Did AC fix the reverse for the 05 models? I have the 03 Auto now but thinking about getting the 05 manual this time. Thanks!

 

I didn't know it was broken. What is wrong with the reverse??? True that it doesn't have much power, but once you push that override button in you are fine. Is there some other issue I don't know about???

 

I am interested in the manual and know that AC 03 or 04 manuals had a high reverse gear.
People are complaining that the reverse does not have enough power to get out of problem areas. I have the override on my auto but the manual shift don't have the override.

 

did the 400 manual not have low range?My 03 500 does....I thought all the complaints were about the AUTOS not having a low range in reverse?

 

It should have both hi and low range even in reverse. I know my 99 500 did. Used it for backing it up the ramps into the truck all the time. There was a difference between high and low.

 

I think the 03 manuals had a high reverse gear that would not pull the atv out of some problem areas, I read it was weak! I didn't know if AC fixed the reverse on the 04 or 05 manuals? The autos have the override and no reverse problems. I am interested in the 05 manual and was wondering if the reverse problem has been addressed? Thanks!

 

Like I said, I didn't know of any changes to the reverse on manuals. On the 99 model I had, if you put it in reverse, it was pretty high geared. If you switched it into low range while in reverse, it geared it down just the same as it did in the forward gears. Not aware of any change to the transmission on the manuals ever.

 

As far as reading about it, I wonder if those that wrote it ever tried switching to low range. Possibly not, because I doubt many quads have a hi and low reverse gear like Arctic cat. Old yamaha models had a lever that moved from hi, to low, to reverse. One speed reverse. Several Honda models never had a low range, just a super low 1st gear (but their reverse is real low anyway). And the same of course for autos with overrides. Hi and low are only forward ranges.

I would go to a dealership and test drive one. Put it in reverse, back up. Put it in low and see if you can tell a change. I could tell a big change. Like I said, I always had to back mine into the truck to keep from knocking out the back glass. And in low, it had a lot more throttle control going up those narrow ramps when it was in low range.

 

The 2003 400 manuals only had hi range reverse. The hi/low/rev lever was on the fender like the autos so when you put the bike in reverse it only had one option, and obviously AC wasn't thinking and made that option hi range. The 03 500 manuals had the forward/reverse lever on the fender but you had the option of both ranges in reverse because the hi/low switch was right off the tranny. In the 400, it only caused significant problems when you had bigger tires on the bike and needed to back out of something when you are bogged down.

I do not know if they changed it in the new bikes.

 

Bingo! I see what I'm forgetting now. The 376cc engine. I keep forgetting that its a newer engine and probably a different setup. I still had it in my head that the hi/lo lever was down on the side of then engine, and I bet that changed when they did away with the 371 engine on the old 400's.