Okay, we can back up with the reverse override button held in... but there has got to be a way to override this silly auto 4-wheel drive system, both for going downhill and for when YOU KNOW you are going to need it. Last weekend I tried my new Sportsman on a small very
steep solid rock headwall that my former Autocat
500 crept up with ease, but the Sportsman had to
spin a wheel before the front wheels would engage.
This was a disadvantage. The Sportsman made it, but it lurched and jumped, and was Not sure footed like the Cat. This was also the only situation where the Arctic Cat whupped the Polaris. I think this could be easily remedied.
An ON-AUTO-Off switch is needed for the 4-wheel drive system. A retro override switch would do. Silly Later, Fourlix

SP500, EXP425, Mag325, Anyone wanna buy a nice AutoCat 500 with SuperSwampers and 102 miles?

 

fourlix
I dont think you can hot wire it because it is done mechanically. I think by centrifical force.
I know the front wheels will not engage until the rear wheels spin 20% faster than the front. When you turn, the outside front wheel turns at a greater speed than the rear but it is only 17% greater which does not engage the front wheels giving the quad lighter steering.
DirtWheels did a nice article a while back explaining all the different 4 wheel drive systems if my memory serves me right you cant change it. The way it engages. Sorry HTH

98 SC 500

 

I think it can be done. The Hubs are engaged mechanically, but they are actuated electrically-by that wire that goes to them. Somewhere is some kind of processor that decides that there is a wheel speed difference and a signal, or voltage is sent to the front hubs to engage. The hub must be nothing more than a solenoid with the brains
located elsewhere. This is why you can over-ride using reverse and the over-ride button, it is "fooling" the processor. So why can't we just duplicate the signal or voltage to the front hubs and tell them to engage. You know,
Hotwire them? It would be simple enough to experiment. First measure the voltage to the hubs, Jack up all four wheels, connect a meter to the wire leading to one of the front hubs, or just see what happens when you hook 12 volts directly to the hub. I would imagine the wheel would have to be turning to actually engage. Once the proper signal/voltage is determined, hook up a switch! Silly Later, Fourlix

SP500,425EXP,325Mag

 

Fourlix
When the front drive axel exceeds front wheel speed (and AWD has been in activated) (when AWD is selected in a forward gear current flows through a coil of wire located in the strut housing creating a magnetic field. An armature plate coupled to the roller cage is attracted to the magnetic field and resists rotation, creating drag on the drive roller cage assembly.) restricting the rotation of the drive clutch roller cage will cause the rollers to climb the ramps of the came and become squeezed between the ramps and the ring in the hub.
The front wheels will drive and stay engaged until rear wheel traction is regained. When traction is regained, the front wheels will overdrive the hub clutch, pushing the clutch rollers toward the lower part of the cam, disengaging the clutch. The rollers are held in place by a spring.
Hope this helps.

 

Fascinating, Harold. Until your post, I thought the engagement of the front hubs was the result of mechanical over-running only (as in a one-way clutch) by the driving part of the hubs (a process enabled by the AWD switch). The electro-mechanical sequence you describe (current and field from relative motion between driver and driven parts of the hub) reveals a more elegant and complex situation. Thanks for a clear explanation of a process more innovative than I imagined.

Tree Farmer

 

I am glad somebody is doing some research on this and can hopefully come up with something isn't it true if a fix like this could be had wouldn't that work for true 4 wheel hold back when coming down steep stuff instead of having to do the back up method holding the over ride button...any help that could be had for makeing such a part I can help I have a friend who has a garage that he rebuilds hot rods in...hope somebody can come up with something.

 

I have never noticed any kind of slip before the fronts engage. It happens so quickly I don't know how anyone could actually notice it. I even made a point to watch my brother's wheels when he was going through some deep mud and I can tell you it is not noticeable to the eye either.

 

Yea I can't notice it either

Chris

 

There should be some way to ditch the sensor and just have power to the hubs or not,via on/off switch.

 

You guys I think Polaris made this feature so one you could have 4wd without stopping and switching it, and secondly adn msot importantly they did this so the would have very hard sterring, imagine riding in TRUE 4WD, also it would make the turning radius horrid. imagine riding on cement in 4WD (cant be good for the machine all that stess) i have a limited slip idff on my 4x4 and ive seen the same bike in 2wd adn the idfference in turning is amazing!

So i think there are a few benifits of Polair's design