, who just like to ride, and would love to ride carefree, without constantly worrying something will break if I get into a situation that puts a little stress on the drivetrain. That is exactly what just happened to me. In reverse, in 4 wd, turn the wheels, and snap. Wouldn't it be a b#&*%@ if every time you pulled your car out of a parking lot you had to get towed because your wheel fell off? Again? I need to win the lottery and start my own "Bulletproof", or should I say "human proof" quad company. Then I wouldn't be such a complainer. If I had that million dollars, I'd be buying lots of quads, riding them til they broke, and then analyzing the broken parts, and then making them better, more solid. I wish they did that at larger companies, rather than the consumer being the testing field. Again, more cents from this guy.

 

Swac1
adding bigger tires and a lift kit is kind of like asking for a broken CV joint.

i dont think even the kawie650 would be able to handle that kind of stress on the CV joints.

they dont make "human Proof" line of atv parts because there just isnt the demand for it. us Atv'ers are not a huge market like pick-up truck owners.

u should just get a cv-joint from a F-350 4x4, then u would never break it. lol

later
jon