I'm tempted to Install purchase and install some heavy duty springs for the front of my 500. I weigh 250 lbs and I can sometimes bottom out the shocks on the front if I come off a bump to hard.
1. How hard are they to install?
2. Any special tools to purchase for the installation?
3. I increased the tension on the rear springs, will this suffice or do I have to replace the rear springs also?
Any input would be appreciated.

 

I put the HD springs front and rear. We ride 2-up - the wife and I go about 370. Also added the highlifter kit. With the HD springs and the Highlifter kit we ride just slightly higher than riding single without them. We have a lot of other gear on our bike also.
Yes, difficult to install without the proper spring compressor. Not to bad with it. But - you will be extremely dissapointed if you fully extend the struts and dislocate the CV joints. there is a method to not doing this. I should have taken the local shops offer to have them do it. It can be a nightmare.

Good Luck

 

Billy, I have them front and rear.
1. IF you do it yourself, DONT let the front a arm go unsupported. If you dont support it(I speak from experience)the shaft might pop out of the knuckle.

2.For the front, no special tools needed. For the rear, YES, a tire shop with a spring compressor.

It made a big difference with how the quad rides and how the front end DOES not drop so much when you brake hard.

Okie

 

Why do you need a spring compressor for the rear and not the front? I adjusted the rear shocks by turning the tension adjuster cam on the rear so I think I will leave this alone but the front definitely needs to be stiffened up. Where do you purchase the springs,Polaris or after market springs?

 

Billy -

I needed a tool to compress the springs on the front. Maybe because of the highlifter spacers... The springs can be purchased at the Polaris dealer. Check Dennis Kirk also.

But, there is the potential for a real problem when doing this. As Okiedude has commented on, the axle can pop out of the CV knuckle if your not very carefull. Here's the rub - if I recall correctly, its tough going to repair the CV joint issue without removing the hub. And R&R'ing the hub so that 4WD works correctly again is where a lot of guys mess up.

So with that said - in the event you do what so many have done before - Here is a paste of my notes on front hubs. (with the strut reinstalled)

First I recommend an appropriate shop manual for your quad. - Follow those instructions.

A few tips in removing and reinstalling the front hubs - Put jack stands under the front struts to hold the bike up . Have the weight of the bike on the jack stands under the struts. Without doing this when you remove the axle nut you could over extend the struts and pull the axle CV joint apart. Usually followed by numerous expletives and a trip to the shop to purchase a new CV boot ring because after two hours of unsuccessful attempts to blindly correct the problem inside the boot you succumb to taking it apart to re-assemble the CV joint.

Next - zero sand\contaminants are allowed in the hub\clutch\bearings. A parts washer and pressurized air to blow everything off is highly recommended. A $39 parts washer can save hundreds. I blow WD40 through the strut and inside bearings liberally and then air blow the axle / strut area as best that can be done.

Make sure the armature plate is not bent - even a little bit, and when reassembling ensure that the armature plate is flat against the coil and flat against the roll cage with the tabs correctly engaged in the roll cage. Flat means that the plate comes in contact with both the outer and inner coil lips - as checked at 120 degree angles around the coil. Not having the armature plate in the correct place is the other area most of us mess up and we damage both the armature plate and the magnet coil gap when we torque the axle nut which makes the clutches either not release or not engage for 4WD - there go providing the opportunity to do it all over again. Not having the correct coil gap prevents the energized coil from tightly "grabing" the armature plate slotted to the the roll cage and it not receiving enough resistance to torque around the cam and extend the roll pins - which is the goal to engage the hub to the axle.

Oh - keep in mind that you will have to lift the rear of the bike to facilitate rotating the drive train to assist in properly seating the front axle inner bearings into position.

Proper torque of the axel nut is required - first to 100 inch pounds, then back off and re-torque to 75 + whatever it takes to get to the nearest hole for the cotter pin.

Don't forget to add fluid. Ford ATF or Polaris Hub Oil.

Good luck

 

A couple of weeks ago I replaced the front CV boot and did'nt have to disassemble the hub at all. I pulled the hub from the axle and slipped the boot on, it took me about 45 minutes. This was done per the shop manual instructions. Maybe there is more than one way to change out the boot or reseat the axle into the splined hub. Anyway, I appreciate you're reply and will take it under advisment. I'm not sure if I want to buy a spring compressor,any other way around this?

 

<< A couple of weeks ago I replaced the front CV boot and did'nt have to disassemble the hub at all. I pulled the hub from the axle and slipped the boot on, it took me about 45 minutes. This was done per the shop manual instructions. Maybe there is more than one way to change out the boot or reseat the axle into the splined hub. Anyway, I appreciate you're reply and will take it under advisment. I'm not sure if I want to buy a spring compressor,any other way around this? >>



Yes, take it all apart - bring your new springs and shocks to the shop and for a nominal fee they will use their tools to swap out the springs. I've had reports of &quot;done free&quot; if you bought the bike at that shop. To be honest - after doing it once, I'd opt for this approach. It was not a comfortable place to be with that much tension on those rear springs. I figured one slip and there would be a 911 call.

How did you do that?
How in the heck did you manage to ensure the armature plate tabs were in the slots of the roll cage while you slid it over the splines? Thats a ways inside the hub! You must be good! Does the 4WD check out on both hubs?