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4wd not disengaging after being put in 2wd

1050 Views 9 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  BDubb805
I promise I have searched multiple threads for about an hour and have only seen this issue going the opposite direction. I have inherited my first "new to me" 2019 XP 4 1000 that runs perfect in 2wd. The alignment is good and tracks straight with no issues. When I put it in 4wd there is what I feel has to be an abnormal vibration (I want to say rub or a grind but don't feel those words are accurate), and it will suddenly pull hard to the left out of nowhere like one of the front wheels is disengaging out of 4wd while the other is still in. When I switch it back into 2wd the display shows only the rear wheels as engaged, but the front wheels will still be engaged with the vibration and pulling to the left. I stopped, turned it off for about a minute, turned it back on in 2wd and 4wd was still engaged. After about 3-5 minutes it disengages back into 2wd and runs perfectly fine again. It is a repeatable issue every time and whether I turn it off or just drive the whole time it always changes back after the 3-5 minutes. I tried reversing, stopping, switching while coasting and had no different outcome. It has already been back to the last shop that worked on it, they pulled the front diff and found absolutely nothing wrong. This shop is supposedly a certified Polaris shop. They are sending me to a specialty shop in Phoenix AZ (Sandcraft I believe) who wants the diff already pulled for them to inspect. Before I do that I want to make sure that is where the issue may be and that it isn't something else I can test for. I am a moderately capable "mechanic", but have never worked on a RZR before. Any thoughts or direction to any other threads I couldn't fine would be greatly appreciated.
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You might have a broken front axle. That is the most common problem I have seen that would cause a pulling to one side. It could also be causing abnormal noise in the driveline in 4wd. I don't know if that would cause it to stick in 4wd too but it is possible.
I will take a look at that tomorrow morning. Would that be an intermittent thing though or more constant? I'm not second guessing you, I am just trying to understand. I will youtube what specifically to look for with the axle. I have worked on cars and dirt bikes for a long time, but this is all new territory for me and i'm excited to learn.
Check out YouTube videos on how the Hilliard front diff works.
I checked the axles this morning and they seem like they are solid. I have seen a few videos of how that works, but will definitely watch them with more intention to learn that. Is there a computer brain anywhere between the switch and the front diff? As I am typing this I am realizing that the videos you just told me to watch might tell me that, but with a shop telling me that they pulled everything and couldn't find anything wrong (I definitely take that with a grain of salt, but still) some kind of signal mixup or miscommunication somewhere seems like it could make sense unless it doesn't work like that.
When it is stuck in 4wd, you could unplug the wires to the diff and see if that unlocks it.
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I know it weird- had a clients doing the same thing, I took it for a spin and it was pulling hard to the left, I backed it up about 40 yards and now everything is fine .. Doesn't make sense- unless it released the torque, this was with the switch in the off position.... I know it doesn't work this way🤷‍♂️
Hasn't given him a fit in 500 miles ... It was a N/C fix .. LOL !!!🎅
I checked the axles this morning and they seem like they are solid. I have seen a few videos of how that works, but will definitely watch them with more intention to learn that. Is there a computer brain anywhere between the switch and the front diff? As I am typing this I am realizing that the videos you just told me to watch might tell me that, but with a shop telling me that they pulled everything and couldn't find anything wrong (I definitely take that with a grain of salt, but still) some kind of signal mixup or miscommunication somewhere seems like it could make sense unless it doesn't work like that.
It sounds like you have a front diff issue. If one axle isn't broken then the power difference or the pull to one side could be internal to the diff.

If you put your machine on jack stands, the front tires should spin freely like a 2wd vehicle, this is regardless of the vehicle running or not, in Park or R,L,H. If it doesn't spin free something is damaged inside the front diff.

If you turn on the machine and put in gear with slight gas, the back tires should turn the front should not in 2wd. In 4wd they all should turn when above 3000 rpm. When switched back to 2wd only the rear should turn. I should not have to say it, but don't give it the beans with it on 4 jack stands. Slow and steady. If it doesn't disengage in 2wd something is wrong with the front diff. ( you could unplug the front diff to assure no power is there if stuck in 4wd. )

The signal to the front diff does go through the computer. All the computer does is check that you are below a certain RPM before it engages the front diff, around 3000 rpm. All this does is prevent damage to the front diff from an engagement with extreme differences between the front and rear tire speed, which could damage the front diff.

It is also my understanding the front diff has power all the time and the switch to engage completes the negative side of the circuit, I have never had to verify this.

Good luck with your fix.
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I promise I have searched multiple threads for about an hour and have only seen this issue going the opposite direction. I have inherited my first "new to me" 2019 XP 4 1000 that runs perfect in 2wd. The alignment is good and tracks straight with no issues. When I put it in 4wd there is what I feel has to be an abnormal vibration (I want to say rub or a grind but don't feel those words are accurate), and it will suddenly pull hard to the left out of nowhere like one of the front wheels is disengaging out of 4wd while the other is still in. When I switch it back into 2wd the display shows only the rear wheels as engaged, but the front wheels will still be engaged with the vibration and pulling to the left. I stopped, turned it off for about a minute, turned it back on in 2wd and 4wd was still engaged. After about 3-5 minutes it disengages back into 2wd and runs perfectly fine again. It is a repeatable issue every time and whether I turn it off or just drive the whole time it always changes back after the 3-5 minutes. I tried reversing, stopping, switching while coasting and had no different outcome. It has already been back to the last shop that worked on it, they pulled the front diff and found absolutely nothing wrong. This shop is supposedly a certified Polaris shop. They are sending me to a specialty shop in Phoenix AZ (Sandcraft I believe) who wants the diff already pulled for them to inspect. Before I do that I want to make sure that is where the issue may be and that it isn't something else I can test for. I am a moderately capable "mechanic", but have never worked on a RZR before. Any thoughts or direction to any other threads I couldn't fine would be greatly appreciated.
Could be a front caliper dragging... that will cause that exact symptom... it won't let that side of the differential mechanically release.
Thank you everyone for your thoughts. I will try to get it up on jacks and check that before my Dad (who I am inheriting this from) says "screw it" and takes it to another shop. Most of why I'm on here is to try to learn all this stuff. Not having a vehicle based background means lots more moving parts to learn about but i'm excited to have another reason for my wife to be pissed at me for going down rabbit holes with!!
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