Lesson Learned..

[OtisBlkR1]

I purchased my 2009 Polaris Ranger 700XP used last summer from a buddy at work. It had fairly low hours & miles. I instantly contacted the service department at the local Polaris dealer where he took it for the past two years for all service needs.

I asked the service manager if anything had been done other than oil changes and he stated NO, Other fluids only get changed every 250HRS... Ok.

So i enjoyed the machine last summer and fall and even some through the winter.
As its spring and i have close to 230 hours on the machine i decided to get a jump start on the "250" hour maintence.

I pulled the plug on the rear diff.. The approx 12 ounces that came out were just UGLY/FOUL/down right SCARY!! I cringed and put Redline 75/90 SYN gear oil back in it.. After a quick ride i could tell a MONSTER difference in the way the driveline felt..

So i stopped and overpaid at Polaris and got the front Diff fluid (ive heard its just type F transmission fluid) and Transmission/Transfer case oil (heard its the same thing).. Dunno, but $40.00 and three quarts of fluid later i walked out knowing i just got ripped off but i have a all day Off-road park ride Saturday that i need to get ready for.. so no time to cross reference fluids to save a few bucks..

Im sure the other fluids are just as scary looking, im going to drain them tonight after work and complete the service..

The point to this long post is if i would have just opened up the factory owners manual there is of course a maintence chart showing that all fluids get changed annualy.. not just at 250hrs.. so i had fluids in my Ranger that were two years overdue for fresh fluids.

I will verify information like this for myself in the future.. Im a BITOG'er I SHOULDA KNOWN BETTER...

 

[sleddriver]

Even BITOG'ers are human! And life is crazy-fast these days...

 

[OtisBlkR1]

Thanks, i am maintaining a fairly good size auto and small engine fleet.. lot to remember.

 

[ccdhowell]

I'm always dumbfounded when I read an owner's or shop manual for the first time on a new quad. I can't believe the manufacture's specify such long OCIs for their equipment. I believe that somehow they are in a fantasy world as to how their machines get used most of the time. I have 6 quads, 4 wet clutch with oil changes at 3 to 6 hours. My 2 cvt machines I can go a little longer, but not more than 10 hours ever. Do a used oil analysis on your engine oil at 10 hours and you would be surprised at the level of shearing. I know your Ranger is a CVT transmission and the engine works hard in the mid and upper range much of the time, just the nature of the beast. I think that annual diff and transmission changes would be fine as long as it stays fairly dry; dunk it once and there's another fluid change.

Enjoy your weekend ride!

 

[OtisBlkR1]

yeah, they recomend 50hrs for oil changes (funny, this is the same as my 24hp B&S garden tractor) I will say that 80% of the time my ranger leads a fairly pampered life, it gets country cruised on gravel roads more than anything else, ive done some hauling and towing with it but its mostly for family fun.. I know color means little but with 30 hours currently on this oil change the oil still looks pretty perfect, hardly used.. and its a 50WT