Hi,

My wheeler is a 2007 Polaris Sportsman 500 Deluxe (Stealth). The winch is a factory polaris I believe. The trouble I'm having is this: Sometimes the winch works and sometimes it doesn't. For instance, I have a plow and occasionally the winch will refuse to pull back and will just click (after a while it'll work again).

Now, I have been having battery problems as well so I believe the winch and battery issues are tied. The battery cables are very corroded and sometimes the battery will not start the ATV. My question is this: Should I just assume its the battery and replace that or should I replace the battery cables too? Or what should I do?

 

Battery is probably the problem! But check the winch connections. Also the winch commutator(contactor) connections for any loose/corroded wires.If the cables are corroded replace them along with the battery OR at least the cable ends if the rest of the cables themselves are ok.BUT I think you answered your own question! OPT

 

Thank you. I just didn't want to lay down the cash for sometime I may not need.

Do you know of a good place to get the battery and the cables? Can't find any reliable place.

 

Cheapest site I've found on most oem parts is Cycle Parts Warehouse, cheaper than dealers prices.Or you can try to match the cables up at Napa,Auto zone,etc. As far as the battery just Google YTX14AH battery and you basically can go from cheap to top dollar! As far as brands the one that came with it which is a Yuasa, OR Interstate are the ones our shop had the most luck with! You can go all the way up to Optima if you have the bucks! The best thing no matter which one you get is to get a battery tender,batteries will last at least twice as long if you do ! OPT

 

I've had great luck with my Odyssey battery along with a battery tender as mentioned...

John

 

after cleaning the connections and replacing battery if need be, you still having issues it might be a bad contactor as those factory polaris winch set up were known to go bad on some that i have read about. it also wouldn't a bad thing to use a battery tender or low amp charger to charge up the battery after plowing as it really puts a huge drain on the battery. imo

 

Recall on defective 8 post contactors was on 2500-3500 Warn winches sold between May 2001 to September 2005. I remember these well,replaced a bunch of these Chinese pieces of crap! Anyone that may still have one(if they haven't self destructed yet) replace em (think Warn still honors the replacement?) OPT

 

As stated fix your wiring problems first. If all is good you may have a bad contactor. My 07 came with the polaris/warn winch as well and it did exactly as you describe. I replaced the contactor with a new one from Warn and no more problems.

 

Warn still has a recall page that you can fill out with your name, address and VIN to make a claim for the contactor.