Hi all, I have a AWD problem with my 2008 Sportsman 500 Touring, I have replaced the original cage with a billet aluminum and checked the armature plate for being warped, it seems perfectly flat on a piece of glass, there are no visable wear pattern discrepancies so I believe it to be good. The problem is that it is real hard to steer in two wheel drive the front end seems to be fighting me like a yamaha that has the front diff in the locked mode. I can put one of the front wheel against a tree and it just spins the rear wheels in two wheel drive when I put it in 4x4 it will climb the tree so I believe all is correct in that department. I know that something is bound up, thus far I am stumped, any ideas out there? Thank you

 

Do you have the right amount of the right fluid in it?

 

Yes I'm putting in the polaris oil recomended for for front drives with the hilliard clutch.

 

Sorry I re read your question, I may possibly have too much oil in it, I'm not sure but easy to check, would that cause an issue like what I've described?

 

I'm not sure but it's the first thing I thought of, if the new cage fits right. I don't know what electrical problem would make it lock it in when it's in 2WD, so I was thinking it's mechanical. If the cage has burrs on it or anything like that, maybe that would do it.

 

OK, I'll drain the oil down to the proper level and give that a try and post my results tomorrow. Thank you

 

Well I drained the oil down to the correct level as it was overfull by perhaps 5oz, took for a test ride, still the same handle bar fighting as if the front end is locked up switch was in 2wd and I unplugged the harness near the gear box, eased up to a tree with one front wheel and the rear wheels spun so it appears that the machine is working correctly. Any thoughts out there now?

 

did you wheel bearings? if you had a dry bearing it would fight to one side.

 

Well, you maybe on to something, I have just lifted the ATV all wheels are off the ground, I can rotate both front wheels forward independent of one another then with the transmission in neural I can rotate each front wheel in reverse but I'm turning the drive shaft when I do this, both wheels act the same although there is more resistance with the left front vs the right front. should the drive line be turning when rotating either front tire in reverse? Also when I start the engine in a forward gear I can hold either front tire with my foot in 2wd, when I switch to 4wd both tires are energized, everything appears to work perfectly, when in 4wd all wheels spinning at say 15mph I start applying the front brake and the handle bars start turning to the right and you can feel the binding I've stated previously, perhaps a wheel bearing?

 

Unless I'm losing my mind the driveshaft and front axles are only coupled together when the 4x4 locks in, and rotating either front wheel by hand, either direction, in any gear, shouldn't make the driveshaft move at all.