Quick drive belt - broken bottom bolt

guffy · Mar 21, 2019

Was riding and the bottom quick drive bolt snapped on me - the bottom gear came right off the spline.
Very dangerous / scary as I was on a steep climb and lost all throttle and brake.
Full disclosure - I had replaced the stock gears with the pro ride gears and a new QD belt about 500km earlier. Even replaced the bottom bolt with one that was supposed to be stronger 10.9 hardness.
Anyways, in a fluster to get it back together and ride out (could not get the bottom bolt to engage the threads so I had to keep stopping to hammer the bottom gear back onto the spline as it was walking itself off) I just realized that I put the QD belt on backwards. Probably rode out about 30km like this.
Question is did I damage the belt or anything? Can I just flip it back to proper direction and keep using it? Or do I need a new belt?
Thanks!

matchrocket · Mar 21, 2019

Belt is probably OKAY if only backwards for the trail ride out.

When you replace the bolts, replace them with ARP studs. ARP Bolts (663-1006)

https://www.amazon.com/ARP-663-1006-Bolt-1-25-Pack/dp/B00I5APXL8

mountainhorse · Mar 21, 2019

Have a look through this post...

It's not a matter of hardness...

The ARP's are tougher...But, again, read this entire post.

https://www.snowest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=389180&highlight=arp+bolt

Good luck.

.

guffy · Mar 21, 2019

Thanks for the replies.
I read through that whole thread. A lot of it went over my head.

I realize I need to order ARP 663-1005, tap and clean everything, use blue locktite and cross my fingers I don't have another issue.

I don't know if I will ever have full confidence in my sled again after this situation...

richracer1 · Mar 21, 2019

guffy said:
Thanks for the replies.
I read through that whole thread. A lot of it went over my head.

I realize I need to order ARP 663-1005, tap and clean everything, use blue locktite and cross my fingers I don't have another issue.

I don't know if I will ever have full confidence in my sled again after this situation...

I have the ARP bolts installed my QD and they aren't even on the list of concerns as far as my sled goes.

tialgunner · Mar 21, 2019

Broken bolt

I to just had a lower pulley bolt break I also had put pro gears on the bolt broke right at the thread about 3/4 of an inch in where the thread start my sled is under warranty I believe they’re giving me two new pulleys a belt and probably a new drive shaft The pulleys had nicks in them from hitting each other the boat apparently had been broken for a little while and there is a lot of slop on the pulley in the shaft and the bolt is stuck inside of the shaft

guffy · Mar 21, 2019

Wow, I too still have warranty til Nov. Never considered that they would cover it due to the aftermarket gears and bolt.
I am on a sled trip while this is all happening. I Already paid a non Polaris shop to remove the broken bolt. They put in a bolt but didn't know what hardness it was (did their best). They didn't catch that my belt was on backwards so it is still on incorrectly (I woke up in the middle of the night and thought of it for some reason - had a 50/50 chance and of course it's wrong)
I think my trip is over because of this and I'm so frustrated

AdrenalineAddict · Mar 21, 2019

It sounds as though alot of guys are putting Pro gears on their Axys and are having the problem you mentioned. I had a few lower sprocket bolts break ( tried to kill me once) on the Pro's but never on my Axys. I am not sure if Polaris tightened up the spline to sprocket fit on the Axys, but there sure is a lot less slop in my Axys gears compared to the fit on my Pro. Provided the tolerances are tighter on the Axys you are going to have less of a moment exerted on the bolt head and shaft. I personally haven't bothered changing because of the sloppy tolerances and fear I might snap off a few more bolts in unforgiving situations.

Teth-Air · Mar 21, 2019

guffy said:
Was riding and the bottom quick drive bolt snapped on me - the bottom gear came right off the spline.
Very dangerous / scary as I was on a steep climb and lost all throttle and brake.
Full disclosure - I had replaced the stock gears with the pro ride gears and a new QD belt about 500km earlier. Even replaced the bottom bolt with one that was supposed to be stronger 10.9 hardness.
Anyways, in a fluster to get it back together and ride out (could not get the bottom bolt to engage the threads so I had to keep stopping to hammer the bottom gear back onto the spline as it was walking itself off) I just realized that I put the QD belt on backwards. Probably rode out about 30km like this.
Question is did I damage the belt or anything? Can I just flip it back to proper direction and keep using it? Or do I need a new belt?
Thanks!

