Almost had to walk home...Need a hand

[Ground Blizzard]

Here is the long and short of it. Brought my sled in to have the jackshaft replaced, the dealer did it while I waited since it's a 6hr rd trip for me. Everything seemed fine, after about 2 miles I started to loose speed then there was a ratcheting/grinding sound and then I could barley move. I knew the sound wasn't good but I had to try and make it home. Well I made it home, barley, and upon closer inspection I could see a really long bolt with a nut on it on the front of the chain case...chain tensionier? Called dealer confirmed that the bolt was what I thought it was. Drained and flushed the chain case, no big metal chucks just tons of shavings, re-tightened bolt and it sounded and seemed ok...until I test drove it. There is still a nasty noise , I know it will have to go back to the dealer but it will be a few weeks, can someone please measure the distance from the chain case to the top of their tension bolt so I can compare it to mine…thanks. I have a 05 Rage.

 

[LazyBastard]

It will go in most of the way. Make sure that you loosen off the LOCK NUT from the bolt, then tighten in the bolt FINGER TIGHT. After that, tighten the nut.

You should NOT have driven it with the tensioner loose. You may have destroyed your gears or chain.

BTW: Thats one of the things you should know about from the manual. The toolkit in the nose has all the necessary tools to fix it ON THE TRAIL.

 

[Shane]

Blizzard,

I would SERIOUSLY consider NOT riding until FULLY REPAIRED! Chain case failure can be EXTREMELY DANGEROUS! Especially if you are moving at any rate of speed. Your dealer should make this their A-#1 TOP PRIORITY since it is their mistake. PM me or email me at shaneskater24@aol.com or shoot me a phone number and I will call you to explainin more detail. If you really would like, I can measure whatever you think would be helpful on my 05 Vector ER.

Keep in mind, there is a certain tolerance the gears must be within, this is also known as lash. If that tolerance has been compromised and thereis too much lash, it will put exponential wear on the chain case/drive train components and can potentially cause catostrophic failure. Remember, at speed this MAY or should I say will LIKELY cause the track to lock up.

Shane

 

[LazyBastard]

If you're at speed (or even just under power at low speed), it will NOT lock up. It will EXPLODE. When it does, there will be NO BRAKES.

 

[Shane]

If you're at speed (or even just under power at low speed), it will NOT lock up. It will EXPLODE. When it does, there will be NO BRAKES.

Lazy,

Sorry, I disagree as I know from experience. I had a chain let go and it lodged in the lower case causing the drive shaft to lock up. EXPLODE is what I meant by catastrophic failure. Certainly at high speed the likelihood of such a failure (explosion) becomes increasingly more possible but is not guaranteed, hence my explanation of both scenario's.

Shane

 

[Ground Blizzard]

LB, thanks for the input but get off my back on the should have, could have. In a perfect world I would know everything about my sled and have my manual memorized.. but I don't. I had no idea the chain was the cause, like I said I had the jackshaft replaced at the dealer so I figured it had something to do with what they did or didn't do. I didn't see the tension bolt sticking way out until I got it in the garage.
Shane, thanks for the feedback, what I'd like to know is the length from the chain case to the top of bolt so I can compare it to mine. I'll dust off the old Artic and park the Yammie until I can figure somthing out with the dealer...what a PITA

 

[LazyBastard]

Well, the ONLY thing that can make a ratcheting sound that is associated with the jackshaft is the CHAIN, so that should have been your first guess.

 

[novarossi]

what I'd like to know is the length from the chain case to the top of bolt so I can compare it to mine.

This does not matter. You need to adjust it like LB said in his first post. The dealer probably forgot to tighten the locknut and the bolt worked its way out.

 

[Shane]

What novarossi said is correct. To replace the jackshaft you need to pull the chaincase apart, removing the chain and top gear. This would require the loosening of the chain via backing out the tensioner bolt. It would appear to me that based on your description that the dealer did not tighten the tensioner bolt or the locknut or both. That is why i said it should be the dealers #1 TOP PRIORITY. Measuring that distance will not do much. You really need to pull the face plate off the chain case and inspect it. I would still be happy to do it if you think it will help.