The rear wheels do not engage electrically or with the manual shifter but the front wheels do engage. Any ideas where to start looking to locate the problem? I'm looking for the quick easy tests before I tear the whole thing down. Thanks (MUD)

 

so, in 2wd, the machine doesn't move? in any gear or reverse?

 

Correct, in 2wd it does not move.

 

I pulled the drive boot away from the shaft and can see that when you put the atv in gear and motion the shaft is spinning to the rear end from the clutch transmission area. This tells me my problem is in the rear end itself.

 

The splines on the axle shaft could be stripped where they connect to the ring gear. Try removing the fill plug on the rear diff. and see if the ring gear is turning with the driveshaft.

 

Thanks I will do that today and re-post what I find.

 

I should have added before that this Foreman does have an add on Warn Lock/unlocker that's why I refured to it as 2wd if you were confused.

 

Hopefully its just you two rear hub spline are striped/worn,happened to a friends 400 Foreman. Cheap and easy fix. But his rear axle did turn but the rear wheels did not.

 

any chunks of metal or shavings come out of the rear diff when you drain the oil?

 

Found it, we pulled the rear axle shaft and the spline teeth in the rear end itself are terribly worn. Oddly enough the axle appears ok. No metal shavings. Wondering if someone was in this before we purchased the 4 wheeler and only replaced the axle and not the rest? I appreciate the helpful info I received from you and my fellow ATV friends across america on Face Book. As my riding friends all know It isn't that I was afraid of pulling it apart nor was it hard to find, I just really enjoy learning about things I haven't been into before. Thanks again and if any of you own a Praire maybe I can assist you one day. I've done extensive testing with mods on them in the past so I know where to go and what to do that does and does not work!!!