I bought a used 500 Scrambler H.O. I noticed today after changing the plug and greasing some fittings that the axle on the "drivers side" front can be moved, twitched a little when grabbed and pulled on. The other side is as tight as a gnat's butt.

The little "clank" noise I get is from the u-joint slipping onto the splined part coming out of the differential. The splined part is stable, but the u-joint SEEMS to have some wear.

Is there something I should look further into, or should I just replace the worn part(s)?

 

I bought a '99 Scrambler 500 and I can move the front shafts up and down very slightly. It appears to be moving in the gearbox and the U-joint is tight. I will check my friend's new Scrambler and see if his does the same thing. I don't think it is a problem. I put four hours ride time on it yesterday and the 4x4 system works like a dream.
Other things to check is the rear swing arm. The right side bolt comes loose on many Scramblers and will cause the arm to move side to side. To check this, jack up the machine by the frame right in front of the arm. With the back wheels off the ground, try to move the arm left to right. It should be tight. If not, you either have worn bushings or more than likely the bolt(s) came loose.
Tighten the valve cover bolts with a 1/4" ratchet and 8mm socket. Mine were loose enough to leak a small amount of oil. Be sure to tighten them securely but be careful not to snap them off. After I tightened mine, it didn't leak any more.

What year is yours and how much did you pay? You're gonna love it, the Scrambler is so bad a$$. I've owned mine for about five weeks and can't get enough.
Good Luck.

 

I also bought a '99 500 Scram. It has been about 4 weeks ago. I gave $2940 for it :-)

If you want a rear rack with a lip on the rear (Polaris' rack is FLAT), CMP makes one, but it is hard to find. I found the part #'s and got a local dealer to order it for $81. I can snap a pic tomorrow if you want to see the rack.

 

MisterGuru:

I would first try replacing the spring coil pin that holds the yolk onto the splined shaft. It will come out with just a hammer and a properly sized punch. New one will go back in the same way.
This cures about half (or more) of the loose 'u-joint to shaft' problems I have seen. It is not a cure 100% of the time by any means, but it is cheap, and easy to do.

If that doesn't cure it, look real close to be sure the u-joint itself is tight, as that can cause a 'clank' as well.

 

Okey doke, will do that right away. I just figured out how to drain the engine oil completely. I am a veteran drag racer (95 Firebird, Super Pro ET Racer), but this quad stuff is all new... for now. I will catch up!

Thanks for the advice!