May have chance on picking up a 97 Explorer 500 looks pretty clea was use for plowing snow and hunting. Any Pros or cons on this quad.

 

Welcome to the forum! Others that own one can join in and give you a few tips,but I can tell you a little about the the mechanics of it. First off you're dealing with 15 year old atv and unless it's been treated like a member of the family it's bound to have a few issues.Some might be big,some might be small. From 1996 to 2000 there were a number of engines that had to have cams replaced because of soft heat treatment (not all of em were bad,but I replaced quite a few during these years) Also you have the awd system in the front hubs(4 bearings, armature plate,and hilliard assembly on each side) You need to keep up with the hub fluid changes (manual says every 100 hrs,but I'd do it sooner if mine. Like about 50 hrs,plus eventually armature plates do magnetize causing the awd to lock in even when the awd is off.. Not a major problem (plates are only about 12 bucks per side,but something you should expect that will happen) Use only 0w40 Mobil 1,Polaris PS4 Plus 2w50 or any other 0w40 rated oil,Amsoil,etc. for the engine. Polaris hub fluid is best to use,but the early models (before 1995 used Type F transmission fluid and some people still use it.)Transmission takes Polaris AGL or any lube that's rated for chain type gear cases. Again Polaris is the best and one bottle of each will go a long way. I've typed enough and others can throw in anything I've forgotten,but if you do purchase it, a manual is your best friend! OPT

 

The biggest thing with the hubs is to make sure they don't run ut of oil. They hold very little.
They are not hard to check, remove a plug with a allen wrench. Also watch for any oil on the inside of the front wheels every ride.
The biggest issue was they have one nut that sets the preload on 4 bearing and as these bearing break in the hubs should be re torqued around 500 miles. Many did not have this done and eventually the loose wheel bearing allowed the seal to leak. Because there was so little oil in each hub often the leak went unnoticed until a wheel bearing failed. Which could require anything from a new set of bearings up to new armatures, plates, hilliard rollers, hub etc. They are a good design, you just need to watch them. They offered true 4wd long before anyone else.

Because its older bike just look it over real good to be sure it has been looked after.

Ken