Polaris Ranger 500 service schedule

1. Park on level ground, engine off, key out.
2. Front propshaft yoke: no more than 3 pumps of U-joint grease. Also grease it before storage and after pressure washing or going through deep water.
3. Grease the other fittings and lubricate the pivots and cables.
4. Check the shift linkage works cleanly in every gear; adjust if gears clash or will not engage.

Tools: Grease gun

1. Stop the engine, take the key out and let the PVT cool.
2. Remove the PVT cover and look for cracks, glazing, missing cogs or a worn edge on the belt.
3. Check the belt deflection (2009: 28.6 mm). Adjusting it means adding or removing shims in the driven clutch; see the service manual.
4. Clean dust out of the PVT housing and refit the cover.
5. After driving through water, drain the PVT housing if your model has a drain plug.

Tools: Socket set for the PVT cover, Straight edge and rule

1. Park on level ground and run the engine for 2–3 minutes to warm the oil, then stop it and take the key out.
2. The oil tank is under the seat on the driver's side. Clean round the drain plug at the bottom of the tank and put the tray underneath. Hot oil burns, so wear gloves.
3. Remove the drain plug and let the tank drain fully. Fit a new sealing washer and refit the plug at 19 N·m (14 ft-lb).
4. Loosen the clamp and pull the oil hose off the screen fitting at the bottom of the tank. Unscrew the fitting and clean the screen.
5. Put Loctite 565 on the clean threads, screw the fitting in at least 2½ turns and on until the nipple lines up with the mark on the tank (no more than 34 N·m). Refit the hose and clamp.
6. With towels underneath, unscrew the filter. Wipe the sealing face, oil the new filter's O-ring and screw it on until it touches, then a further ½ turn.
7. Fill the tank with 1.9 L (2 qt) of PS-4 PLUS 2W-50.
8. Because the oil hose was off, prime the pump: pinch the tank vent hose about 50 mm from the tank, run the engine for 10–20 seconds, then release the hose. You should hear air escape; if not, repeat.
9. Check for leaks, then check the level: run the engine 20–30 seconds, stop, screw the dipstick fully in and read it. Keep it in the NORMAL range and do not overfill.

Tools: Drain tray (3 L), Oil filter wrench (Polaris PV-43527), Torque wrench, Loctite 565 thread sealant, Funnel, Gloves

1. Only work on a cold engine. Take the key out and remove the seat base.
2. Pull off the plug lead, remove the plug and stuff a clean rag in the hole. Check the plug and set the gap to 0.9 mm, or replace it.
3. Remove the rocker cover and the PVT cover. Turn the engine with the drive clutch until the piston is at top dead centre on the compression stroke (T mark in the timing hole).
4. Check both valves with a 0.15 mm feeler gauge; adjust the screw until there is a slight drag, hold it and tighten the locknut, then recheck.
5. Refit the covers with a good gasket and refit the plug and lead.

Tools: Feeler gauge (0.15 mm), 10 mm spanner and screwdriver, Plug spanner, Torch

1. Park on level ground, engine off, key out, wheels chocked.
2. Check the fluid is between MAX and MIN on the master cylinder reservoir in the front left wheel well.
3. Check the pads on each calliper and replace them when the friction material is down to 1 mm.
4. Check the parking brake: the BRAKE light should come on after 2–3 clicks and the vehicle should not roll after 8 clicks. Adjust the cable if not.
5. Every 2 years have the fluid changed and the brakes bled. Brake fluid strips paint, so wipe spills at once.

Tools: Vernier or rule, Torch, Bleed tube and jar

1. Stop the engine and take the key out. Lift the cargo box to reach the airbox cover.
2. Unhook the two clips, remove the cover and check its seal sticks tightly to the cover.
3. Lift out the filter. If it is soaked with fuel or oil, replace it. Do not wash the main filter; if it needs more than a light blow-out from the inside, replace it.
4. Clean oil or water out of the airbox, put a little grease on the filter sealing faces, refit the filter firmly and clip the cover on.
5. Drain the airbox sediment tube if you can see deposits in it.
6. Engine intake baffle (under the hood) and PVT intake baffle (under the cargo box): take out each foam element, clean it in high flash-point solvent then hot soapy water, rinse, dry and refit. Never run without them.

Tools: Low-pressure compressed air, High flash-point solvent, Warm soapy water

1. Park on level ground, engine off, key out. Check each vent hose is routed properly and not blocked.
2. Transmission (rear right): remove the fill plug, then the drain plug through the skid plate. Clean the magnetic drain plug, refit with a new O-ring at 14–19 N·m and fill with AGL to the bottom of the fill hole threads. Refit the fill plug.
3. Front gearcase (2009): remove the front bumper to reach the fill plug. Drain through the skid plate, clean the drain plug, refit at 11–14 N·m and fill with Demand Drive fluid to the bottom of the fill hole threads. Refit the bumper: upper side fixings 41 N·m, lower bolts 19 N·m, screen screws 6–8 N·m.
4. Rear gearcase: remove the fill plug, drain from the bottom right, clean and refit the drain plug (2009: 3–5 N·m) and fill with Angle Drive Fluid to the bottom of the fill hole threads. Refit the fill plug (2009: 54–68 N·m).
5. Do not overfill any of them. Check for leaks and dispose of the old oil properly.

Tools: Drain tray, Torque wrench, Oil pump or squeeze bottle, Rags

1. Only work on a cold engine. Never remove the pressure cap warm or hot: steam and coolant can scald.
2. Drain the coolant into a tray and collect it all: it is poisonous to animals.
3. Refill with Polaris 60/40 premix (do not dilute it) or a 50/50 mix of antifreeze and distilled water. Never use tap water or plain water.
4. Fill the radiator neck, refit the cap, and fill the recovery bottle to MAX.
5. Run the engine and watch for trapped air; top up when cold. Hose clamps are only 4 N·m: overtightening distorts the radiator fittings.
6. Check the hoses for cracks or leaks and keep the radiator fins clean.

Tools: Drain tray (4 L), Funnel, Antifreeze hydrometer, Gloves