My dad is thinking about getting a Prarie and it would be his first automatic quad. He and I wanted to know if you can switch from low to high range while moving. I'd imagine you would need to do this quite a bit such as in a drag race or on a real technical trail that suddenly opens up into a field or something. I'm sure you can do it while moving i just wanted to make sure. Thanks.

 

the manual states not to do it,Ive done it while moving at very low speed(like a 1 mph crawl) and I wouldnt recommend doing it while moving at all...tranny damage will result...you really want to be stopped completetly..

 

The Prarie has a CVT (continuosly variable transmission). I have never found it necessary to shift from Low to High while moving. The low gear of the CVT provides plenty of acceleration from a dead stop when in High range. If you are climbing, going over rocks or through mud and will generally be riding at less than 30MPH, then just put it in low range and leave it there. Low range is easiest on the CVT anyway. If you are planning on riding faster than 30mph, then just put it in high range and you can go up to the mid-60mph range.

 

This is a quote from Nyroc's Tech Tips for the Prairie 650: "Riding slow in high is a needless cause of belt wear. Shifting to low whenever driving slow, climbing or mudbogging will help save the belt. "

So this is why I said, If you are going to be riding slow, climbing, etc. Switch to Low. It's all about keeping the belt wear to a minimum.

 

But in a drag it would be faster to start in low and then switch to high if this was possible without damage right? I thought starting out in high range would be kind of like starting off in third gear all the time. I'm not very farmilar with CVTs.

 

you try to shift from low to hi in a drag race and I garuntee you youll blow that tranny up

 

Think of it more as a 4x4 truck. You generally have to stop to go into or out of 4-low. It's not like a 2 speed transmission. The CVT handles the "shifting", the Hi/Lo is the gear reduction in the transmission, similar to a transfer case. As already stated, it's a bad idea.

 

So I think the consensus is. Stop before you shift between low and high range. If you don't plan on riding faster than 30mph, then put it in Low Range before you start out--'cause it's easier on the belt.

Talk to the guys that race (lots of them on this board) and you'll find they put it in high range before the race, because they're going to be well above 50mph. As mentioned above, the CVT does all the shifting for you and the High/Low is like transfer case, so in now way is it like starting out in 3rd gear. Just for reference, I dragged against my Brother's stock '05 Rincon. Just put my stock Prairie in High, and gassed it. At about 50mph I was about 1 length ahead.

 

Thanks.

 

A guy names "Packardbell" here said he did it.... and notice he's not around anymore so I think that answers that question. I would make sure you are going very slow or stopped when shifting gears, and hand off the throttle. Also when you are spinning in the mud etc.. it's best to slow the wheels down ie apply the brakes if you plan to switch gears.