I'll try my best to describe this one. Was riding down the street yesterday(dirt road I live on). Heard a loud noise from the front end, clunk, rap, bang. Looked down and noticed the kids left it in AWD. 02 sportsman 500. Took it out of awd and all quiet. Went to ride yesterday and it was fine for about a half hour then the noise came back really loud. Sounded like a drive shaft broke and was wobbling and hammering the frame. I have not had much time to look at it, but I did get it on the lift and started it up and ran it in 2wd and awd. Everything seemed fine. No noise at all. I grabbed all axles and could not notice ant excessive play. Wondered if it could have been a loose stone stuck somewhere. Would I be able to feel something really loose? I need to get the tires off to really get in there. Any ideas as to where to start? Has this happened to anyone before, if so what was it. I'd not want to get stuck and hit the AWD and BAM. These things are just too heavy to get stuck.. Any help or starting point would be helpful.
Thank you
Paul

 

Check your cv boots for any damage plus just shake the drive shaft to feel for any cv joint problems. Check the prop shaft u-joints for excessive slack.Better if you just pull the tires off to check the front end out along with the brake calipers. Like you say,could have been just a rock OPT

 

A Polaris is aways in 2wd even if the AWD button is turned on. It only engages the front wheel if the rear wheels slip then once the rear wheels gain traction the ATV automatically returns into 2wd again.

So flying down a straight road in 2wd or AWD is really the same thing as long as the rear wheels have traction.

 

Did you resolve this issue, friend's 700 twin is doing the same thing, intermittent gear noise, AWD in and out and hard to steer. When in 2 WD no issues.

Thanks
Martin