Clutches: what is cool?

[synaptic3e]

Been reading through lots of clutching posts and I’m curious as to what exactly is (clutches are cool). What I mean is how warm would they be before they are considered above cool. When I check my clutches after running hard they are warm to touch, not hot, but not cold or cool. I always thought warm... was normal and if I beat on it really hard, approaching to warm to touch. They way some posts read you would get the impression that the people who wrote them are saying the clutches are actually cool to the touch. Has anyone that considers there clutch to be running cool used a heat gun to track the temps? Maybe we could get database going of clutch setups with belt and clutch temps. The Harbor Freight temp gun is cheap with a super coupon... what do people think?

 

[jonlafon1]

I think if you can grab them and hold hands anywhere on them for say 30 seconds they are good. The secondary would be a smidge warmer then primary in the perfect clutched world. How clean they run is a factor. Like how much belt dust? Some belts are cleaner then others. Cleaner clutches run cooler also. Some belt dust is inevitable.

 

[KnappAttack]

This is way way too hot!! Only one hard pass in the deep snow too!

218 belt temp. And I also corded the belt on this one run.

173 secondary temp.

183 primary temp.

Last time out If I remember correctly after 3 back to back to back pulls,
I had 145 belt temp.
Primary temp of 120.
Secondary temp of 90.

I'd consider those really cool and happy.







.

 

[synaptic3e]

This is way way too hot!! Only one hard pass in the deep snow too!

218 belt temp. And I also corded the belt on this one run.


View attachment 152082






173 secondary temp.


View attachment 152084






183 primary temp.


View attachment 152083




Last time out If I remember correctly after 3 back to back to back pulls,
I had 145 belt temp.
Primary temp of 120.
Secondary temp of 90.

I'd consider those really cool and happy.







.

Awesome info... I’m gonna start carrying my temp gun with me to take temps to have info to compare.

 

[Turboflash]

Wonder what the correlation is between temp gun and IR belt temp gage? Should be close to same. I have an IR belt temp gage that always focuses in the center of the belt at about 1 o'clock in the secondary clutch. Hottest I see is around 170-175 (back to back WOT) 1/2 mile.
Dayco, Gates, Timken all say 225 degF is death.

 

[jonlafon1]

Wonder what the correlation is between temp gun and IR belt temp gage? Should be close to same. I have an IR belt temp gage that always focuses in the center of the belt at about 1 o'clock in the secondary clutch. Hottest I see is around 170-175 (back to back WOT) 1/2 mile.
Dayco, Gates, Timken all say 225 degF is death.

Could you post a pic and explain the belt temp gauge you speak of? Thanks.

 

[Turboflash]

Gage came from Razorback Technologies (https://www.razorbackusa.com/product-page/3-0-edition-infrared-belt-temp-gauge). Very easy to read, backlit for night. It has an LED light on the face which is factory-programmable as far as temp goes. I have mine programmed as green up to 190 degF, then the light turns yellow until 200, then turns red until 210, then begins flashing red. It's nice to be able to see the gage color out of your peripheral vision as it's hard to look down for very long at big speed to see what temp the belt is. It's worked flawless for me. It has a quick disconnect that comes out right where your factory hood disconnect is so you can still remove hood easily.

 

[Turboflash]

Gage came from Razorback Technologies (https://www.razorbackusa.com/product-page/3-0-edition-infrared-belt-temp-gauge). Very easy to read, backlit for night. It has an LED light on the face which is factory-programmable as far as temp goes. I have mine programmed as green up to 190 degF, then the light turns yellow until 200, then turns red until 210, then begins flashing red. It's nice to be able to see the gage color out of your peripheral vision as it's hard to look down for very long at big speed to see what temp the belt is. It's worked flawless for me. It has a quick disconnect that comes out right where your factory hood disconnect is so you can still remove hood easily.

A few additional pics I found.

 

[jonlafon1]

Wouldn’t it be great to have one guy standing on a rail bed trail with a heat gun. Then we line up like 25 different sidewinders and run them ball out for a mile. Stop pull panel and guy shoots the clutches and belt. Writes it down. Next guy pulls up after a mile WFO run,, same same. Maybe throw 25 TCats in the mix.
NOW THAT WOULD BE SOME DATA!

 

[jonlafon1]

Gage came from Razorback Technologies (https://www.razorbackusa.com/product-page/3-0-edition-infrared-belt-temp-gauge). Very easy to read, backlit for night. It has an LED light on the face which is factory-programmable as far as temp goes. I have mine programmed as green up to 190 degF, then the light turns yellow until 200, then turns red until 210, then begins flashing red. It's nice to be able to see the gage color out of your peripheral vision as it's hard to look down for very long at big speed to see what temp the belt is. It's worked flawless for me. It has a quick disconnect that comes out right where your factory hood disconnect is so you can still remove hood easily.

Thanks! That is trick. Great idea

 

[actionjack]

Just like F1 tires.
My OEM belt shredded at 2350 miles. Was still a belt but outer material shredded off. I hoped off and grabbed the clutches as soon as I was stopped and had the panel off and could keep my hands on the clutches. Didn't even pull out my temp gun.
Really all we would need is the LED indicator in a really small mount. 3 bills is kinda steep.

 

[actionjack]

There is a snowmobile version of the device on Amazon for $250. According to Razorback the only difference is the length of the harness.

 

[Turboflash]

There is a snowmobile version of the device on Amazon for $250. According to Razorback the only difference is the length of the harness.

Got a link? I looked at all Razorback Technology gages shown on Amazon. Didn't see any for $250. Maybe I missed it.
There are definitely other IR CVT belt temp gage manufacturers out there for less $. However, be careful because some are not intended for snowmobile use (extreme cold temps/vibration/condensation/frost/moisture, etc.) and/or don't have the programmable feature nor any LED lights.

 

[grubf]

Has anybody played with the secondary spring settings? Stock is 3. 3. If it was set stiffer would there be less slip? And therefore less heat? I am just talking stock here.

 

[actionjack]

Got a link? I looked at all Razorback Technology gages shown on Amazon. Didn't see any for $250. Maybe I missed it.
There are definitely other IR CVT belt temp gage manufacturers out there for less $. However, be careful because some are not intended for snowmobile use (extreme cold temps/vibration/condensation/frost/moisture, etc.) and/or don't have the programmable feature nor any LED lights.

Temp Gauge 3.0 select snowmobile size.

Razorback Technology Infrared Belt Temp Gauge - 3.0 Edition (Snowmobile) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M21B80Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_IgKgEbBFBRHR6