when I try to shift from one gear to the next it will always go between N/F or N/R but not from R/F or the other way... but it I pull a little on the pull start it will click over - any ideas on what would cause this? and should I be able to shift freely while the machine is off?

 

My 87 tb 250 acts the same way at times but if you are experiencing it all the time you may want to try changing the trans fluid. I just live with mine as it is not too frequent.

 

I'm assuming you have a Polaris quad with the H type shifter? In any case it can be difficult to change gears without the engine running. This is because the gears are not lined up properly and therefore jamb. Even with the engine running it happens some times.

 

alright, some people should try the search, dont mean to be an a$$hole but yea theres a ton of posts on these. If it does it when it is is running Its cuzz of your clutch, your shims are worn out on the primary and what happens is its engauging the belt and thus trying to turn the secondary or is turning it, putting pressure on it. This means while your trying to shift the trans gears are moving, sometimes it grinds, sometimes it stalls when shifting into gears, sometimes it stalls when in gear, sometimes it wont start in gear, or it will "creep" Usually the shifting is the first sign before you notice the "creep" as they call it. This is because of the engauged belt that slowly moves the wheeler forward at idle. This worn out shim is diagnosed mainly without taking it apart with just from a creep or hard shifting when running. You said it only does it when the atv is not running, if it didnt matter if it was running or not then it would be a bad adjustment on the shifter rod or rods. It could also have both problems, I know all of this because I have already ran into this problem, I finally asked about it to the dealer and they said thats what it was and they now have new high perf shims and mine have not gone bad yet, my old shims did not exist when we took it apart, just dust. I hope this helps, This is also your problem with the trailboss, my cousin has the same wheeler that is at stock rpm, the clutch is worn out and does the same thing and since it is a non concetric swingarm with the rear caliper on the trans he can actually start it and he can put on the rear brake and slow engine rpm down. This could also be a problem, high idle. Brian

 

bjrjr16 - I cant tell you how much i search this forum, yet sometimes I dont find the info, I am very new to this so some of the explinations are advanced and I still dont get it. You reply is about as indepth as I could ask for!! I really appreciate it... last night it backfired on me, so I spent about 3 hours on this forum looking that up - still a little foggy what it could be, but that is part of the learning curve - and tonight I will ram my head into the "TB Wall" again.

Thanks for all the info, I will try this out and see if i can narrow it down. Thanks again.

 

Hey no problem trying to help. Some people have complained about the search either not working or something but for some reason it has worked great for me. You cant be in great detail when trying to search. If you are having a backfire and its an 01 sportsman 500 then it wouldnt be un common to search "2001 polaris sportsman 500 backfire" and have it come back with no matches, you have to search using phrases like "polaris backfire", "sportsman backfire", "500 backfire" or just plain "backfire". You would be surpirsed how many listing you will get, all you have to do is comb through them. People when making new topics are not in great detail when posting it, Take your topic title for example, say its a 01 sportsman 500 that your wheeler is and has the hand shifter problem, when someone else is having the same problem with the shifter they will most likely search "polaris sportsman 500 shifter problems" and come back with nothing, yet if they search "shifter" or "polaris shifter" they will have a better chance of getting this topic, plus alot more that they will most likely get there answers from. Well I hope this helps, let us know if you have any other problems, Brian

 

well i finally got it put back together and running well [kind of]. when I try to put it in get it kicks then stalls out, if I roll it forward and put it in gear then it will go - but if I stop, then it kills again? The chain was pretty loose so I tighted that but it still does it. I have changed the tranny fluid, but thats about it.

any thoughts?

also, what does the left side handle do on my 86 TB? when I squeeze it, it kills the motor...

 

The left hand lever is your main brake lever.And from what you have discribed you have a clutch not releasing.Most likly the front (primary) clutch.As old as it is you may need to replace the front clutch or have it rebuilt.The cost of a rebuild job is about what you can get a used one from Ebay for.While you are in there replace the ramp buttons in the rear clutch.

 

ftwflh is right. The left hand lever is your brake and your primary clutch needs to rebuilt/cleaned/replaced as it is not returning to the uncompressed unengaged idle position and is dragging on the belt. If application of the brake even lightly is immediately killing the motor you may have a short/open wire in or around the run switch which is mounted next to it and applying the brake kills the elect

 

the boy's are telling you right

REPLACE THE CLUTCH