This is a rear diff out of a polaris 500 ranger. I have started the retrofit process. New axles cut off and welded to mini spool (chevy) side shaft splines.

 

So do you know how to retrofit the Yamaha rear differential so it can be locked as it normally is and also switched to only have one drive wheel?

 

The plan is to install the polaris differential. It looks to be well built ,and it is lockable. This unit still drives on both rear wheels just like your car. If the need arises, lock it and it spins both tires equally.

 

Let us know how it works. Turf mode would be great

 

Good job, looks great and it will be fantastic to have a normal rear diff in the Viking. There was a fair bit of discussion on here years ago about doing this, my idea was to get a Viking front diff (which is limited slip and lockable of course), and fit that into the rear. Use a separate switch to activate the rear locker so that both diffs can be locked independently of each other.

 

I haven't taken my viking apart yet, but I am getting close. Just trying to make sure I have enough stuff to get it back together asap. The axles will be shorter, the drive shaft will be shorter. I am also thinking I can install it with-out any modifications to the frame. I have purchased new aftermarket axles and are modifying these instead of my factory parts. I still have to come up with a shifter. Electric or manual? I don't think I will need to lock it very often in its current role. I use it for a maintenance vehicle on our farm. I pull a trailer regularly with our zero turn mower on board. This is a 12 mile round trip. It is a super machine , I just hate how it lurches and bucks on every corner,hardly turns at all when you load the bed and tearing up our lawn. We just purchased a small John deere gator that is so much better and friendlier in our yard, but is really under powered, lacking speed and ride.

 

Are they the same ratio? 4wd on a hard surface may cause some problems if not.

 

Best I can figure the viking ratio it is 3.66666
The the best I can figure the polaris ratio it is 3.67
This would be the same difference as a 1/8" diameter tire difference. So it will work fine. You could literally match ratio with air pressure in the tires. Right now most of us are running smaller tires on the rear.

 

Hi it's installed

 

It's installed

 

 

I am very happy to share that the polaris differential is installed and working wonderfully. No more bucking and jumping during corners. I also installed a polaris manual shift lever and cable.

 

 

 

 

Shortened the axles.

 

Excellent work going on in that garage!

 

nice work,i could have used your diff yesterday as i found with the diff locked up and my aggressive chains i had a hard time steering my machine.

 

You should start making kits of these to sell, it might turn into a good business.

 

That's fantastic, I'm going to look at doing one for myself as I hate the locked diff on my Viking, it digs up all my farm tracks. How did you go about getting the input shaft into the new diff dead straight, seeing that the diff mounting points were all different?

 

I started with the drive shaft. Aligned everything from there.

 

I now have 3000 miles on the polaris diff, the original only had 600 when I surgically removed it. I have not babied it, it has worked very hard at times. I'm very happy with the results. And a totally different machine to drive. Much more enjoyable! I wish Yamaha would install one because it really is a good machine.

 

Nice. Is this your thread? Did you join again under a new user name or did you follow this and build yours the same way?

 

Thanks for the update. Updates are helpful.