There must be a better design to installing a track?

[Mr Freeze]

In this day and age of technological engineering why do we have to have to disassemble the bottom half of the drive system just to change the track? Why couldn't the bottom drive gear be designed to receive the drive bar/axle via it slotting into it? If that could be achieved then it would be a 30 minute job to drop the axle and skid and remove and replace the track.

Just thinking out loud.

 

[YammyRX1]

I smell an aftermarket kit!

 

[kinger]

I agree its a huge PITA to change the track, I just dont have the time to thinking about cutting the driveshaft and putting soem sort of disconnect in it and then hoping it will be strong enough. Heck the 1" THICK shaft already cracks and breaks from the TQ of the engine.

I think strength is the main issue here not convience.

 

[Mr Freeze]

I agree its a huge PITA to change the track, I just dont have the time to thinking about cutting the driveshaft and putting soem sort of disconnect in it and then hoping it will be strong enough. Heck the 1" THICK shaft already cracks and breaks from the TQ of the engine.

I think strength is the main issue here not convience.

I agree that strength and durablity would be a major factor, but if this challenge was given to the engineers at the manufacturing level I can't help but think that they could come up with something.

 

[yammi4ever]

why not put it to the track manufacturers, some type of splice would be the easiest. There are all kinds of belting in industry using splices (i realize none of them deal with the speed that a snowmobile does). This would be by far the easiest in my opinion.

 

[YammyRX1]

You could probably come up with a way to section the frame where the speedo bearing mounts so that a big enough piece could be removed to slide the belt off the drive without removing the drive shaft from the chaincase.

 

[mrc3]

Well it is certainly possible. namely having the drive shaft slide into a splined sleeve that is fully captive in the chaincase (Think outboard motor drive shaft) Then pull the speedo side bearing holder, slide the drive shaft to the speedo side to release from the splined sleeve on chaincase side, angle the drive shaft down and remove.

Of course it would cost a bit more to manufacture, but we are always looking for more ways to increase the cost of our sleds

Mike

 

[sgilbert]

Well it is certainly possible. namely having the drive shaft slide into a splined sleeve that is fully captive in the chaincase (Think outboard motor drive shaft) Then pull the speedo side bearing holder, slide the drive shaft to the speedo side to release from the splined sleeve on chaincase side, angle the drive shaft down and remove.

Of course it would cost a bit more to manufacture, but we are always looking for more ways to increase the cost of our sleds

Mike[/quote the old vks are like that

 

[arteeex]

Just need wicked mad CAD skills and then it's a piece of cake.

The trick is to hold concentricity between the components. One side or the flanges might need to move axially to allow for clearance of drive lugs on the faces of the coupling flanges.

Hard to believe race sleds wouldn't have something similar.

 

[grader]

the track splicing trick would be the best, minimal tools and time, could be done almost anywhere quickly by almost anyone. i use a boxcutter now to remove damaged tracks, takes 10 seconds.

 

[low slung]

Ever change a track on a 1992-2001 ET410?The drive shaft goes in and out of the chaincase.No need to open the chaincase.Wish these four-stroke had this set-up.

 

[LJ 452]

How often are you guys changing tracks?

I can think of a few others things ( at least a hundred) that the engineers at Yam can spend their time on. None of them which relate to this. I get it though, if you just changed one out it may seem like a pain but... don't you think your chaincase needs a full inspection anyway? On the Apex it's a bit more work, on the Nytro it's about a 30-45 minute job. If I was going for the speed record, two guys could probably do a Nytro in 20 minutes or less. That drop bracket on the speedo side really helps things along.

As for the sleeve, it would be nice, simular to the Diamond Drive, but you have to split the brake caliper, and remove the rotor for that, so it's not really easier. A different caliper design would solve that issue.

 

[spddmon]

its a bit of a pia to changeout the track, engeneers did design a system where you could get the driveshaft out witout taking apart the gearcase it is called diamond drive, and look how well that turned out

 

[DoktorC]

How often are you guys changing tracks?

I can think of a few others things ( at least a hundred) that the engineers at Yam can spend their time on. None of them which relate to this. I get it though, if you just changed one out it may seem like a pain but... don't you think your chaincase needs a full inspection anyway? On the Apex it's a bit more work, on the Nytro it's about a 30-45 minute job. If I was going for the speed record, two guys could probably do a Nytro in 20 minutes or less. That drop bracket on the speedo side really helps things along.

Exactly...The slot on the nytro makes things WAY easier but at the end of the day how many times do you change tracks??? I think it takes about the same amount of time as an oil change....which you probably do more often than a track change lol.

 

[attakmod]

X2 low slung, it was very easy on the enticers.