I have a 02 500 HO and was plowing snow. When I stopped to back up I got stuck and tried to put it in forward again. It wouldn't move so I forced it. I snapped a linkage rod. I got a new one and put it in. the shifter won' t even move. I tried with the linkage connected and disconnected to move the part on the tranny but it wont move.I didn't hear anything different when I was shifting that time so I don't think there was any damage to the tranny. Is there anything I am overlooking here? I have looked everything over it looks good to me, but I am not a mechanic. The shifter works because I can move it back and forth with the linkage off. But I can not get it to move over into low range. Thanks for any suggestions.

 

disconnect both shifting rods and try moving them both. Sometimes one selector isn't in it's home position which prevents the movement of the other rod. Have you tried it without the engine running or with?

 

I opened up the shifter and the rod I replaced was the linkage to the low range. It was jammed, but it was also stuck in reverse. I freed it up and now it works fine. Thanks for the help.

 

This has been a common problem with the 2003 and earlier Sportsmans. Do a search under "Reverse", and I'm sure you'll come up with a bunch of posts. I know I've left several on this topic. It's usually a linkage rod adjustment issue.

One time, I screwed up big time because I adjusted one linkage rod, and not the other. I found out the hard way that you can't do that. I finally took my shift box apart and adjusted the linkage rods while eyeing the position of the rods within the box. This allowed me to get the perfect adjustment for the linkage rods. This took all of 15 minutes. The oil you'll find in the shift box is just motor oil. Mop it up, and replenish it when you're done adjusting the rods.

 

I am having the same problem with my 2004 sportsman 400 I was stuck in forword and my dealer madet the repaire within the same week I got stuck in reverse and had to replace the battery due to the cold weather.
Is this a common problem and what can I do to prevent it?
TIA!!!

 

I got stuck in reverse on my 400.....ever try riding in reverese for 3 miles on a trail???....didn't have all the tools i needed to fix it on the trail......I unhooked all the linkage and readjusted everything.....no more problems

 

There's no way I could have driven my 400 that far. The mechanic who picked up my AtV showed me how to shift gears if they come out of adjustment. He just took a pair of pliers and grabbed the end of the 2nd rod where its hooked to the transmission and shifted it from there. I still need the 2 rods adjusted I hope its under warrenty cuz the dealers really squeezes the bucks out of you.

 

I needed 2 10mm wrenches and only had one to disconnect the rods, or i would have put it in gear manually
My shifter box had become jammed....It was wild doing it in reverse, ha ha ha ha

 

On my very first ride, I had to ride two miles in reverse out of the John Bull Trail up in Big Bear, California.

 

Being a new 400 Sportsman owner, I'm curious, what's causing this problem? I'd love to hear more of how you solved it and what tools it took as I'll make sure I have them in my tool box when I hit the trail. Have any of you had your Scoot in to the dealer for repair for this and were they covered under warranty?