The drive belt on the Polaris Sportsman 500 connects the drive pulley and the driven pulley. The belt transmits power to the pulleys and is an important link to the operation of the Sportsman 500. Proper care and maintenance of the drive belt is necessary to ensure top performance. While drive belts do not have a set replacement period, belt wear will affect clutch operation, so it is important to check the belt often.
Remove the outer drive belt cover using a Philips screwdriver. The cover has a total of five screws that need to be removed. Place the screws inside the cover and set it aside for future replacement.
Push against the inner sheave of the driven pulley to release tension on the belt. While maintaining pressure on the inner sheave, rotate the pulley clockwise to separate the pulley, and roll the belt out of the pulley.
Inspect the belt for wear. If the belt has severely frayed edges, or is in worn condition, discard the belt. If it is in reasonable condition with little wear, the belt may be used as a back up belt.
Inspect the manufacturer's directional markings on the new drive belt. Place the belt facing forward over the left pulley, and roll the opposite end over the right pulley. Rotate the inner sheave on the right pulley counterclockwise to engage the new drive belt into proper position.
Place the drive belt cover into position and tighten in place using the screwdriver.
Start the ATV and slowly increase the throttle until the drive belt engages the drive train.
