how well will

[bobbersgone]

how well will a polaris 02 500 scrambler 4x4,be for hunting and getting to out of way areas? they do make front and rear racks you can add on to these machines.i have a chance to buy one at a real nice price bearly used at all. thanks for all your advice.now go be safe and ride by the law!

[Dave]

A family friend used one for just that. One thing is you'll get dirtier since the fenders aren't as large as the Sportsman machines but, it'll get you there.

[spearchucker]

They also don't have a Low range like the sportsmans.

[tripper]

If by out of the way you are talking about having to get over stumps and deadfalls I would go with something with low range.

[Fisher Dave]

There isnt a utility atv out there that a person cant find a few different sources to buy racks for it... usually more of a question on what type of rack you want.

The scrambler will definately get you around far more than effectively.

If you plan on pulling stumps all day long, rock climbing, mud-bogging, or lots of extreme terrain, then I would say low range is a absolute must... but the same could be said about differential locks.

Any 500cc machine with 4wd is very capable of getting through the woods, and then some. If the price is good, I would jump on it.

[spearchucker]

Quote:

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If you plan on pulling stumps all day long, rock climbing, mud-bogging, or lots of extreme terrain, then I would say low range is a absolute must... but the same could be said about differential locks.

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No need for differential locks on a Polaris. They are fully locked from the factory.

[Fisher Dave]

The rear is locked .. but the front??

On a typical 4wd of any kind, the front does not lock to give easier handling(sp?) while in 4wd. Its a workout driving any machine when they are all locked in, especially where there is good traction.. it can be a *white knuckle ride* just trying to do a U-turn(hard to hold the bars).

If they are locked in now, something had to have changed in the last couple years. I have seen many polaris sitting in the mud with 1 *dead* front tire(not spinning), and have also witnessed them with 1 front off the ground spinning and the other front stationary.... These are impossible with differential lock.

Maybe they have changed, but this was one of the main factors that turned me away from polaris when I bought a new wheeler a year ago. The other thing that turned me away was the rear independant... I haul a lot of weight from time to time.

On another note, if they are in *differential lock* all the time in 4wd, I wouldnt want one... that would be way too hard to handle. Differential lock is nice to have when you need it, but its not when you dont.

[wisconsinfish]

Polaris has always had the front locked on the 4wd utility atv's that have 2 and 4 wheel drive. Most of the reason why both tires didn't spin on older models were do to lack of maintinace and maybe bad design. Polaris used to have liquid filled front hubs that would engage and disengage. Without proper fluid levels or clean fluid they would not work very well. Now on the new models they are (as far as I know) not using hubs. I believe they have a disconnect in the front differential, and are still full-time locked when in 4x4.

One thing to remember on the scramblers is, I believe they are a chain drive to the rear.

And also if my memory serves me correct, they were having problems with the rear axles on those machines.

[Dave]

To review a bit, Polaris ATVs are not, and never were, actually "locked" into 4X4 when the switch is in AWD mode. The 4X4 system is activated but, each front wheel is not "locked in" until the back wheels lose traction and some traction slippage occurs. This traction slippage is sensed and the locking mechanism, which is now located in the front differential rather than in each front hub, is locked in, providing power to each front wheel.

The front end locks in when needed, and unlocks automatically, so steering effort is reduced during normal trail riding where 4X4 isn't needed.

[Fisher Dave]

Thanks for clarifying that Dave. That was info I obviously didnt know. The only thing I had to work on was memory of pulling some tanks out of mudholes getting eaten by horsefly's. It was very frustrating trying to pull machines out when one tire was just sucked into clay and wouldnt move.

Maybe a small Polaris could be in the future for the Mrs' if its the same on all AWD models now... But thats a tough call, I do love my Kodiak, and will always trust Yamaha because of it.

[wisconsinfish]

You are correct about the 4 wheel drive not locking. It does engage when it detects slip. I thought he was asking about the front differential being locked, as in "posi-traction". The front differential is locked. There is no way for one wheel to spin in front without the other one spinning unless something is malfunctioning or broke on a polaris.

Thanks for stating that about the 4 wheel drive detecting slip. I may not have been clear on what was discussed.