I know this question has come up here (I recall asking it myself)....

I found an excellent post at ATVQuadSquad.com from ProspectorTim regarding how to engage AWD engine braking.

ATVQuadSquad: HOW TO ENGAGE AWD BRAKING by ProspectorTim

Sounds like a very easy way to get AWD engine braking on the Polaris. Just remember to keep your thumb off the gas as you go down the hill.

Good eye C.V.
It works but you will need to work-out a little if you are going to use this all the time. S.O.B. to turn when locked-up

You may also want to check this out:
www.atvfrontier.com/Kn...d=120.html

I think this may be from the same post but here is Hilliard's reply...

atvquadsquad.com/group...079911/p/3


I copied this from another forum. It is an e-mail straight to Hilliard corporation who supplies Polaris.


I wrote to Matt Cowen, the Engineering Product Manager at Hilliard Corporation and asked a few questions about the Hilliard Overrunning Clutch used in the Sportsman ATV's.

First my questions, followed by the response from Hilliard with their permission to share the information:

1) I regularly engage the AWD clutch for 4-wheel engine braking by causing the rear wheels to slip in reverse, stopping, then putting the machine in forward before descending the hill. Will this harm the clutch at all?

2) When I perform the above maneuver the clutch remains engaged, even while powering forward, until I switch off the AWD engaging coil. Is this normal operation for the clutch?

3) Is there a way to engage the clutch prior to wheel-spin, allowing me on-demand AWD?

----

Mr. Anderson,

The condition that you are asking about above is called "wedging". What you are doing is locking the rolls in the reverse profile of the clutch (it is a bi-directional clutch set-up) and proceeding in the forward direction thus not allowing the clutch to overrun (which is the normal condition). This in turn locks up the drive train and makes the system steer like a fully locked differential. This condition is

Advantageous if going down a steep hill because it will only allow the front wheels to move as fast as the drive train. This will fully utilize the engine brake because when going downhill the weight distribution of the bike goes to the front end and that is where you want the majority of your traction.

This "wedging" will not hurt the front gear case, but it could accelerate the wear of the drive train components (such as the front prop shaft) because it does completely bind up the system and the bike will be very difficult to steer. Because of the binding and additional steering effort, neither Hilliard nor Polaris will recommend doing this.

You can get the system out of the "wedging" condition without turning the power off to the AWD system, but it is very difficult and not always repeatable. The only true, 100% way to release the clutch is to turn the power off and put the bike in reverse. This will release the pressure on the clutch and the springs inside the clutch will return the rollers back to the neutral position.

To answer #3, there is no way to drive the front wheels at the same time as the rear wheels without the rear wheels slipping. The bike is geared to have a 20% speed difference from the back to the front.

This means that it takes the rear wheel to slip or spin 20% (1/5th of a rear tire revolution) before the front wheel to drive the system. This is necessary to give the bike a tight turning radius and to prevent the bike from automatically "wedging". If the front to rear ratio was 1:1, every time you turn the handle bars even slightly, the front wheels would act like they have a fully locked differential and it would take you 30 feet to turn a 90 degree turn (like driving a new Kawasaki Prairie with the front gearcase locked). Because when you turn, all of the wheels on the bike are now moving at different speeds dictated by the ground speed, and the front clutch would not be able to overrun. With the 20% speed difference, the AWD can be on all the time and it will only be there when you need it. You won't get any of the side effects of all the other systems that don't allow you to turn the 4wd on and off. Basically, having the front wheels driving the same speed as the rear wheels would be like driving a tank and would be hard on the arms
and not very fun.

I hope I have answered all of your questions and not confused you to much. Browse through the overrunning clutch section on the Hilliard web site (http://www.hilliardcorp.com) for more info on how overrunning clutches work if you have any more questions. Have a good day.

Thanks,

Matt Cowen

Engineering Product Manager

Drive Train Products

Hilliard Corporation


phone: (607) 733-7121 ext. 376

fax: (607) 733-1045
END QUOTE FROM SNOWRIDE OF ATVFRONTIER.COM:

That would explain why my old Explorer wouldn't turn after I backed up with it locked in. It was a nightmare and almost drove me off a cliff 'cause I couldn't turn. BTW Viking - the link you have is dead.

If you hubs won't disingage you should clean them and change the oil in them.

All the links do not work...I guess they didn't want us sharing info.

I have a 1999 Xplorer and a 2002 325 magnum can i do this 4wd breaking wiht it?

I tried to click on the awd engine braking at atvquad but nothing would not let me bring anything up. Can you tell us how it works? Thanks

lewy wrote:

You may also want to check this out: www.atvfrontier.com/Kn...d=120.html

Flemdog try this link

Funny you posted this today. I was hunting in upstate NY this morning and nosed my machine into the woodline off of a hayfield. I parked on a bit of a downslope and when I backed out I used 4 wheel drive.
As I was driving down the trail towards a dirt road I couldn't figure out why the machine felt so funny. When I got on the road and hit about 30mph it felt like I didnt't have good control.

I have a 06 Polaris 800 and the engine braking is on the rears only , this took some getting used to. First i found that when going down hill i would shift to high range which made a world of difference and then touch the throttle once in awhile to engage the engine , that would help the rears from skidding and then found that it is ok to use the brake hard if needed. I took some time but i can take her up or down some very step hills and not worry now that i found how to ride it. I found it takes some time to get use to this machine but i just can't say enough good about this 800 machine.

I remember the old manual tranys, and all you had to do is put it in first a bit of gas and you had a kind of engine breaking.

If that did not do enough you could put it in REV and lightly press the gass and you had engine braking when going down a hill

I still say manual tranys are better for the rough spots and towing.