Squeaky Front End (2011 500HO)

[500HOArcher]

Hey, I’m new here and I got I question, hope this is the correct place… anyway, I just got a 2011 500ho this past Friday and naturally I rode it Saturday and Sunday, not all-day rides and not any extreme riding, I put 9 miles on it while looking at new property for hunting, the issue I have is an extremely loud squeaking noise coming from the front of the quad, I’m thinking A-arm bushings or something with the shocks, every time the front suspension has to work i.e. up or down over bumps or when I push down on the front rack it makes the noise. I can hear the squeaking over the quad wile I’m riding and my buddy can hear it over his quad while he’s riding in front of me so it’s fairly loud. It didn’t make this noise from the get go, as near as I can pinpoint it starting is when I had to cross a stream that was probably 6 inches deep. Any thoughts or has anyone else had this issue?
Thanks in advance.
Brandon

[FuntanaS]

I would take it back to the dealer. Should be covered by warranty.

[jgobbels]

I just got a new 2011 550XP and I have the same noise after a 15 mile ride and a good wash. I'm betting you need to grease the Zerk fittings. From what Ive learned here on the forum most of these fittings are just neglected from the dealership and never greased when the ATV is setup for delivery. Now after a good ride and a wash the fittings/bushings are very, very dry.

Before taking it back to the dealer grease the fittings as recommended... You can find a good 2010 Manual on-line that shows all the locations... I'll be doing mine before the next ride.


Hope this helps,

john~

[SMP63]

I'v had mine since january & have'nt had that problem. its been in water up to the racks. i agree with the others, give it some grease!

[500HOArcher]

Thanks for the suggestions, I was going to try that, what kind of grease are you guys using?

[jgobbels]

AMSOIL

AMSOIL - Synthetic Water Resistant Lithium Complex Grease (GWR)

or Get it from your dealer.....



jfg

[jgobbels]

Just as an update--- I did my front end tonight and all (8) fittings required a good 6-8 pulls of the grease gun before I started seeing anything emerge from the sides of the bushings.

Polaris probably had a squirt in there but the dealer obviously did not fill them prior to delivery.


JFG~

[antoniodef]

Mine squeaks ridiculously as well. I don't think it squeaked this much at first. I know everything was greased, there is a glob of grease on each fitting. My rides aren't extensively long or suspension intensive, so it is either the grease hasn't worked it's way in or the bushing are still new and haven't broken in. Many people seem to comment about it, so I am not all that worried. Just a little annoyed.

[jgobbels]

Some people have commented that they have seen dealerships place a dab of grease on the fitting to give the impression that its been completed while the machine was never serviced as recommended.

Just my experience with a brand new machine - Mine were just about dry ~

The front took me about 20 minutes after I removed both front tires. The upper arm zerks are easier to get from the opposite side with the tires removed.

Hope this helps~


jfg

[Diesel man 03]

I don't think that a dealership would go to the trouble of putting a gob of grease on the zerks just to look like they greased when they really didn't, so just grease them again and see what happens.