Polaris sportsman 500 HO repair

My dad and I bought this ATV new in 04, as an early release 05 model.

Polaris sportsman 500HO.
It's been great, but recently it started having issues charging. Mom needed electric start, so isn't the recoil starter was not an option. So she got the new kodiak 450.

Long story short, she took it into get fixed at an independent repair shop. I told her that it should've been taken to the Polaris dealer which was closer. Instead, the guy tried to replace the regulator, and ultimately the new regulator went and took out a new battery. Mom got the guy to refund her money, ~$400, and she says to take the wheeler. Ok. It's been great for the better part of 15-16 yrs.

So I'll need to thoroughly check the stator, as the repair guy thought that that was the reason why the regulator went and took out the battery. We'll see. As well built as these machines are, the Stators and regulators are weak points from the factory. There's a good amount of aftermarket replacements that are less money, and are made better than the stock stuff. Looking on the internet, you'll see a good number of posts and videos on how to fix these items. The regulator is easy, just under the front plastic, so it's more work to r&r the regulator than it should be. Have to remove the front rack I think.

The stator is apparently it easy for a stator.

I'll do more work and research later.

But I'll need to thoroughly test the components, especially the stator. The regulator is easier.

 

Scooch over...

 

Make room..


Edit.. I'll need an aisle seat please.. All this beer ya know.

 

I'll just stay right here until the REAL movie starts.
I have plenty...

 

Slide over, one more coming in.

 

What's up with the bucket on the back Horkn ?

 

Ahh.. there's the million dollar question.

When the quad was nearly new, I bought dad this 5 gallon bucket holder that could hold 3 of them at the back of the ATV.

Well, mom used the bucket holder to put 2 or 3 5 gallon buckets on it. She's full then full of crap. I'd actually have preferred poop to this garbage holding contraption. . The guy news from this eyesore is that it probably kept my mom from backing up the ATV into trees and such, as the round hoops took the damage. Here's the thing, in question.

So this bucket is metal and dented. The steel hoops are been too. So this bucket would not come out. I tried sledgehammering it out. Nope.

Well I ran out of time and knew it would stay the 200+ miles mostly freeway 70 + mph no issue.

The sawzall will take care of the bucket. The rack that hold the buckets I'll take off and probably modify to be saw scabbards.

 

Man it's getting crowded in here....

 

It's why I stayed home. Gotta' be careful of the Corona virus. I heard it's something to do with beer.

 

I have to verify the parts I need, as this was a tweener year for Polaris. It's got slightly different front and rear racks than the older sportsman models, but not the slightly later types with the in rack flip up storage. The changes are also under hood. Some models the regulator was built into the ECM. This isn't one of those thankfully. Those are pricey.

The old part was ziptied to the handlebars.

It looks like this.

Even though this was listed on several sites to be for a couple year older sportsman 500HO models. Again, this was a tweener year for the sportsman. They wanted to upgrade the look a bit, but were not quite ready to release the EFI model.

Reading a bit more, if the regulator goes, it can roast a battery by allowing too much voltage and the battery doesn't do well with that.

I'm hoping it's the regulator only, as that I can get the one I show for as little as 30 bucks, but a different one that's got a better warranty and more people use them with great results that's under $70. It'll needed a battery too. Once I get it running, I'll do an oil change and then get it ready for work in the woods.

 

I knew those Corona guys were trouble...

 

No limes were harmed in the drinking of my Point Special or Point Bock.

 

Not sure on this one, but in some regulators they ground through the mount, bad ground equals "poof".

Also, I am a big fan gel batteries now...

 

I like the AGM batteries too. They seem way more reliable.

 

Check around for bare/grounded wires from mice chewing. They got into the cooling fan wires on mine a couple years ago. Hard to see the idiot light in 90* sun. Bastages

 

This could be the the cheap and easy full fix if I need a stator though.

I'll have to test the stator, obviously before I go any further. I'll also need to verify the VIN to make sure I get the correct parts.

 

If you need a stator recommendation, lmk. I did one for my cousin a year or two ago and it’s been good since. I can’t recall where we got it or the brand but I’m sure I can find out.

 

That one is so cheap, I would be leery of it without some serious investigation...

 

Yeah, I agree, but it's caltric brand, and that brand had a lot of good reviews.

I'm pretty sure caltric is the brand if regulator that I put on the bayou. That one works great.