Ok, I had a few words with my dealer today regarding a defective 2wd/4wd actuator that I recently got from him (it tested defective on the ohms meter as soon as I installed this part on my quad). After a heated exchange today, the dealer finally gave in and let me have the replacement 2wd/4wd actuator for free (just as he should have). However, he said it was broke due to rider abuse and he told me to spread the word to let every Prairie owner know that you are supposed to come to a complete stop before you switch from 2wd to 4wd or vice versa...otherwise, you are abusing the 2wd/4wd system and the owner is completely responsible for any broken parts (not the dealer under the mnf. warranty). He said my next actuator would cost me retail...no more freebees!

So be forewarned, there is NO shifting on the fly if you own a P650 or P700 (I think the exact same 2wd/4wd system is on the BF 750 as far as I know) unless you are willing to pay for the replacement actuator yourself. Page 73 of the P650 owner's manual sez you should stop the vehicle completely before shifting from 2wd to 4wd or vice versa. It also says to drive off slowly if shifting from 2wd to 4wd so that it will engage the front wheels properly. No need to drive off slowly if you shift from 4wd to 2wd. However, I also discovered in the P650 Service Manual that it will actually shift on the fly from 2wd to 4wd or vice versa so long as you are moving at 11 mph or less (but its best to do this only if you are on solid ground where the front and rear wheels are moving at the same speed). I'm not saying the service manual recommends doing this, but its made to shift from 2wd to 4wd or vice versa at any speed below 12 mph. Obviously, if you are driving in a mud hole in 2wd and the rear wheels are spinning way faster than the front wheels...shifting into 4wd while you are still moving is a BAD IDEA b/c you are putting a bind on the front diff parts (including the 2wd/4wd actuator, the collar attached to the end of it and the shifter it slides back and forth).

Happy trails...[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

And NO wheelies in 4 wheel drive!

 

Did you tell the dealer you were shifting on the fly or was that just his excuse to try and not honor your warenty.

 

Starky,
I did not tell my dealer that I was shifting on the fly...he called Kaw. and they told him that the damage done to my original 2wd/4wd actuator (collar and shifter pieces were worn down badly and the housing on the actuator shaft was cracked badly) was consistent with abuse...like shifting on the fly when the rear wheels are spinning faster than the front wheels. So the dealer just assumed that is what I was doing and yelled at me for 5 or 10 minutes...I insisted (honestly) that I did not do this on the new ("defective") actuator and it still had the same damage to it.

In case you are curious, my new (defective) actuator was working ok when I first installed it (drove it around my yard for 1 or 2 minutes in 4wd). Then I came to a complete stop and shifted it to 2wd in my drive way...but nothing happened (it did not try to shift into 2wd immediately)...so I drove up my street at 5 or maybe 10 mph when I got about 20 feet from my drive way I heard an aweful sound in the front diff., the 2wd/4wd suddenly began flashing on my display and then I killed the motor and pushed it back to the garage. I pulled the new (defective) actuator and it was damaged just like my original actuator (as decribed above) from this one time of usage. It appears to me that the new (defective) actuator tried to shift into 2wd after I reached 5 or 10 mph instead of immediately when I pressed the button (or very soon thereafter). I hope I have better luck with the new actuator that I picked up yesterday from the dealer!

Happy trails...[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

It seems to me that every time I shift from 2WD to 4WD, it does not engage unless the quad is moving....

SO shifting in or out of 4WD at a stop is pointless unitl the actuator causes the front diff to engage only while moving.....

Truthfully I always shift in and out of 4WD while moving under 10 MPH, carefull though to not be on the gas, so there is basically no torgue appleid in either accerating or decelerating. It does clunk a little bit, when it actually shift.....

I'm wondering if you don't have some other problem going on that might inhibit the actuator from working correctly.

 

Yepper...That is very possible! I've been fighting several related problems in the past 3 months (my current problem is that 2wd/4wd keeps flashing on my display and it does not engage into 4wd when its supposed to). In the past 3 months, I've had my dealer replace the KEBC actuator and the controller under the seat. I have cleaned the connections in the fuse box and also replaced the 2wd/4wd actuator (but I think it was defective). Now that I have another new 2wd/4wd actuator, I plan to reinstall it soon to see if it solves my problem. If not, I guess I'll have to run the remaining electrical tests found in the Service manual to see what else could be wrong (speed sensor, 2wd/4wd handlebar switch, etc.).

Happy trails...[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

I have a service manual, what page talks about the < 12mph shifting? Wish the damn manual was in pdf as well so I could just search.

Thanks

 

Mine must have been defective when I bought it in 02 then because it has never shifted into 4wd unless I was at least above 5mph. I dont know why it matters when you hit the button if its going to wait until your moving to change anyway. I agree you shouldnt be on the gas hard or spinning the rear wheels. Its just mine WILL NOT and has NEVER shifted unless on the fly. Maybe I should take it in and tell them mines been broke from day one.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]
Good info Mikey.

 

Mikey;
Would it be to your advantage to have the dealer install the new actuator they replaced for you? Since they say they will not replace it again free of charge, why not let them install it and then ask them to take it out for a test run. If it breaks again during testing they would be forced to believe your story. Your actuator would be replaced free of charge and they would be in a much better position to offer you a solution as to what may be causing the problem. ...... Just a thought.

 

7mile,
Thats a good idea except that the dealer would've charged me for the labor to install it and I didn't want to spend any more $$ at that time. Regardless, this is an old thread (dated back in November) and I have since had no more problems with the 2wd/4wd system...that is until last month when I blew out the front diff at the Maxxis 6 hours of TX race (landing MX jumps in 4x4 is a BAD idea!)...in fact, I'm now parting out my 2003 P650. I bought a cheap 2002 P650 with low miles a few weeks ago, so I have a replacement Prairie already.

Happy trails...[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]