Just bought the Prairie and I love it. It got below 0 and was ridden through a stream and froze pretty good. The 4 wheel drive light is on all the time but it is not in 4 wheel drive. When I go in reverse, the front tires have a drag on them. Almost like the tires are stuck. If I put the switch in 2 wheel drive the light still says AWL. I am hoping that it will be ok once it defrosts. Any Ideas?

 

hmm, yours must be different than mine. I dont have a 4wd light or AWL. It sounds like maybe your front brakes are frozen. It is pretty common when its that cold and riding through water. Usually as I come out of the water on real cold days I apply the front brake just enough to barely touch the rotors and drive about a minute like that. The friction on the rotor and brake pads heat them up and dry them off. Cold weather and water together do some strange things to quads. I wouldnt worry about it, probably just needs a good thawing out.

 

I hope so. I need to plow and it won't go into 4 wheel drive. Is there anything else that I can check? How does the 4 wheel drive system work? I have Ploaris sportsman's and know the system well, I have no idea about the 650. I didn't think that I would need to open my tool box yet.

 

It's operated by a stupid actulator, Iv'e replaced 3 now @ $220 a pop.. If it's in 4wd on your dash I suspect it's okay, cant you defrost the wheeler in a gaurage or something?? I have never gone through water & had it freeze up before

 

I have it in the garage and have put a small heater in there. It is still below 0 and the ice won't melt.

 

How can you tell if the actulator is bad?

 

The actulator is bolted on the right side of the diffrential, you can take those 3 bolts out of it & twist it around a bit & it will come off.. If you do remove it make sure you DO NOT move the front wheels at all, that gear inside the diffrential needs to stay in it's current postition either it be 2wd or 4wd, I learned the hard way & had to take mine to the dealer to get the new actulator in the 1st time.. Then disconect the actuator at the wiring harnes, (couple of feet up stream) at the wiring harness you'll see a black & red wire, supply 12v from your batter to those 2 wires & it should turn, if not it's probably bad.. Mark the position that the actuator is in also, there was also a bullitin I sent to Nyroc & he now has it on his site with a diagram of the 2wd & 4wd positions of the actuator in order for it to work correctly. you might wana check that out.. Also when you put the actuator back on you need apply some medium strenght thread lock on & bolt it to specified torqe rating.. Again I'm not sure the actuator is your problem, in the 3 I have had go out, my 4wd never stayed on & not work in 4wd, but I guess you got to start somewhere.. There is also a control module that controls the actuator, but I dont know much about it

 

Before i got my garage built i used to put a tarp over the bike in the shed with a heater under it not the safest way but it worked.

 

madcap before going into the whole actuator mess look under the seat and find the fuses i cant remember which one it is but check them all even replace all of them is not a bad idea teir have been a few people who have looked at the fuses and they looked good but were not making proper contact it happened to a buddy of mine abd its a simple and cheap fix good luck.

 

Well I went out to the garage today to take a good look at it. I saw a puddle on he floor. I thought it was water from melting snow. I stuck my finger in it and it was oil. I got a light and started looking and found a hole in the transfer case. I am pissed. I brought it to the dealer and he said that they never seen anything like this before. They are going to give me a estimate. The hole is where the drive shift goes into te transfer case. I will keep you posted.