# forman 400



## bstomper (Jan 9, 2012)

Hello, I am new here and found this forum from a member here that was on another forum. Been doing some looking and thought I would join and get some much needed help. Cool place. 
I have a 97 forman 400 and while plowing snow today the manual transmission got stuck in reverse and will not come out. Have any of you have any ideas what could be wrong.


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## Polaris425 (Dec 16, 2004)

Blown fuse?


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## bstomper (Jan 9, 2012)

No, I don't think so, I could see it if it was a electronic shift but it is a manual transmission.


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## Polaris425 (Dec 16, 2004)

I missed the manual part sorry....


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## Waddaman (Oct 3, 2010)

Im not sure how then manuals work, but in way back when there was alot less electronics on ATV's so it's probably mechanical. Not sure how your bike is set up, but check to make sure your clutch cable isn't frozen or broken, and check your shifter to see if you spun it on the splines or something of that nature. It would also help if you let us know if there was a snap? pop? any noise or feel that would cause this while you were plowing?


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## bstomper (Jan 9, 2012)

The shifter is good and solid and has not spun and I never heard any snap or clunk. When I shift it it sounds like it always has but nothing happens. It has a cable that has to get pulled when putting it in reverse and then to get it out of reverse you just lift up on the shifter. I will check and see if the cable is stuck from putting it in reverse. It is definatly froze because it is inside my heated shop.


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## bstomper (Jan 9, 2012)

Cable look fine.


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## rajunxcajun55 (Jul 19, 2011)

My rancher did that for a while, if you back up it would make the shifter fork slide forward and you wouldnt be able to change gears, turned out i forgot to put a washer in, somewhere in the assembly when i did my gear reduction. So maybe your shifter fork is going bad? Can you still move the foot shift or is it frozen?


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## bstomper (Jan 9, 2012)

The foot shifter functions normaly, just that nothing happens. Thats what I thought from looking at the service manual, bad shifter fork. I have the service manual and from what I can see, it looks like I have to pull the engine to get at the shifter fork. Is this correct. Did you have to pull the engine to get at it?


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## YellowSubmarineCB (Mar 7, 2011)

U just have to pull the front cover off. I usually just drain the oil & stand it up on the back rack & remove the front tires, makes it easier to work on. i'd be willing to bet it's the fork. Ive seen a few times a stick hit the shifter hard enough to break it. I bought a rancher es stuck in reverse & it was the fork. I dont know for sure what yr ur bike is, but i just picked a 99 foreman 400. Its parts 11,12,13,14,15,17, about $44, but u may be able to just replace whats broken in yours.


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## bstomper (Jan 9, 2012)

Thanks. I will check it out. I haven't had time to look at it yet because it's sledding season, but I will soon.


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