Clutching, lets be safe guys....

[NOS-PRO]

Been so much clutch changing and setups lately that I just want to once again talk about safety.....

You guys/gals are awesome on this site and I couldn't be happier riding, racing and playing in the snow with you all! You guys rock! I would hate to see something happen to you guys and gals so I need to say this, even if it only gets read one time.... I need to say something after what I saw last night.

2014 Viper in my shop last night, (not mentioning any names) said he tried to do his own clutching, but the sled just wouldn't do over 80mph. Guy was real nice, talked for awhile as I started up the sled to see what his engagement was and how the sled ran. When the clutching would engage it would be like a belt that was burned up trying to load on a trailer and slipped the belt causing a large pocket. (That's what I thought at first). I started to take his clutches apart. 1st thing I found was the belt was on backwards.....things happen, no biggy. Then I noticed the belt was like it was chewed on. Showed him the belt. 8JP belt was definitely trashed. took off the secondary and noticed there was hardly no tension on the secondary spring. Took apart the secondary and the spring was broke. The plastic pucks were so melted and mushroomed over the helix was just starting to rub metal. Ok......... Had an extra pink spring lying around so I put that in, new pucks and had some washers lying around from shimming my helix.

The primary wasn't so lucky..... The heat from the belt slipping so bad caused heat cracks that are over 1 1/4" long, raised up to the point where a screwdriver catches the lip and definitley would not make too many more high speed runs. This made me sit back for a minute and realize I am so glad he had me check his clutching out. Through all of my racing and experience with clutching, I check my clutches regularly to make sure they are good to run.

Upon blowing out the belt dust, I showed him the cracks and told him he needed a new clutch. He said he would get one ordered. Put my primary on his sled with his reworked secondary and he took it around my yard, said the sled feels happy Loaded into his trailer and I took my primary clutch off.

My point is.....

For those who are doing your own clutching and installs, please ask questions if you are unsure about how things came apart or how they go back together.....PLEASE. I, along with everyone here, advertisor or member, friend or aquaintance.....would never want to hear of a clutch explosion as it's not pretty. Seen many clutches come apart and in some instances fingers and toes were removed.

Be safe out there!

 

[skidooslayer687]

Great post and a great read, definately very true, tinkering with things is great but make sure it goes back together properly, saw a primary grenade one time when the guy was doing 165 mph on ice... Was not pretty at all, thankfully he wasn't hurt at all, just needed to change his underwear!

 

[basic700]

Yes good talk. I always wondered what would happen if that clutch grenade'd! Prob about like this 1206 clutch/flywheel coming apart
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7gKbk0jyyM

 

[TD Max]

When I first read the title I wasn't even thinking at the mechanical level I was thinking more on a testing level. Things happen fast at 80+ mph. Brought back memories of a technician at the local Polaris dealer who went out for a quick test ride and did not come back. This was I'm guessing 10+ yrs ago.

I'm also not afraid to admit that I believe I made an error on reassembly of my secondary at one point. I believe I let the spring ride up on the pilot of the helix when I installed it. I know that I did tis once for sure as I saw it and I'm thinking I may have done this one other time. I always go back over my clutches and noticed the secondary was not right when I went to jack it open with my RMS tool. It stopped at partial travel due to coil bind. I pay extra attention to this now when installing the helix.

 

[NOS-PRO]

Yes good talk. I always wondered what would happen if that clutch grenade'd! Prob about like this 1206 clutch/flywheel coming apart
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7gKbk0jyyM

Used to go to car shows all the time with my vehicles and in Sheboygan, WI. they used to have an open header contest.....as I said, used to. Don't remember the car but do remember it was a 4 speed and the guy was revving it up for the crowd when 2 people who were standing next to the car fell to the ground from pieces of the pressure late flying out from the bottom of the car when it broke apart.

When I first read the title I wasn't even thinking at the mechanical level I was thinking more on a testing level. Things happen fast at 80+ mph. Brought back memories of a technician at the local Polaris dealer who went out for a quick test ride and did not come back. This was I'm guessing 10+ yrs ago.

I'm also not afraid to admit that I believe I made an error on reassembly of my secondary at one point. I believe I let the spring ride up on the pilot of the helix when I installed it. I know that I did tis once for sure as I saw it and I'm thinking I may have done this one other time. I always go back over my clutches and noticed the secondary was not right when I went to jack it open with my RMS tool. It stopped at partial travel due to coil bind. I pay extra attention to this now when installing the helix.

TD, everyone makes mistakes and I have made some doozies in my life. Take in question my belt was on backwards the last TY ride and found this out when my rubber gasket from between my tank and clutch guard got into my secondary.

 

[TD Max]

I just took a look at what I could have possibly done. It is possible that I just let the tail of the spring slip. It is also possible to catch the first coil on the pilot of the BDX helix. The BDX has the pilot machined square where the OE has a nice cast radius.

It is easy enough to do this when trying to twist the helix past to the bolt towers as you almost have to pull out on the helix just a bit. I now go back and double check that the tail of the spring has good protrusion through the helix cap.

 

[TD Max]

Alcohol, no helmet, fixed objects and other machines following in the group:

http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/snowmobile/fatalitySummary/snowCurrent.html

 

[NOS-PRO]

Alcohol, no helmet, fixed objects and other machines following in the group:

http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/snowmobile/fatalitySummary/snowCurrent.html

Dang.... I remember the woman that was bumped off the back and hit by the next snowmobile. Didn't know about the other ones.