My 2002 Sportsman 500 is my first 4 wheeler. I did not get an owners manual with it. Can the 4 wheel drive button be activated at any time or does it need to be completely stopped? To shut it off is the switch just simply turned off?

Thanks for the help for a simple question

Mike

 

As long as the rear wheels aren't spinning you can engage the awd button,but just my opinion only I wouldn't do it at a high rate of speed. Even though it has an electrical cutoff that keeps the awd from engaging past a certain speed,since this system is electro/mechanical if there is a mechanical problem in one of the hubs the awd could accidentally kick in on that wheel. Doesn't feel too good if that happens.Yes the voltage is cut off from the hubs when you disengage the awd button. Here's a pdf service manual that can get you accustomed to the machine and helps on service and repairs.http://gh-ftp.com/ORV%20Manuals/Pola...0%20-%20SM.pdf

 

Thank You, guess what confused me was I was told not to engage it while wheels were spinning, but that would be when your stuck and revving it to get out. Not just riding slow speed on the trail.

AS far as shutting it off was also told you needed to shut switch off and make hard right and left turns to make sure it was disengaged.

 

If you were to engage the awd while the rear wheels are spinning you can cause damage to the front wheel drive system. That's why they have a warning on this in the owners manual.If your stuck and spinning,just stop,engage the awd and power out(hopefully) Since this machine is new to you,I'd check everything out and especially change the hub fluid as this is the heart of the awd system. Use Polaris Demand Drive Plus fluid only.

 

A thing some do not get is ,even in AWD mode the ATVS is really in 2wd. The front wheels only engage if the rear wheels slip and lose traction ,once the rear wheels regains traction the front wheels disengage and return you in 2wd automatically.
If the ATV stayed in AWD at all times it would be unsteerable, like a ATV in constant full time diff lock.

All of this happens so fast and smoothly that you can not notice it.
this is how fast it happens.

 

It's possible for one or both hubs to stick. If that happens you put it in 4x2 and shake the bars back and forth to disengage it. I got one of mine stuck backing up a hill and drove forward when I shook the bars. If it happened going forward I would back up while shaking the bars. It hardly ever happened to me.

 

Thanks for the help. OPT I have changed all the fluids using Polaris oil. I used Mobil 1 in the engine.

Mike