Took my 650 out for the first time this weekend. Shifting up to low gear is difficult just does not want to lock in all of the time. Does anyone know if thier is a trick. Also is low the best way to drive the 650 in the woods..Thanks..

 

Are you talking about low gear or low range?

General run of thumb - if the terrain is difficult to only allow 10mph or slower then it is a good idea to be in 4x4, if the terrain only allows 5mph or slower then it is a good idea to use low range. Part of the reason for low range is so that the clutches will be fully locked up and not slipping as they may at really low speeds in high range.

If you have a manual shift then you can select which gear to used based on how fast and how hard the going is and not whether you are driving in the woods or not.

If you have manual shift then downshifting when going too fast may be more difficult, because the sycronizing will be too fast, it could also be a minor adjustment to your shifter.

 

You probably just need to adjust the shift linkage. Your dealer should do this for free, but it's not hard to do either.

 

when mine wants to stick i just rock back and forth while pushing the lever and it works. shouldnt have to do that but whatever.

 

I'm a newbie to this site but have owned 3 Arctic Cat quads.

I don't know if this relates to your problem or not. When I first got my 650 H1 quad I had difficulty when shifting from LOW back to HIGH (the opposite of your situation).

In my case I found a simple solution. Do not try and shift directly into HIGH. When in LOW range, I slide the shifter past HIGH and directly into NEUTRAL and then firmly push the shifter forward into HIGH. By going to NEUTRAL first, the shifter seems to align properly and then slides smoothly forward into HIGH. I never had to mess around with linkages.

I have not experienced problems from High to LOW but as others have stated, the dealer should be able to easily make the linkage adjustment (warranty).

Good Luck.

 

My 650 has the same problem, i was told to just give it a little gas and it will go the rest of the way in... it primes the transmission in a way i was told??

Real Deal, have you had any other problems with your quad? ive had tons and its brand new

 

I had basically the same issue on mine when it was new. Played with the linkage for a few minutes, and it has been fined ever since. I still try to do as GrouseHunter suggested, and shift passed where I actually want to be. That is the only issue I have ever had.

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I have the same issue. You can either try to rock it front to back, or just give it a little gas while pushing the shift lever forward. I suggest just giving it a little throttle and it will slide right in. Be easy with your thumb, otherwise you will hear some nice grinding. Good luck!!!

 

Mine has always had some resistance going into low range, basically just have to play with the throttle to align the synchronizing unit so to speak, and it will slip right in. Going from Low range to High range I do the same as GrouseHunter and bring it past High range and into neutral first, then up to High range. I will have to try going to neutral from High range then to Low range.
I don't believe that it has much to do with linkage but more to do with the synchronizing within the transmission itself, to get the gears to come together without meshing.

 

When I shift from low to high (which is almost never, because low still tops out at 55mph) I don't do it from a dead stop. I wait until the quad is almost to a stop and flip the lever, it goes right in.

It is still possible that the linkage is a little off, are you pressed all the way up to the top of the shift pattern? (dunno what you would call that thing) If you are pressed all the way up and it doesn't go then a linkage adjustment will probably help. If you are not all the way up then it probably isn't an issue.

Best of luck.