Polaris General 1000 Walk Around-Everything ATV UTV Reviews

Polaris has been pushing the limits in the ATV and SxS industry for years now.  They keep things exciting for us off-road warriors by consistently improving the capabilities and styling of their all-terrain offerings.  New for 2016, Polaris has again rocked the market with the Ranger General 1000!

We were able to get our hands on a Deluxe General 1000 for a walk around and to say we were impressed is a understatement.  It's no surprise that Polaris knows how to contour body lines with color schemes and this dual purpose UTV is a perfect match.  The styling makes a statement of a true sport utility vehicle with the right amount of both.  Not only does it look good on the initial look, but closer inspection of the way everything fits together really speaks volumes on the attention to detail and quality.

On the outside the General's color schemed a-arms, Fox gas shocks, painted black aluminum rims with Dirt Commander tires and multitude of bolt on accessories scream sport even when it's sitting still.  On the inside the General doesn't disappoint and has a true "WOW" factor.  The interior styling and finish reminded us of opening the door of a late model Jeep.  The seats look and feel much better quality over the 800 Rzr's, colored schemed to the exterior and look and feel really high end.

Factory Polaris accessories are abundant for the General and they've done a incredible job.  Bumpers, tree kickers and much more simply bolt on without hassle.  If you can't find what you're looking for from the factory don't worry, plenty of companies out there with alternative product lines.  Polaris allows folks to finance these items in with the initial purchase.

To sum our walk around of the new General 1000 up we can say it truly is impressive.  Everywhere you look on the General you see attention to detail and a great understanding of how things mesh.  These UTV's are certainly worth the new customer taking a serious look at.

Polaris General Front Differential Fluid Change: 7.5 Oz. Capacity

Changing the front differential fluid, also known as the Front Gearcase is a easy task.  The oil change is basically identical to all other Polaris ATV's and UTV's.  The fluid change requires only requires one tool and a couple minutes to complete.

Before getting started have everything you need on hand.
-Polaris Demand Drive Fluid (7.5 oz)
-8mm allen wrench
-catch pan

To make the fluid easier to drain warm it up by driving the General around for a couple minutes.  After warming it up park the General on level ground and place the catch pan under the front differential.  Next remove the 8mm allen style plug from the bottom of the differential, it's located via a hole in the skid plate.  As the old fluid drains remove the fill plug, it's located on the passenger side of the differential unit and is also a 8mm allen style plug.  Once the fluid has drained wipe any debris from the magnet drain plug and reinstall.  Some small debris is normal, but large shavings may indicate a problem within the gearcase.  The creative part is filling the differential with 7.5 oz of Demand Drive Fluid.  We general use a hose attached to the filler neck as seen in the video, but others have used turkey basters or funnels.  Once the front gearcase is full the fluid will be at the point of coming out the fill plug.

We would suggest performing this maintenance every 25 hours of use.  This may seem like a lot, but the front gearcase or differential is a costly repair.  A good  maintenance routine can save big bucks in the long term. 

What happened to the Polaris Rzr? Largest Recall in off-road Vehicle History.

As most readers already know we work on and review lots of ATV's and UTV's.  Recently on one of my many trips to our local Polaris dealer I noticed the show lot out front looked pretty bare.  Once inside I noticed that there were pages full of names posted on the parts room door.  As my trip to the Polaris Dealer lingered I overheard folks talking about a recall on the newest Rzr's.

So to clear things up it appears Polaris has recalled some models of the Rzr 900 and Rzr 1000 from 2013 to 2016.  This recall effects 133,000 units, including the current brand new 900 and 1000's at the dealerships.  The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports this is the largest recall in the history of off-road recreation vehicles.

The recall appears to have stemmed from a reported 160 Rzr fires, some which ignited when the vehicle tipped over.  It has been reported that 19 individuals have received injuries and one 15 year old girl died as a result of burns sustained.  In the recall announcement, CPSC officials noted that the reported injuries involving RZR machines included people who suffered first-, second- and third-degree burns.

As part of the recall, Polaris agreed to immediately suspend the sale of all of the affected RZR models until they are repaired. The company said it is sending recall letters to owners whose addresses are on file with the company, but it also urged owners to check the company’s website for the specific vehicle identification numbers involved in the recall. Repairs will be provided free of charge and service appointments should last about an hour, Polaris said.

LINK TO SOURCE 

Polaris General Transmission Fluid Change

Changing the transmission fluid or as Polaris refers to it as the Main Gearcase on the General 1000 is pain free.  The General's design allows for the average UTV owner to maintain the entire running gear with just a hand full of tools.  Before getting started make sure you have the following ready.

