Since we got my wife's 1994 Polaris 300 (2 stroke) 4x4 a few months ago, it's been extremely difficult to shift. We have to rock it backwards and forwards a bit to get the gears to catch, or shut the engine off to shift. Even shutting the engine off and shifting doesn't always do the trick.

When it is in the process of not shifting properly, I hear a "clunk clunk clunk clunk". It also tends to shift into low and reverse easier (although not much) than high.

Are the older Polaris transmissions just that much more difficult to shift, or am I missing some sort of linkage adjustment... or do I need to rebuild the transmission? Our 2000 Sportsman 500 shifts beautifully, never had a problem. I thought idle speed might be a problem too, as the 2-stroke tends to be revvy, but that still doesn't solve the problem of it not always shifting properly even with the engine off.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Peter

 

The linkage needs to be adjusted. If it is off just a hair it will not go into high very well and if it is off a 1/4 inch it will not go into high at all.

 

Another thing to check is the 'bellcranks" the alluminum piece on the tranny that the shiftrods hook to.they have a tendancey to strip out.

 

i have a 1994 Polaris trail boss 300 2 stroke 4x4, the transmission wont move at all.i had to unhook the chain just to move the 4 wheeler around because it would not move, i took off the pvt belt cover and the transmission clutch would not move at all. can somebody please tell me whats wrong.

 

If the rear clutch wont turn in neutral or in gear with the belt off then it's possible the silent chain in the gear case has broken and binding things up or a gear,shift fork problem. Either way sounds like the gear case needs to be split. Dirt Cheap Yamaha, Honda, Arctic Cat & Polaris OEM Parts & Accessories – Cycle Parts Warehouse

 

I also cant shift into any gear, it wont physically shift or click into gear either.

 

Okay then this might not be so bad... If the gear shift is locked in gear,just loosen both 10mm linkage nuts on the linkage ends on the gear shift box. Remove the nuts holding the linkage ends to the shift box slides. Then use a pair of vicegrips to try to get the transmission levers(belcrank) in neutral,plus you may have to move low range linkage also to get it into neutral. Once gear case is in neutral,shift the lever into neutral. You may have to hit it hard if it's locked in gear. Once it's in neutral turn the linkage ends to where they drop straight into the shift box levers with NO resistance or pulling on the linkage. Then tighten the lock nuts and replace the two nuts on the linkage rod ends. See if you can shift the gears then.This was a common problem on these models until they changed the gear shift assembly. I've had them locked in low or high range and had to adjust the linkage on quite a few machines over the years.This may help,but usually when this happens the gear shift assy internal parts may be worn and have too much slack causing gears to lock or bind. Dirt Cheap Yamaha, Honda, Arctic Cat & Polaris OEM Parts & Accessories – Cycle Parts Warehouse

 

I have already took off the shift linkage connected to the transmission and tryed to shift it but it is like its hitting something inside the transmission causing it not to shift into any gear.

 

Well then it's probably internal problems like I mentioned in my first post.Plus like I mentioned you may have to move the low linkage arm along with the high/reverse linkage arm and see if you can pop it into neutral. If you can,then try adjusting the linkage.