I was out with a friend who has an 05 sportsman HO, and i have a 99 sportsman 500. we were going thru some fairly deep water a i had a little belt slipping, not enough to stop me but enough to notice. 2 things i noticed the 99 didn't have that the 05 does was a drain plug on the belt cover and clamps on the rubber gasket that joins the belt cover to the tube. I put some clamps on the gasket . Am I right to say that they both were improvements made thouugh the years. I just bought my bike 2 months ago and am still learning what i can and cannot do.

can a drain plug be install on my sportsman? or do i need one now that i put those clamps on ......... I guess the next water hole will tell the tale.

 

Hi nashwaak1 , i have a 1999 SP 500 that i bought new. in the past i have had water on my belt. I replaced the clutch cover seal, the one that goees all the way around between the two clutch cover halves. never had any problems after that. The air inlet duct has black wire zip ties on it for clamps. Came that way and they are still on there. May want to check the back end of cover, there are not as many screws back there and Polaris used spring clips to clamp the two clutch cover halves togather.
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