I am currently in a debate on purchasing a brute force 650i or a grizzly 700 and I noticed the BF has a yellow handle for the 4x4 to control the amount of power to the front wheels. My question is simply how does it work??

 

The diff can lock progressively , you can use just a bit of front kick or fully lock when pulling the yellow lever fully. It has clutches that lock the front end up

 

The Grizzly uses a solenoid to lock in the front, you need to be stopped and in low gear to engage it, the Brutes system is a manual version of that, totally controlled by you, if you get in a tough spot, a little squeeze of the handle gives you more power to the front wheels, pulls you out, then you let go and keep riding. The only drawback would be a long, rutted section of trail, you would have to pull in the lever while holding on and navigating the terrain, plus I imagine that it needs to be adjusted now and then to make sure you are pulling in the clutches enough. Its a toss up, if you only use diff lock a few times a year, or just to get over a log or rock pile once or twice a ride, you may be happy with the Brute. If you are constantly rock crawling, or mud bogging up to the seat, you may like the "set and forget it" push button on the Grizzly.

 

it's the dumbest setup ever, imho.
I have no idea why kawi thinks this system is desirable

last thing I want to do while fighting out a mud hole or up a rocky steep hill, is put it into 4x4 mode, work a throttle, steer, hold on AND dick around with squeezing a silly lever to get various amounts of diff loc
and forget about holding in the reverse overide button & diff lock lever to keep it locked & in 4x4 when in reverse.

either lock it in with a button like every other atv has, or have it automatically lock without me having to think about it like can-am or polaris.

I still have never met anyone who said:
"yep, I only needed partial front locking diff to get out of the mud- thank god for kawi's front diff locking squeeze lever! - don't think I could've made it with the diff totally locked in!"

 

I agree with beergut, its a pain, and everyone Ive seen just keeps stretchin the cable out till you run out of adjustment and have to replace it

 

That was priceless!!

 

So I own a '11 BF750 and after going through some mud up at Jericho State park I can honestly say "I only needed partial front locking diff to get out of the mud- thank god for kawi's front diff locking squeeze lever! - don't think I could've made it with the diff totally locked in"

Sorry BG, I couldnt resist :-)

 

Your statement is partially incorrect.

It does NOT control the amount of power the the front wheels.
Power is always 50/50 evenly distributed to between front and rear wheels when 4x4 is engaged.

What that Yellow Lever does is to control the torque shared between the Front Left and Front Right wheel. And it is done by multi-clutch friction plates.

 

I believe you can lock the diffs in high on the grizzly (not just in low).

 

I was thinking that same thing when I was reading that post! Mine is a 2011 550 and I am more than sure that I have had the diff locked in high gear.