# 05 500HO front diff question



## canntfly (Jan 24, 2012)

What locks and unlocks the front diff in my atp? In awd I can turn both tires when jacked up, the drive shaft is locked in gear. When I was giving her in awd the front wheel tried to spin so I jacked it up again but the front diff defeniatly was not engaged.


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## Polaris425 (Dec 16, 2004)

dont quite understand _"When I was giving her in awd"_

If you were in awd, then the front wheels SHOULD spin...


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## canntfly (Jan 24, 2012)

I meant when I had it in all wheel drive in the mud/ dirt I hit the throttle to spin the tires and it seemed like one wheel would spin or break loose but not both tires. But when I jacked it up again the front diff was not locked


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## Polaris425 (Dec 16, 2004)

Well it could be one of several things. I THINK the '05's still had struts on them on the front right? The wire could have gotten pulled out or broke, that runs down to the hub. Your hub could be full of crud & need to be drained/filled with fresh hub oil. Worse case scenario you could have busted a CV but I would think you'd know if that had happened. 

If your hub is dry that rear seal could be messed up. It's not hard to change.


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## canntfly (Jan 24, 2012)

Yea the cvs are good. Well I guess tonight I will check out the wires and if not then I guess I will pull the front diff out and check the insides. I was told by another guy that on these there has to be rear diff slip before the front diff will engage? Is that true?


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## Polaris425 (Dec 16, 2004)

That's how it's designed yes.

But, if you have one that has struts/hubs design, then to my knowledge all of those engage at the hub, not the diff. Unless they changed something along the way. Now I know all the newer ones engage at the diff... but the older ones, like my 2000 Xpedition, engaged at the hub.


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## canntfly (Jan 24, 2012)

Np I am pretty sure it engages in the diff as the cv bolts right to the hub and yes it has the strut suspension


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## Polaris425 (Dec 16, 2004)

If you jack it up and spin it w/ it unlocked (in 2wd) and the axle doesnt move with it, it engages at the hub. If it spins w/ the tire, it engages at the diff.


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## bowhuntr (Jan 30, 2011)

Yea it engages in the diff, and it is a strut suspension design. You might have something messed up in the diff?

Good luck.


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