I’ve got what seems like an odd problem with my 99 Scrambler 500. I thought I’d take a ride in the snow for Xmas, and while in 2WD running through the powder, I felt the steering pull as if the left front hub were engaged. I stopped, put it in reverse and moved forward and backward a few times to see if it would disengage. Here’s what I noted.

When in 2WD and moving forward under acceleration, the left front would engage, but when barely moving along, it would not. And in reverse with override button pressed, the front left would not engage regardless of the amount of throttle applied. In reverse, it acted as it should. When 4WD is selected, it acted as it should.

I thought this was odd and took it back to the barn where I put it on jacks to get a good handle on what was happening. Here I found that when in 4WD, everything acts as it should, if the rear wheels are turning, the fronts turn with it, even at idle. But in 2WD, at idle, only the rear wheels turn. But the left front hub locks and turns if the RPM is brought up with the throttle. It acts like a centrifugal lockup on the left front only. I verified the hub oil level was correct.

It was cold, (+10), and it is stored in a unheated barn. I’ve had the machine since new and know this is a new problem.

If anyone has any suggestions on why this is happening, I really appreciate it.

Thank you

 

My buddies 99 Scrambler 400 was doing the exact same thing. One front hub would engage, and it would pull to that side. I asked about it on this forum, and was told to try Mobil 1 synthetic ATF oil in the hubs. I switched the oil, and it hasn't happened in months.

 

If the wheeler hasn't been thrashed (wrecked, bent parts up-front), and fresh, thinner oil, doesn't fix the prob. Maybe the wheel-bearing is SLIGHTLY too tight??????? Sounds like it to me. Ride 'em hard polcat

 

we had to change a front seal on our 95 Xplorer the other day and now are front left wheel will spin in 2 wheel drive. Is there a torque setting for the front hubs??? It is also very cold here

 

i Have the exact problem, just it happening to the right hub. I changed the oil many times, and i can't find the mobil one synthetic atf, but that nut behinf the cover with 3 screws in it, the one with the pin going through it, what is the torque for that, i am gonna try to re torque it, it really sucks not being able to spin out in 2wd a little.

 

The recommended pre-torque on the axle nut is 400 inch pounds, according to my Clymer manual. This is above whatever torque is required to turn the nut. Some have a self-locking nut that you will have to account for, and some don't. If yours has the self-locking nut, measure how much torque it takes to turn the nut on the threads, and add that to the final torque.
If the nut is too loose, 4wd may not engage. If it is too tight, 4wd may always engage. Usually, if the bike hasn't been wrecked, and the oil changed often enough, it will be a long time before the factory setting needs to be re-set.

 

I found the problem I was having with the front left hub drive locking in. After a few discussions with a local Polaris rep. He indicated that he has seen this too. He suggested a god hub oil flushing using kerosene or some other solvent that will dissolve oils. He even suggested gasoline but that seems a bit too harsh for me.
After draining and flushing the hub twice, then refilling with Polaris’s hub oil, the problem was cleared up. Just for good measures, I did the same to the right hub.
From what I gathered, each hub is actuated by a solenoid that when energized, engages the 4WD by moving some sort of locking pin or pins. The oil is used to lubricate the pins that are apparently retracted by a spring or something. The hub oil is pretty thin, even when cold, if something like moisture, ( which is ice when cold), or dirt contaminates the oil, the pin movement is hampered. Why it was acting differently in forward and reverse I’m not sure, but the problem is now gone.
For those of you with similar problems, you may want to try the same thing, It took only a few minutes per hub. If you do, use a hair dryer or something to heat the hub to get any moisture out and dry whatever solvent you use. Be sure to fill with the correct fluid. Hub fluid not front gear drive fluid.


Thanks for the responses.

 

http://www.exxonmobil.com/netcom/mob...re/index2.html
here is your mobil one

 

i am the guy with the same problem as RacerX, i flushed mine out with kerosene by driving it around the block then draining it. After draining it the first time i ran more kerosene through, drove it around the block accelerated hard many times its fixed, but only with the kerosene in it, i put the hub oil in, and it continues with the problem, drained the hub oil and put kerosene back in and its working again correctly. Should i just run kerosene in it, or do u think maybe the mobil 1 atf will do the trick, to bad i can't find it.

 

I have a 99 500 scrambler that had the same problem. It turned out to be a broken spring in the front hub and to thick of oil. After new spring and proper oil the problem has vanished. Until you get it fixed you can run in 4wheel all the time with no problem other than large fuel consumption. Good luck.