Remove chain case cover or not?

[Irv]

Just curious how many of you take your chain case covers off to clean it and hyave a look?

I am debating doing it to mine but if it was easier, I would have already done it.

I always did on my Polaris sleds, I found it easier to clean everything good and especially to check and tighten the chain properly.

Too be honest, I hate using the finger tight method on the cam adjuster as you can still over tighten the chain imo.

The sled has just over 3,000 miles and has never been removed before that I am aware of? (bought it used)

 

[APEX 06]

I would you never know what you can fine.

 

[sherlock29]

mee too.... takes less than 10 mins... I sure take mine off to clean! x3....

 

[sledneck22]

The biggest problem with removing the chain case cover is getting everything out of the way to remove it... You have to take off the belly pan, brakes, rotor, and reverse linkage. After all that it is just a matter of removing the bolts that hold the cover on. It is alway a good idea to check the case. I check mine before every season. I can actually have gear switched out and everything back together with fluid in about an hour.
I would say go for it because this way it makes you change the lube in there for next year. Alway good to have clean chaincase lube.
Just my $0.02
Kyle

 

[Irv]

The biggest problem with removing the chain case cover is getting everything out of the way to remove it... You have to take off the belly pan, brakes, rotor, and reverse linkage. After all that it is just a matter of removing the bolts that hold the cover on. It is alway a good idea to check the case. I check mine before every season. I can actually have gear switched out and everything back together with fluid in about an hour.
I would say go for it because this way it makes you change the lube in there for next year. Alway good to have clean chaincase lube.
Just my $0.02Kyle

No worries on the bold, it gets done every year regardless of mileage

I was just wondering, because of the difficulty or the assumed difficulty of removing the cover and all associated parts just to check everything out?
I am just curious how many have never opened it up but changed their oil annually and if they have ever encountered any problems?

Thanks guys

 

[APEX 06]

Its also a easy way to check the bolt for the lower gear. Wish I would of open my cover when I changed my oil in February. That bolt snap and backed out .

 

[bulldogbones]

The only real hard part of prying the cover from the case. You might need a hammer and a couple flat blade screwdrivers. Mine would come until I popped it loose.

 

[Irv]

The only real hard part of prying the cover from the case. You might need a hammer and a couple flat blade screwdrivers. Mine would come until I popped it loose.

I am assuming mine might be a little tight or hard to get off but I have played with a few over the years so it shouldn't be any harder than what I am already use to, I hope?

When taking the reverse linkage off, will I be able to bolt everything back up the same way or will my reverse need to be all readjusted?

Will I also need a new gasket or will the original be fine as ong as I don't rip it?

 

[canadianhunter]

The only real hard part of prying the cover from the case. You might need a hammer and a couple flat blade screwdrivers. Mine would come until I popped it loose.

I am assuming mine might be a little tight or hard to get off but I have played with a few over the years so it shouldn't be any harder than what I am already use to, I hope?

When taking the reverse linkage off, will I be able to bolt everything back up the same way or will my reverse need to be all readjusted?

Will I also need a new gasket or will the original be fine as ong as I don't rip it?

Did one yesterday.
Linkage - undid the top one and then had to undo one further down after I could see behind as could not move the forks up enough to clear their slot.No adj. required.
Don't forget to remove the little bolt near the center of the cover.
The rubber gasket will be fine.
To start it is just the dowels that are holding the cover, don't damage the rubber gasket.

Not really sure I'm going to do our other sled, not likely anything will go wrong if you change oil yearly.

 

[Irv]

The only real hard part of prying the cover from the case. You might need a hammer and a couple flat blade screwdrivers. Mine would come until I popped it loose.

I am assuming mine might be a little tight or hard to get off but I have played with a few over the years so it shouldn't be any harder than what I am already use to, I hope?

When taking the reverse linkage off, will I be able to bolt everything back up the same way or will my reverse need to be all readjusted?

Will I also need a new gasket or will the original be fine as ong as I don't rip it?

Did one yesterday.
Linkage - undid the top one and then had to undo one further down after I could see behind as could not move the forks up enough to clear their slot.No adj. required.
Don't forget to remove the little bolt near the center of the cover.
The rubber gasket will be fine.
To start it is just the dowels that are holding the cover, don't damage the rubber gasket.

Not really sure I'm going to do our other sled, not likely anything will go wrong if you change oil yearly.

Wondered that but it bugs me not being able to see if I have the right amount of chain tension?
I would also like to be able to clean it good and just check everything over as well.

I am more than likely going to do it, (time permitting) and if everything looks good and my chain tension is within spec then I will probably skip a year or two from here on in?
Thanks for the replies

 

[canadianhunter]

My chain tension was good.
The way I do it is turn clutch in drive direction to take up slack and lock on park brake. Then set the tension at finger tight and back off 2 flats (1.3 turn). Seems to work, after intial wear in I have only had about one flat wear in 7000 miles. I have the bolt marked with paint.
I use 75/90 amsoil gear lube.

 

[Irv]

My chain tension was good.
The way I do it is turn clutch in drive direction to take up slack and lock on park brake. Then set the tension at finger tight and back off 2 flats (1.3 turn). Seems to work, after intial wear in I have only had about one flat wear in 7000 miles. I have the bolt marked with paint.
I use 75/90 amsoil gear lube.

Thanks, I checked my XLT once with the cover off and noticed even with the finger tight and back off 1/2 turn method it was still too tight imo.

I may just try your idea and see what it looks like with the cover off, hopefully it is good as I will follow it for the next couple of years.

I am currently using Mobil-1 75-90 syn gear lube, use it for quite a few years(changing annually regardless of miles) and never had a problem.

Amsoil severe gear is suppose to be great oil as well, I just get the Mobil-1 cheap so I use it.

 

[Sasquatch]

Change oil every year, removed the cover at 8000 miles when the track was replaced. Removed it again same year when driveshaft broke at 9000 miles.

Removed cover at 13,000 miles when bearing went on driveshaft. Changed chain at this time but could not really say it needed it. When holding both sideways to check droop they where the same. When installing them the new one was a little tighter (bolt backed out a tad further) but again not sure if it needed to be changed.

Gears have no wear that shows, everything nice and clean. I use synthetic chaincase oil by Advance since first change. So other then breakage of other components the cover has stayed on.

Finger tight on bolt back off a half turn tighten lock nut!