ATV is a 1996 Polaris Sportsman 400. It was working in all wheel drive but now I am having trouble getting the AWD to engage, only rear tires are spinning. Does this have something to do with a drained battery?
AWD is pushbutton.

Is the throttle working fine? I mean can you go full power?

Is the throttle working fine? I mean can you go full power?

Yes, rear tires will spin.

Im told that with a dead battery the hubs will not engage,
also when you are in 4x4 there are 2 switches that need to be working,
the switch on your handle bars and a switch in the shifter,
in reverse there is an additional override switch that needs to be pushed

on my scrambler i have a twist grip and the stock awd button is part of the stock thumb throttle, so I have it wired from the switched side of the ignition thru a toggle switch to the hub wire (i think its the purple wire)

Its the hubs. Is there a good write up on this? You have to put synthetic fluid in there I am told.

Its the hubs. Is there a good write up on this? You have to put synthetic fluid in there I am told.

a polaris dealer will have hub oil,
here is a good writeup on serviceing the hubs
http://www.atvtime.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=116127&sid=00a5f6b5487aa0f67fc0c7a30cead999,
and a good polaris forum
http://www.gen3usa.com

I am a mechanic at a polaris shop, and yes the battery being dead will keep the 4x4 from working.

If you have a problem with it pulling to one side or the other you may have one hub dry, in which case you need to disassemble, clean and possibly replace a seal on the rear of the strut. only use the polaris demand drive fluid in the hubs.

You can change the fluid by removing the 3/16 allen and draining it. Then add fluid until it runs out of the hole with the hole positioned at 9 or 3 o'clock.

I will be posting pics of progress soon. Right side had very little fluid, left had more. Gotta find a snap ring pliers to borrow, tips on mine is too thick. My question is once I get everything back on, what am I supposed to torque the axle nut to? And lugnuts?

I dont remember the exact numbers for the axle nut. Snug it down and then spin the hub a few times. If you can, jack the whole machine up and rotate the rear tires so the axle shaft spins in the hub to set everything.

Then loosen the nut and just snug it down so the hub spins without binding. I think it's like 5 ftlbs or less. Don't forget the cotter pin.

The lugnuts are torqued to 29 ftlbs-ish if I remember right.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/mikew13/DSC01571.jpg

Very little fluid in the right side, it only would fill half of the bottom, I only shifted the fluid over to find that snap ring that popped out of my hands
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/mikew13/DSC01572.jpg

This bearing is the last bearing which goes in the race that is attached to the spindle. Is this worn?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/mikew13/DSC01574.jpg

Bearing shown above came out of this part. I feel a sight ridge where the bearings ride, you can barely feel it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/mikew13/DSC01575.jpg

Soaking bearings

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v122/mikew13/DSC01576.jpg

Pole clearance is good. Tested the magnetism system, it works.

Last thing for the night. I was wondering if there was a way to test the AWD system before adding oil. Can you just push the pushbutton and then see if the hubs lock in place and don't rotate?

Last thing for the night. I was wondering if there was a way to test the AWD system before adding oil. Can you just push the pushbutton and then see if the hubs lock in place and don't rotate?

I would...

If the magnets work when you turn the switch on, then the awd should work. They use a one way bearing that is activated by the magnet.

This area is taken care of. Now something is draining the battery. When you connect the battery with the key off, it will spark.