Just got my new machine, very excited so off with the boys to the farm we go...
We do a river run which is about 2 miles of deep water, loose sandy bottoms, hills, mudd-the works. Over the years the Polaris machines have excelled beyond the Hondas, Bombardiers, Yamahas on these runs. So when I sold my Bombardier, I went with the 04 SP700.
With the switch on (4x4) we proceded down to the river, went thru mudd and I was all smiles. Until we hit the river.
I was feeling her out, testing her capabilites etc. I crawled across the river in one place and purposely popped my front wheels up on the bank to make her climb her way out of the river. The front wheels would'nt move. (Remember I was already in 4x4 and the light was on the dash-and had done fine in the mudd 50 feet before where I am now.) I wiggled the steering trying to make them engage-nothing. Reverse-nothing. I sank the back end of course and had to be winched out. As soon as I started being pulled up the slope the fronts started digging again.
Needless to say, I was embarrassed and got a good heckling-but two guys who have ridden polaris in the past KNEW EXACTLY what I was bitching about!! They said, "yeah, the fronts have to have pressure on them" -What the he$$ does that mean????
We got back in the river and I saw it do it again but it's been working fine. It's like if you stop forward momentum, then proceed to want to throttle out, the fronts don't engage. I'm not happy as I'm used to the fronts digging all the time.
What gives??
Thanks in advance for any info/help!

 

The rear tires have to spin just a little for the front tires to lock in. Were you spinning the rear tires and front still didn't engauge?

 

Absolutely.
As I mentioned I was IN 4x4 while crossing to where this happened. I went in the river on one bank, gased the machine to "pop" the front wheels up on the bank and then let off the throttle so that the machine would sit; rear's in the river, fronts up on the bank at a good angle. Now I go to crawl up the bank and the fronts don't do squat no matter what I do; turn the steeriing wheel, throttle, reverse, on/off the 4x4 switch (yes the light was on on the dash) Nothing worked.
The machine sat down deeper by now becuase only the rears were turning, swashing the sand from the bottom and sinking the machine down deep.
I had to get winched out becuase the machine was now so low I could'nt push it any way at all. Once my buddy started winching me up, the fronts started going again (after maybe 18" or so).
Then it did the same thing in the river again. I was going down stream -had to turn around because a big tree was across the river. While turning around the machine started to dig down again in the rear. I look out front and the fronts are'nt pulling again!
Then my buddy comes over and we both push to get it moving against the current and she starts pulling again.
It worked fine all afternoon as well.
Could the front diff be disengaging if I roll backwards slightly even though I'm in 4x4???
Thanks again.

 

The front tires don't need any pressure on them for 4wd to work. Just flip the switch and all should be fine. Sounds like there might be a problem with your machine. Remember to never turn the AWD switch on when the rear tires are spinning - as in slipping. It's OK to turn the switch on when you are moving, just not when the rear tires are spinning.

 

You are going to be even more mad when you go down a steep hill and your engine braking only works on the rear wheels.Polaris needs to make it so it has true ebs.

 

Yeah I know all that stuff. I'm going to ride the heck out of it this weekend. We've got a big atv trip planned for Feb to Coalcreek and I've only got 36 miles on this machine. I'll figure out what the heck is going on. Thanks.

 

Yeah, I felt that action in the first 5 miles or so. I've found application of throttle and brake at same time can help...it's just a matter of getting used to. I do like the ebs allot though. But locking up down a hill is NOT good. Try the above.

 

You know what bbrc. I think your buddies pulled one on you. First, if they were familiar with the Polaris AWD, they would never have said anything like "yeah, the fronts have to have pressure on them". Sounds like thay are are just BSing you and grinding salt into the wound. The light on the dash indicated AWD. But did you check to make sure one of your buddies did not pull the electrical connection to your front axle? If your buddies didn't pull a fast one, then it sounds like it needs to go to the shop. Sounds like a great trick to play on the proud owner of a new big bore.
I hope this helps.
BryceGTX

 

lol. You give these guys more credit than they deserve. I'm the one who gets their machines running after they dunk them in the river.
As for the beast, it already went to the shop where the two mechanics who looked at it and rode it just shrugged their shoulders-I don't have any faith in them either that's why I'm here. I have more faith in the guys that actually ride and take the time to post about their machines because this is ground zero-all I'm gonna get from a mechanic who can't actually see/hear/feel exactly what is going on unless it's right in front of his face is lip service.
Be it as it may, the event actually happened and I am not satisfied with any answers I've gotten so far for the plan reason as there is no reasonable explanation other than an intermittent problem of some sort. I just need to ride it more to figure it out.
As for my buddies, I do believe 100% that they believe the machines do do that. We discussed it for quite awhile while sucking down cold beers and when it did happen they knew exactly what I was talking about when I drove over to explain it to them.
I just haven't figured out why but I will.
Thanks again.

 

I would either ride it some more and see if you can pin point a rhyme or reason to what it's doing or start inspecting things. Maybe take apart the front diff (hub). If the Polaris dealer in your area is a loser maybe it's worth a drive to a different dealer. Wish I could be more helpful but I need more info.