Dreaded Chain Case Crack Got Me!

[RobX-1]

why do the gears look so dry? what kind of oil are you using?

They look like that when they get hot due to no lubrication due to his cracked chain case causing it to leak out all the chain case oil and the heat burnt off any residual oil on the gears and chain would be my guess. He did say he was able to make it to his destination but 7 miles shy of returning.

 

[ksiesel]

This is the first i heard of this, why do the gears look so dry?

I had the same thought, then re-read the OP's post. He stated oil leaked out and he continued to limp it back. I'm assuming that means it got hot from running without lube and hence why it looks so dry (overheated oil baked on gears).

 

[Simplespeed]

After 9000 miles your going to have wear items to replace with sleds that are tuned… No surprised there, but if things are trued and balanced properly it goes a long ways toward longevity, not to mention getting things sealed properly without leaks… Sometimes we can create problems just by taking things apart that don’t need attention.. Other times we let things go too long and we create even more problems… The fear that our sled will leave us stranded on that long trip is the very reason we all pay attention to inspections … In your case its pretty amazing your sled got you almost all the way back.. A cracked chaincase should be rare and leaking oil, lack of oil, or high mileage may not be the end result that caused this chaincase to crack in my humble opinion….

 

[1nc 2000]

Welcome to the club!
Be sure to check chaincase bolts thru tunnel with nuts on them, they loosen up and then the crack is a result after a hard bottom out.
The good news is the inner chaincase with bearing, seals and adjuster bolt come already installed. Price isn't bad either.

 

[Bigblue1]

After 9000 miles your going to have wear items to replace with sleds that are tuned… No surprised there, but if things are trued and balanced properly it goes a long ways toward longevity, not to mention getting things sealed properly without leaks… Sometimes we can create problems just by taking things apart that don’t need attention.. Other times we let things go too long and we create even more problems… The fear that our sled will leave us stranded on that long trip is the very reason we all pay attention to inspections … In your case its pretty amazing your sled got you almost all the way back.. A cracked chaincase should be rare and leaking oil, lack of oil, or high mileage may not be the end result that caused this chaincase to crack in my humble opinion….

Well, you are so right. I would have to admit that driving aggressively through trail junk over the years surely didn't help. I do take meticulous care of my machines but I run the snot out of them also. Apex, Muscle car, ATV etc...I mean isn't that the point after all.

 

[Bigblue1]

Welcome to the club!
Be sure to check chaincase bolts thru with nuts on them, they loosen up and then the crack is a result after a hard bottom out.
The good news is the inner chaincase with bearing, seals and adjuster bolt come already installed. Price isn't bad either.

Oh yeah it will be all shiny new. The whole kit Caboodle. I will say that with the way we ride, the front end is solid as is the skid. So, for those crying about quality issues it just has not been my experience. Sure my Apex chain case and overall build quality is tough. Never an issue with the same mileage. However, had to change all the front end bushings and after a long season there is always some part to be replaced in the skid, be it chopped up wheel, bushings or bearings so I'm quite happy with this machine really.

 

[Bigblue1]

I had the same thought, then re-read the OP's post. He stated oil leaked out and he continued to limp it back. I'm assuming that means it got hot from running without lube and hence why it looks so dry (overheated oil baked on gears).

Probably was without oil for over 100 miles save the lit bit below the crack. . So actually withstood quite a bit.

 

[1nc 2000]

Probably was without oil for over 100 miles save the lit bit below the crack. . So actually withstood quite a bit.

When mine cracked it was leaking about 8 oz of oil in 200 miles. So I had filled it every time I rode it. Good thing it was near the end of the season when cracked. Bottomed front end in the third g out at about 90mph. These sleds are tough!

 

[Turboflash]

Welcome to the club!
Be sure to check chaincase bolts thru tunnel with nuts on them, they loosen up and then the crack is a result after a hard bottom out.
The good news is the inner chaincase with bearing, seals and adjuster bolt come already installed. Price isn't bad either.View attachment 175911

Agree. Many/most sleds I've worked on have loose bolts that attach chaincase to tunnel. One big challenge to tighten them all is some of the upper ones are hidden by/above track. To really get at those you really need to pull rail out so most don't do it.
On another note, often the bolts holding the main spars to form pyramid are loose, both ends. Important these bolts are tight to prevent flex in bulkhead when hitting bumps. Loose bolts allow bulkhead/front pyramid to flex and could cause chaincase to fracture.

 

[Bigblue1]

Agree. Many/most sleds I've worked on have loose bolts that attach chaincase to tunnel. One big challenge to tighten them all is some of the upper ones are hidden by/above track. To really get at those you really need to pull rail out so most don't do it.
On another note, often the bolts holding the main spars to form pyramid are loose, both ends. Important these bolts are tight to prevent flex in bulkhead when hitting bumps. Loose bolts allow bulkhead/front pyramid to flex and could cause chain case to fracture.

That's why this site is so great. I never even checked these bolts seasonally. I will be doing so from this point on as I typically remove the skid every year to go over it.