We have good bolts for this in stock in Calgary!

guffy · Mar 21, 2019

Teth-Air said:
We have good bolts for this in stock in Calgary!

The bolt that broke - I bought from you.
I actually sent you a msg through your contact form on your website earlier today.

Less than 500 km on it. Used a good torque wrench to install - followed service manual instructions. Never jumped or dropped cliffs.

Sheetmetalfab · Mar 21, 2019

guffy said:
The bolt that broke - I bought from you.
I actually sent you a msg through your contact form on your website earlier today.

Less than 500 km on it. Used a good torque wrench to install - followed service manual instructions. Never jumped or dropped cliffs.

That’s funny ?

ARP. The only way

guffy · Mar 21, 2019

I will be ordering some ARP Bolts to Calgary. Tomorrow morning (March 22) if anyone wants in - let me know asap. Approx $25cdn + shipping split between us.
After my experience (I could have wrote 10 more paragraphs about this ordeal) - this is a must do mod.

guffy · Mar 22, 2019

mountainhorse said:
Have a look through this post...

It's not a matter of hardness...

The ARP's are tougher...But, again, read this entire post.

https://www.snowest.com/forum/showthread.php?t=389180&highlight=arp+bolt

Good luck.

.

Read the thread again. The pro ride gears I installed were off a '15. Could that be part of the problem? Would '14 gears be better on the axys?

richracer1 · Mar 22, 2019

guffy said:
Read the thread again. The pro ride gears I installed were off a '15. Could that be part of the problem? Would '14 gears be better on the axys?

The gears are the same.

gtwitch · Mar 27, 2019

just ordered 5-663 1005 bolts and does anyone have the torque for the bolts on installation as I am putting the 15 PRO gears on my 18 AXYS as soon as the bolts get here??
gtwitch in wyoming

LPIdaho · Mar 27, 2019

guffy said:
Read the thread again. The pro ride gears I installed were off a '15. Could that be part of the problem? Would '14 gears be better on the axys?

Yes, especially if the pro pulleys were used off of a pro.

Sheetmetalfab · Mar 27, 2019

guffy said:
Read the thread again. The pro ride gears I installed were off a '15. Could that be part of the problem? Would '14 gears be better on the axys?

richracer1 said:
The gears are the same.

LPIdaho said:
Yes, especially if the pro pulleys were used off of a pro.

Like mentioned the 14 gears are tighter tolerance. (Less possible movement to stretch the bolt)

But the arp bolt is tough. (No known failures of the arp)

guffy · Mar 28, 2019

For what it's worth - I checked my stock '16 gears vs the '15 pro ride gears and they both seem to have the exact same amount of slop.
It seems like quite a bit but I have nothing to compare to. I'd say they are moving (sloping) at least 1/16"
More slop in the bottom compared to the top.

Teth-Air · Mar 28, 2019

guffy said:
The bolt that broke - I bought from you.
I actually sent you a msg through your contact form on your website earlier today.

Less than 500 km on it. Used a good torque wrench to install - followed service manual instructions. Never jumped or dropped cliffs.

I did not get your message for some reason. We have had none of these bolts break until now so obviously we can replace it for you. The bigger question is how much slop is there between your gear and shaft splines. If these move too much you will have to drill out the threads and go with a large stud on the shaft and then use the loctite for splines. That was the only way to fix my 2015 as it was so sloppy from new. If the gear is twisting forward and backward all the time, the bolt will get looser and then will eventually fail.

Teth-Air · Mar 28, 2019

guffy said:
For what it's worth - I checked my stock '16 gears vs the '15 pro ride gears and they both seem to have the exact same amount of slop.
It seems like quite a bit but I have nothing to compare to. I'd say they are moving (sloping) at least 1/16"
More slop in the bottom compared to the top.

That is a lot of slop. If you simply put in another bolt, make sure you check the torque after each ride.

Quick drive belt - broken bottom bolt

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