Tire chains on sportsman 500?

[mnhunter2]

I have the use of a 2006 polaris sportsman 500 that I will only use for ice fishing and pulling the 6x16 fishhouse on the ice, will a set of chains on the rear wheels be okay and give me more pulling traction or will the front wheels just spin when pulling the fishouse, I have had very little experince with the polaris atv and it seems like there is a brake on, like it takes more rpms to get it up to speed I have checked the brakes and they are all okay and not draging is the transmission a type that needs a certain rpm to get it to operate?

[peerchking]

I have chains on both my 500's and with crusty snow on the lake I would not be able to move my house (8-16)with out chains on.

[jltimm]

Put the chains on the rear and use low range.

[dirtking]

Chains are almost a must to move a fish house effectively. As to the brakes question - the Polaris’s have kind of an engine brake where when you let off the throttle they slow down fast like the brake is on - is this what you are experiencing?

[Dave]

Just make sure the parking brake isn't on

[hoggs222]

Quote:

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Just make sure the parking brake isn't on

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Dave, I couldn't tell you how many times I've done that! Speaking of chains, I have a '98 Sportsman 500 and got some chains around a year later. I cannot keep them on the wheels. I've had 3 different people try putting them on and they just fall right off.....Any suggestions on new chains?

[Dave]

hoggs, you're deflating the tires some before installing the chains, and then airing back up?

[firemedic5586]

I had moose vv-bar chains for the stock tires on my sp700. Put them on the tires when they were flat, then got them as tight as possible. 100% No chain rattle, and I could wind it out on ice as fast as I wanted to go.

[icehousebob]

I agree with the deflating of the tires and then refilling after installing the chains. Another trick is to hook a black truckers' bungy strap to three places on the outside of the chain in a triangle shape. This will pull up any extra chain and keep it from flapping. I do this with my truck chains since I can't deflate the tires on it when I get into a tight spot somewhere and need more traction.