dosen't shift goes like 10mph
 

My brother has a 98 polaris sportsman starts and runs fine just don't be in a hurry...it only goes about 10 mph like its in low but is's not or like it's in 4wh dr but it's not... it seems like it won't shift gears it will just start to bogg down..the closer you get to 10mph
any ideas???
Thanks, KB

how many miles? if you have high miles on it ill bet its the clutch. i had a 2000 sportsman with 7000miles on it. the top speed on it before i sold it was about 25mph in high. it pulled fine, drove fine, shifted into h/l/n/r great. 70% of its life was just driveing at 40-50mph 30% of it life was pulling a grader in summer or plowing snow in winter. i asked a local small engine guy he said the clutch was getting worn, or the springs were getting week.

check the secondary(driven) clutch buttons(ramps that the helix rides on) and see if there not worn out. replace and that might be the issue.

Could be worn clutches and belt. I would look into clutches but also check engine compression and the carb. If the jets are plugged or fuel filter could cause the same issue. Does it rev up fine in neutral?

It's fairly old but not abused 100% just scooting around a ranch up and down speeds not over 35 mph for the most part... worn clutch sounds right...
Thanks Chuck

Thanks for the reply Stendori..
how hard are clutch buttons to replace??? Do these work with the big belt drive?? I replaced the belt along time ago it was pretty easy... Is the clutch on one of the pulleys of the belt???
Thanks,KB

Thanks EpiChad,
how hard is clutch to replace ??? it revs up fine and goes hard it just doesnt switch to the next gear....

yes the driven(secondary)clutch is the big clutch that is hooked to the transmission not the small one(primary/drive clutch) thats hooked to the engine. you take the belt off and remove the center bolt and the clutch slides right off. you then have to remove the C clip that holds the helix on. now if your not sure how this set up works and don't have good mecachical skills don't try to take it apart as it requires a certain preload to go back together for it to work correctly. the butons are whsat the helix slides on and when they wear out sometimes it will act the way you describe. it might be worth taking the clutch off and bringing it a dealer to have them replaced. there only like $4. each and theres 3 of them imo.:)

I would follow Stendori's advice.

Very Cool ..Thanks for the help! I think that sounds like good advice.. So as long as I don't take the C clip off I should be able to take off the clutch and bring it to the dealer without it going into many pieces unorganized pieces??
I'll let you know how it goes !! Thanks KB

yes that is correct>

Yes. Just remove the center bolt (usually 1/2" wrench) and slide clutch off shaft. When you pull it off watch for washers stuck to the back of it. Some machines have washers for clutch alignment and they stick to the clutch sometimes when you pull it off. If they come off just put them back on the shaft. Do not remove any snap rings (Stendori calls them c clips) and the clutch will stay together.

sorry, didn't mean to confuse any one, as i assumed he knew what i meant. but yes it is called a snap ring, which requires snap ring pliers. hopefully my minor oversite didn't confuse anyone.:o

Doesn't seem to be the clutch
 

The belt and clutch seem to be fine the main clutch moves the belt up as you give it gas
the driven clutch moves and doesn't seem to be stuck?? could it be a weak spring and just not moving enough??
could a loose cv joint cause it to slow down???
Thanks, KB

It could be a weak spring, but normally that wouldnt hurt your performance that bad unless it has been getting slowly worse and worse. To me if you can only go 10mph it sounds more like a carb issue or fuel problem. A lot of the older 500's had issues wearing the lobes of the cam also which would let the machine run but the harder you pushed it or at higher rpms would miss or not run correct.