I have an 06 500 with under 500mi., and my buddy has an 04.5 500 with under 400mi., both will engage into AWD when in 2WD, mine will also disengage when in AWD, I have changed the fluid and it did not help, my is very well maintained kepted clean and it is not abused, I have been on 3 rides and one winter of plowing, this thing only has 52 hrs. on it and already the diff. is junk. This is a very big problem I see on the four forums I read, Ive read where guys have almost crashed when the front engages when it not suposed to, and you need to watch it if you have the rear tires up on blocks and you put it gear to spin the rears, the fronts might engage and it will take off on ya, so make sure you have all 4 wheels off the groung when doing this, I found this out when I had mine off the ground, its a good thing I had all 4 off the ground or it would have went througth the garage door, I like the machine it self but if they dont come up with a better set up I will never buy another one agian and that goes for my buddy too.

 

Polaris may not see this as being a big problem, BUT IT IS, if some guy is doing a tune-up that doesn't know about this problem, has the rear tires off the ground and running it in gear and the front diff. engages when the switch is in 2WD mode and his little one walks in front of it at the same time it could mean surious injury or death to the little one. But maybe thats what its going to take for Polaris to wake up and have a recall to fix it.

 

I also have had problems w/my front diff.I keep it in awd all the time now and problem solved......onto new polaris problems now

 

No problems on my 05 SP700 with 1000 miles....before that had an 02 SP700 with 3300 miles. Never any front diff problems. I even used to go on a frozen river with the 02 and whip donuts in 2 wheel drive all the time.

 

I dont think the 02s had the newer style AWD, the problem has been with the ones that have the Hillard diff. they engage the AWD at the diff., not in the hubs like the older ones, I thougth it started in 04, but maybe they put some in the 03s too.

 

You would think a new design should be better, not worst then the design it replaced? Just like the change Polaris did with the new digital speedometers from the analog type,if the new speedo breaks you have no AWD because it is part of the AWD system and must be fixed. The old speedos could be smashed off from a roll over and it was up to you if you ever wanted to replace it or not.

 

The 02 700's have the hilliard that engage at the diff too. The 500s had the hubs.

 

They do need to redesign their diff. I have fixed peoples aluminum cages a lot, but the plastic cage? just a stupid idea i think.