Whoops don't know where that original post came from.
I have a Polaris 2005 500 HO and when I go down a steep hill it really skids a lot. Is there a way to lock in the front end axle to use the engine to help going down the hills.

 

it only came out in 07 and it's called "adc". really no way or cost effective to add it to an older bike.

 

Isn't it an electric something to engage the front end to lock up. Could you send an electric current to the magnets so it would engage.

 

The awd system is an electro mechanical system and won't engage unless the rear wheels slip under a load such as climbing hills,NOT descending! To help with descending hills they came out first with the EBC (engine braking clutch) to aid the natural engine braking features of four stroke engines. The latest models features the ADC (automatic descent control) to help slow the atv down even more by using pressure back to the the front gear case is not adaptable to your machine,plus too costly to try to update as stendori mentioned! OPT

 

Go with a TEAM roller secondary and blip the throttle on down hills to gkeep the clutch kicked in a little

 

Maybe the brake. I find if I squeeze the brake hard enough the front will lock up if I want them to.

 

The trick, as ftwflh said, is to blip the throttle a little bit in low gear to get the fronts to engage a bit. Brake works pretty good if you pulse it like we had to do in cars before antilock brakes. (Yes, I'm old)

 

The best way to get the front engaged is to just start down the hill, and put it in AWD and put it in reverse. You have to hold down the override button and spin the tires 3/4 of a turn. You can put it in H or L, but don't give it any throttle. That would take it out of AWD. If you just let it start coasting down hill, it will stay engaged until you give it throttle. Be careful you don't throw yourself over the handlebars trying to spin it in reverse.

Depending on the hill, H gear will descend at about 10mph, and L will descend at 4mph. The trick to not sliding the rear wheels is to give it a little gas, and drive down it. It sounds odd, but that's the best way to not slide. All that depends on how steep and how long the grade is. I find wet leaves are the worst to descend on. You need to keep the throttle steady, and not blip it. I have the same year on model as the OP.

 

How many transmissions you been through doing this? OPT
Just like some of the guys said to blip the throttle,this is what you basically had to do before the ebc systems came out in 98,especially on the 400 2 strokes that didn't have any engine braking at all,this loaded up the clutches and slowed em down. First time I did this,it's actually working against your natural instincts just to brake,but works. Wasn't so bad after the four strokes and ebc came out,but still works blipping the throttle to help slow these down to. I had a 80 foot embankment to practice on and used it to help some of the customers especially on slowing down the 2 strokes. OPT

 

DITTO
blip the throttle.Never had EBS but could make my clutches work like it.