I just bought a 2001 Polaris Sportsman 500 H.O. Great shape and have enjoyed it so far. Speedo quit the other day and a couple times today, after starting forward the front wheels pulled HARD right!!
Anyone have any ideas what is going on?

 

You probably have a locked up hub. Put it in 2-wheel-drive. Back up 10 feet while turning the handlebars back and forth. Don't be afraid to shake it hard. See if everything is okay now. Do you have an owners manual? If I still have mine, you can have it for $1 + postage.

 

Mornin tc1339
Check your air pressure then the tow, You might get lucky,,

 

I just went through that with my 500 Magnum except it pulled left HARD--I drained my hubs added ATF ran it for 1-3 miles drained it again and refilled with - Polaris On Demand Fluid - and have never had another problem, I also did my front differential the same way, I used the ATF fluid as a "Flush" to hopefully loosen and clean things before adding the proper Polaris stuff---worked great so its something you might want to check/try.

 

I'm with mainewheeler above. Someone may have never changed the fluid. The fluid in the polaris front end is very important that it's clean. Also agree with check the tow and the air pressure. When mine pulls it's always the air pressure.

 

If I recall correctly there is a topic regarding this exact problem in the owners manual as jumbofrank mentioned. As a quick fix follow his instructions. As a long term fix the changing the fluid thing seems like the right thing to do. I have not tried it yet but I am going to.

 

If what JF said to do works (chances are it will) what it usually means is either the fluid is gummed up and not allowing the garter spring to engage/dis-engage the rollers in the hubs 4wd sys. OR that one sides garter spring(really a type of C-clip) is broken and by backing up and shaking it your hopefully helping it release--- here is diagram, clip is part#12--click to magnify------ http://www.bikebandit.com/asse...ris/PO-9916446-015.gif --- ***I also did my front "pumpkin" while I was at it because I figured if the EASY to maintain hubs weren't done then the harder but still easy center differential wasn't either.

 

I have only had a front hub lock up after backing up in 4x4 with the rev over-ride switch in. If you do something like backing up a hill or out of mud, anything that causes the rear wheels to spin and engages the front hubs, one or both can stick. It can do it when all the parts and the fluid are brand new too. It was a design quirk in the old system. IMO that's all it is, and the remedy is to back up in 4x2 while shaking the bars side to side. Problem solved. No work needs to be done on it. I rode Sportsmans for 11 years and thousands of miles and only recall having a hub stick 2-3 times. Nothing was ever broken and the fluid was good.

Legend is right. It was right there in the owners manual, and the video, the whole time. I still have the VHS tape that came with my '01 too - "ATVs Safety, Ag, Sport, Outdoorsman". I have the tape for my '97 and my '00 Trailblazer. I have the DVD for my '06 too. If I sold someone the quads these would have gone with them.

 

^^ one of the GOOD reasons for joining one of these forums, Learn new things. Any idea of what span of years are effected by this?