Battery; Rim Inspection; Safety Precautions - Polaris 1999 Sportsman 400 Service Manual

56
C HA PTER THREE
aged or severely worn tires immedi-
ately.
r- - - - - - - -.
I I
I I
While a battery is being charged, high ly explo-
sive hydrogen gas forms in each cell. Some of this
gas escapes through filler cap openings and may
fonn an exp los ive atmosphere in and around
the
battery.
This co ndition can persist for several hours.
Sparks, an open flame
or
a
lit
cigarette can ignite
the
gas, causing an ex plos io n and possible serio us per-
sonal injury.
Note the fo llowing precautions to prevent an ex -
plosi on:
When working with a battery. use extreme care
to
avoid spilling or splashing the electrol yte. This so-
lution contains sulfuric acid , which will ruin clo th-
ing and cause serious chemical skin bums. If any
electrolyte is spilled or splashed on clothing or skin,
immediately neutralize it with a so lution of baking
so da and water, then
flush with
an abundance
of
clean
water.
WARNIN G
Electrolyte splashed into the eyes is
extremely harmful. Always wear eye
pro tection while working with
a
bat-
tel)'. If' electrolyte ge ts into the eyes,
call a phys ician imm ediately. Force
the eyes open
([11£1
flood them with
coo l, clean water
fo r
approximately
15 minutes.
Rim Inspection
BATTE RY
Safety Precautions
The battery is an important component in the
electrical system, Yet most electrical system trou-
bles can be traced to battery neglect. Therefore,
clean and inspect the battery and electrolyte level
once each wee k.
On all mode ls covered in this manual, the nega-
tive side is grounded. Wh en remo ving the battery,
disconnect the negativ e cable first, then the positive
cable. This minimizes the cha nce of a too l shorting
to ground when disconnecting the positive battery
cable.
Frequently inspect the condition of the wheel
rims, espec ially the outer side. If the wheel has hit a
tree or large rock, rim damage may be sufficient to
cause an air leak or knock it out of alignment. Im-
proper wheel alignment can cause severe vibration
and result in an
unsafe
riding condition.
Make sure the wheel lug aut s are securely in
place on all wheels, If they are loose, the whee l
could damage the hub studs or fall off Tighten
wheel lug nuts to the torque spec ification listed in
Ta ble 5.