Just venting. 2004 polaris ranger 6W. Love it, but it finally let me down and is on the DL. Right rear bearing failed. I could not tell anything was wrong at all until it sheared off the lugs, trashed the rim by wallowing out the holes, and ruined the hub flanges. New hub, new rim, tire remounted, new lugs, new bearing ordered in. Outer sleeve bearing was locked up and splined axle would not pull it out out. That thing wouldn't budge, even after being hosed down with penetrating oil to free it up. Disconnected everything and dropped the whole rear end and removed the right side outer pipe axle, pulled the splined axle out from the middle mounting end. Managed to tap the locked up sleeve bearing from the pipe. You'd think my problems were over and I could slap that ride back together, but NO.

After all that I find that the dang bearing the dealer ordered in for me is the wrong part! Looks nothing like the original, and though it fits the inner splined axle, it is the wrong outside diameter for the pipe and looks lighter duty. Arrgh. Now the whole project sits while I get the right part ordered in. May go ahead and change all bearings since I already have the thing dismantled on my trailer...

Rant over

Those early year model ones were bad about that if the boots got a cut in them allowing mud/water/dirt/dust inside the boot. I used to grab each tire at the 3 and 9 oclock position and rock it side to side if it move little if any the bearing was going out. One of the smoothest riding Rangers made.

Thats what I'd heard. I tried checking the tire but couldn't feel any real play on that back axle until I removed tire, brakes and hub to expose the spline. Then I could grab it and see that it had about a quarter inch of extra play. The good in all of this is it has me motivated to give the whole rig a good once over.

These rigs have no rear boots, but I have had to replace the front boots in the past. Running that machine through heavy brush like I had on my former lease was really rough on them. The place I bought has a lot less brush and a lot more rock.

My uncle has an earlier model polaris 6 wheeler, you ride on it like a 4-wheeler but it had tandem rear axle and a dump bed. Was an early to mid 90's model we rode it hard and put it up wet and its still going today. Its a 2 stroke loud as hell and smokes, but starts and has never let us down.

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So you are trying to get to 100 post are we??

I've ridden those too. The guy that owned it said his only complaint was the chain drive was temperamental and needing fixed periodically and he needed more hauling capacity. The rangers went to belt drive. I'm only on my second belt and its an easy fix compared to the bearing crap I'm doing now.