I have a 97 Sportsman 500, are the front wheel bearings to be packed with grease or is hub fluid what is lubricating them? They looked clean like hadn't been packed. Thanks.

 

Hub fluid only,NO grease! Awd doesn't work too well when hub fluid is dirty,let alone when it's packed with grease 3/16" allen head screw on the hubs,remove and fill to the top with Demand drive fluid,turn hub to 4'oclock position and drain any excess fluid,a little extra fluid is ok. Change fluid every 50 hours or so. They looked clean you said?? Did you notice any fluid or were the hubs dry? OPT

 

Thanks for info.
When I removed cap no fluid came out it didn't seem dry though seemed wet but must have been very little if any fluid. I am replacing boot on axle thats why i'm in there. The other treat is head snapped off all three screws holding drive cap on. Any thing else I should be looking for or tips.

 

If you're changing cv boots already I would replace the strut seals (#3610028) and hub seals(#3610019) and the armature plates (#5211148). Plus once you pull the axles out to change boots,the strut seals are right there and just a mater of popping out and replacing with a new one. The hub seals have to be pressed on! These seals could be why the hubs were dry OR either they just weren't maintained properly. These seals and armature plates will already be exposed and easier to do now than having to go right back in if they leak when you put everything back together! OPT