I have a 99 Sportsman 500 4X4 with a bad starter. My shop manual has a detailed procedure for replacing it which requires me to remove the clutch assembly using a Polaris clutch puller. Can anyone tell me an eaiser way to accomplish this task since I do not have access to a puller and do not want to pay a mechanic $160 to do what should be a fairly simple job.

 

from what i know.. my cuzin in-law has a 2000 sportsman 500.. same as ours and he did have to take over the clutch cover... i seen it and helped get it goin but cant honestly remember if he had to take the clutch apart.. i know he said it was a bitch tho...

 

I have replaced the starter on my 98 and my 99 and I never had to mess with the clutch or cover.

 

Do you recall if you had to remove any other parts above the starter (i.e. the gas tank) or were you able to get the mounting hardware off with everything installed?

 

If I remember correctly, I had to remove the airbox and tube to the carb, but the tank stayed on. There are only a couple bolts and then it slides out of the case, there is an o-ring that might make it kind-of hard to pull out, but thats it.

 

Thanks very much for the advice. I will give it try this weekend.

 

My Manual told me to get special tools and remove primary and secondary clutches to remove back belt housing plate just to make room to remove one remaining bottom starter mounting bolt!

Instead this is what I did. I took out the air box and removed the top easy starter mounting bolt. With the bottom stubborn mounting bolt you just back in off until it hits the backplate of belt housing,it will not come out but will disconnect.
Than I used large channel locks and turned the start clockwise until the bolt was at the 12 O'Clock position and slipped the bolt and the starter right out no problem.

I can,t believe my " Clymer" manual wanted me to tear down half the bike to remove one bolt!

BTW it turned out one of my starter bushes was sticking so I cleaned it up and it works great now. I also put that blue gasket goo everywhere a o ring was, to see if that may help water proof these Polaris starters once and for all.