i have a sportsman 2009 400 ho and now a 2010 as well. I have a question about the cooling on the 09. it has a winch on the front and the 2010 does not. the 09 seems like it runs alot hotter then the other going by what i feel on my legs. no lights have come on or anything but i usually have to move my legs around on the 09 cause it gets so hot. The only thing i could think of is the winch not letting enough air threw compared to the other not having one. Anyone have any other thoughts on this?

 

One of the guys we ride with rode an 09 Sportsman 400 with a winch. It is very poorly designed. We brought a water pump with us and cleaned the radiator at all streams, etc. and his bike still overheated almost every ride (and nobody else's bike ever overheated). He ended up selling his Polaris after less than a season and bought a Yamaha. He hasn't had a problem since! I do think the winch contributes to the problem, but with all the plastic on the front of the Sportsman, there is really no other option to move the winch. Polaris does sell a bracket that slides in the hitch on the back and mounts up under your seat. It might be an option for you.

 

Doesn't happen with my 08.

 

i'm betting his radaitor is partly plugged. our 08' didn't run hot and we had the winch.

 

the back side of the rad may have never been fully cleaned.....The mud and dirt gets "baked" on from the back side of the rad where the fan is.......It is hard to clean unless it is taken apart(plastic)....Caper............

 

I'm with Caper.

 

i had to take my 800 rad out to clean mine it was so baked on and full fromnthe back side. so check it real good

 

thanks guys. i will look into the rad. i took off the winch and it still felt the same.

 

The fan moves quite a bit air pulling it from the front and sucking it between the rad fins..........I know the winch will not make any differance if the rad is "clean".

The air will still flow.......caper......

 

I had this same problem last season...I have a winch, and brush guard...ended up pulling the winch, brush guard, plastics and the rad off the front and although the front of the rad was pretty clean, once I removed the fan, the back side of the rad was completely plugged! If you spend a lot of time in the wet, this is something you will have to watch out for!