• 1.3 quarts of Polaris AGL Fluid
• 8mm allen wrench
• catch pan

Begin by locating the drain plug which can be found where the main and rear skid plate meet.  Remove the drain plug with a 8mm allen wrench.  The drain plug is magnetic so take notice to any debris on it and wipe clean.   As the old AGL Fluid drains locate the fill plug above the reese hitch and below the rear sway bar.  The clearance is tight accessing the transmission fill plug on the General, but is doable.  Once the fill plug is broke loose you can remove it entirely with your fingers.  To fill we used a clear tube attached to the nozzle as seen in the below video.  Once 1.3 ounces of AGL Fluid is installed, or it crests the fill plug hole, reinstall the fill plug.

Best way to change oil on the Polaris General 1000

The Ranger General 1000 has been designed to allow the owner with limited mechanical skills the ability to perform their own maintenance.  Changing oil on the General requires only one tool, a 6mm allen wrench, and less than 30 minutes.  Before getting started make sure you have the following ready or watch this How To Video.

• 2.5 qts. 5w-50 Synthetic Oil
• oil filter
• 6mm allen wrench
• catch pan

 Begin by removing the drain plug and allowing the oil to drain.  While the oil drains remove the oil filter, located on front of the engine and behind the cab.  The owners manual suggests accessing the oil filter from the drivers side and removing some ducting and hoses.  We were able to remove the oil filter from the passenger side without having to remove anything, but you will have to wait for the exhaust to cool.  There is enough room to get you're right hand and arm to the filter with this method.  The video below shows exactly how to do it.  Once the oil is drained reinstall the drain plug and oil filter and fill to 2.5 quarts oil.  After running the engine for a couple minutes and then allowing it to sit for a couple minutes check the oil level.

 

What you'll need to change all Polaris Ranger GENERAL Fluids at the 25 Hour First Service Interval

So you're new General 1000 has just reached the 25 hour break-in service interval.  Polaris doesn't give these Ranger General's away so it's important to follow their recommendations when it comes to service.  Three fluids need to be changed on this initial service: engine oil, transmission or main gearcase and front differential or front gearcase.

It can sometimes be a challenge to get all the fluids and tools together and just finding the time to complete the service.  We just completed the process and I've listed everything you'll need in order to complete the 25 hour break-in service.  I'd suggest using the Polaris recommended fluids at least until the warranty expires as it may save you from footing the bill for repairs.    
-All the below information and fluids can be seen by clicking this link.

Tools:

• 6mm allen wrench (oil drain plug)
• 8mm allen wrench (transmission & front differential drain & fill plugs)

Required for Engine:

• 2.5 qts. 5w-50 synthetic oil
• oil filter

Required for Transmission (Main Gearcase):

• 1.3 qts. Polaris AGL Fluid

Required for Front Differential (Front Gearcase)

• 7.5 ounces Polaris Demand Drive Fluid

 Each one of the fluid changes can be seen below by clicking on the text.
-Engine Oil Change, Polaris General 1000
-Transmission (Main Gearcase) Oil Change
-Front Differential (Front Gearcase) Oil Change

John Deere Gator Won't Go Into Gear

If you're John Deere Gator 825i and 620i won't go into gear there is a fairly simple fix for the issue.  Recently we ran across the problem on a 825i that had ran out of warranty.  The Gator had under a 100 hours of light use and had already been back to the dealership once for the problem.

This particular Gator 825i would shift between the gear ranges fairly easily with the UTV not running.  Once started it had to be forced into gear and was fairly obvious the synchronizers were taking a beating.  The problem seemed to get worse and worse until at last it had to be shut off to get it out of gear.

THE FIX:  After first checking the shift cables and console mounted shift mechanism itself we pulled the belt guard located behind the driver side rear tire.  After removing the cover and cycling the primary and secondary clutch through their motion it was obvious the primary clutch was not fully disengaging when idling.  The primary clutch is connected to the engine's crankshaft.  As result of the primary clutch not fully disengaging it was turning the secondary clutch.  The Gator 825i secondary clutch feeds into the transmission gearbox and the transmission was actually performing as it was designed, not allowing the Gator to pop out of gear when under load.

As for the fix, lightly spray penetrating oil on the primary clutch slides.  Start the Gator and again cycle the clutches by going from idle to full throttle and back to idle a couple times.  We then applied a thin layer of motor oil with our fingers to the slides.  Be careful not to get the belt or sheaves (area the belt rides in) oily.  The video below demonstrates the entire fix process on a Gator 825i.