attempting to replace fan on '96 sportsman 500

I've search and everything i've read says- oh just unbolt it and it comes right out. well it's not working that way for me. the motor is mounted opn a bracket and the bracket to the frame with 4 bolts. tool the 4 bolts out and can not for the life of me get the dang fan out of there. the blades are in the shroud. the back of the motor hits the steering column. the bracket jams in the frame.
is this really that much of a PITA or am i not doing something right?

 

I got mine out of my 08 500 I removed the bolts unplugged the fan and with a bit of maneuvering I got it out . I then replaced the motor and wiggled it back in .

 

You're right it's a pita on the old 96 style fan motor! You can wiggle the motor out,but the fan blade is the problem because of lack of room between the radiator and if you're not careful you will just bend the blade and the whole new motor will vibrate! Best way is to just undo the radiator bolts at the top and lean the radiator out. The fan blade has a bushing spacer and the fan blade has a "D" slot in the cutout that has to slip on the new shaft correctly and has a very little area on the shaft to do this!!. You can use a small pair of needle nose vice grips to hold the shaft while you remove the blade nut with the radiator pulled back and pull the blade out of the way. Remove the motor while on the mount (4 screws), transfer the bushings and screws over to the new motor and motor mount.Mount the new motor and mount and with the vice grips locked on the back of the shaft and with the radiator blocked back to get your hands in, you can center the blade on the motor shaft correctly. Locktite the fan nut and tighten,then you can push the radiator back in place. Takes a little time this way,but beats a bent blade that you would have to replace. Don't ask me how I know this! OPT

 

Spdecat- the newer fans are different. even though my buddy's '01 sportsman looks EXACTLY the same as my '96 sportsman there's quite a bit of difference between the 2. like the fan. lol

Good advice OPT and nice description.

but

since i have been want ing to relocate the radiator to the front racks anyways...

ended up having to pull off half the front end to get the thing out.

and since i had to do that and already had the radiator out, i figured it was just as good of time as any to start working on that radiator relocate. got something you can call a frame that's starting to take shape. sorry i dont have any pics of it though.