I bought the oem hand/thumb warmer kit from AC, but I'm a bit confused. The 650 has a torque screw in the side and a plastic butt that doesn't seem to come off (at least I'm not sure how). The oem kit says to cut the old grip off and drill out the rivet, which I don't see?

Anyway, hoping someone has actually installed this on the 05 650 with some good advice???

 

I just put the hand warmers on my wife's 375 and my 650. The older models like the 375 and so on have a rivet in the grip that had to be drilled out. The factory grips on the 650 do not have this rivet. If I am not mistaken there is a hole already in the handlebars to install the rivet on the new set. All the drilling you have to do is to locate the hole in the handlebar, once you install the new grips, and drill a hole thru the new grip in this location. Make sure you have the grip glue to use with the new grips. Also you can take the old grips off by using compressed air thru the handlebar from the opposite side and twisting the grip to break it loose. I took mine off that way without cutting and saved my original grips. I also didn't remove any plastic as I made a bracket for the switch and mounted it on the handlebar. I don't think you will find the "I think it was re/black" wire from the fuse block. The 650 is a little different than the 375,400, 500 etc. I spliced into the, again I think it was red/black wire coming from the instrument pod. The reason I went with this wire was because it was convenient and I wanted a wire that was only hot when the key was switched on, so that if I left the warmers on when I put it up they would be cut off when I switched the ignition off. Really they weren't that hard to install once you lay everything out and decide exactly how you want to install them. Didn't mean to be so long winded, but hope this helps. If you have any more questions let me know and I will go out and look at mine and try to answer you.
Ben

 

Once you take the torque screw off the end, there is still a plastic butt on the end that doesn't seem to come off...at least I wasn't able to easily get it off. Doesn't look like the grip will come off without that being taken off first somehow?

Do you have an 06 650? Not sure if it's the same as other years the way it's got that plastic cap on the end?

Any more thoughts would be appreciated. Guess I could take a pic or two to help explain...

 

millsd, Mine is an 04 model 650. There was no plastic on or attached to the grips. Just regular rubber grips. Like I said the 375 and my 300 had a rivet thru the grip. Also the new grips that came with the warmers are identical to the ones that came on the 300 and 375 from the factory. I like these grips better than the grips that came on the 04 from the factory. I did take a utility knife and cut the old grips off the 375 when installing the warmers. Hope I haven't confused you, but I don't know anything about having a torque screw and plastic butt. Are you sure the torque screw is not a rivet. If it is a rivet it should be located about 1/4 inch from the inside flange and on the bottom of the grip.

 

Definitely a torque screw. It's head is actually about an inch in diameter and it screws into the handlebar from the end (what would normally be an open hole except for the plastic end piece it goes into). Gotta say, directions for this atv stuff is definitely lacking from what I've seen so far. My plow was fairly easy to put together, but quite honestly, I didn't get a ton of help from the confusing, and possibly outdated, directions.

Surely someone has experience with the 05 650 grips/handwarmers??? Seems that it's different from other models and from this thread, even last year's 650.

 

C'mon...you can't tell me there isn't someone out there that's put handwarmers on an 05 650???

BTW...the trailerable AC cover pretty much rocks. Fits great, goes on easy, and should keep my plow on with no issues.

 

One of the people in an earlier reply was pretty much right on. There is no rivet on the 05 650. Don't worry about that. I've heard you can use compressed air to remove the grips but I just cut off the old grips. I didn't need to glue on the new grips either. If you use hairspray, it acts as a lubricant while wet to apply the grip, and dries tacky to hold them in place. As for wiring, I followed the directions with the exception of the powered leed. I took about my ignition tumber (the place your key goes) and tied into the red and black striped wire. This is the keyed power switch. If you turn off the key and leave the hand warmers in the on position, it won't drain your battery. I just simply drilled a hole in the frame and used the self taping screw as the ground. Very quick and easy. Hope that helps.

 

Rearding the travel covers..my wife and i each bout a 650 this fall. we have front bumpers but no rear and the first time we used them the friction from the cover wore the decals on the back fender white. We ran the front and rear straps under the tie downs to keep it pulled down tight and the front on top has the straps that come across to take out slack. But in the wind there is too much slack on top in the rear. the second time we used them had them tight all around and got into some nast wind. Ripped both seams in the back on top. i would put another strap across the back rack to hold the slack down when traveling. i am going to see how good the guarnantee is. gegger

 

This link may help you figure it out. arctic cat parts (click on 2005, then 2005 650 4x4 Auto V2, then scroll down to HANDLEBAR ASSEMBLY) it looks like for 05 AC put plugs into the handle bars. you may have to hold the portion closest to the handlebar with a pair of vice grips while you try to back the screw out, it may be spinning in the bar on you. Wish I could help you out more.

Good Luck,
Mike