Question on swapping driveshaft and track out on KC

blurredelevens · Oct 1, 2009

Have a 2004 King Cat.

How difficult is it to swap out the driveshaft and throw a new track on?

Also, is getting track tension correct an exact science?

Thanks for any helpful hints or info. Thank you!

76FOMOCO · Oct 1, 2009

1 loosen the adjuster nuts on the rear wheels and slide in all the way.
2 hold the rear of the sled up so you can pull the rear skid out
3 undo the 4 bolts holding the skid in and pull it out.
4 pull the can so you can get to the bolts for the cover, btw one of them hides under the foot rest.
5 pop the cover and spend the next 20 min wiping up gear oil
6 under the tunnel side undo the 3 bolts on the speedo side bearing. (I like to pull the secondary clutch and belt for easy access later)
7 lock the brake and undo the 3/4 nut on the top of the chain and the nut on the bottom of the chain. this is a good time to inspect the chain as they are known to be JUNK. Note how the bottom gear was facing. undo brake and slide chain and gears off.
8 undo the 3 bolt in the chain case around the lower gear.
9 pull the bearing behind the gear out be careful not to loose the O ring around it.
10 work the drive shaft from side to side until you clear the tunnel.
11. Check the shaft bearing to see if they are good the speedo side known to be a POS. due to under lube.

As for track tension I like to start with about 2" of sag and tighten if need. when done put it up in the air and adjust the rear wheels until the track doesn't look like it is leaning closer to one hyfax or the other and yes you need to spin it with the motor.
Please chime in if i missed anything.

woodtick · Oct 1, 2009

Track change

Why not just unscrew the drain plug on the inside and drain out oil instead of wiping up all that oil. And speaking of oil don' forget to put it back in chaincase. Just a few thoughts.,JIM

76FOMOCO · Oct 1, 2009

I have only seen the m's with drain plugs am I missing something?

Coldfinger · Oct 1, 2009

I believe there is a plug. Parts fiche shows one. It is inside the tunnel. There is an aluminum plate which protects the dropcase, and that plate has cutout for access to the plug.

I siphoned out the oil before I removed the cover.

76FOMOCO · Oct 1, 2009

Well I will have to look on my sled, i see it on the fish!!!!
I just put it on the side when changing gears so I don't have to refill the oil.
I have only been under the dam thing a MILLION time and didnt see it......

Meatman · Oct 1, 2009

its a tough one to see...I dont use it cause all it is seems to be one more thing to take off and put back on.

Idcatman3 · Oct 1, 2009

Meatman said:
its a tough one to see...I dont use it cause all it is seems to be one more thing to take off and put back on.

We never use the plug either, seems to make just as big a mess anyway. With the guard on the chaincase, you can drill a small hole at the lowest point and just put a catch pan underneath, that way it doesn't make as big a mess.

U turn · Oct 1, 2009

76FOMOCO said:
1 loosen the adjuster nuts on the rear wheels and slide in all the way.
2 hold the rear of the sled up so you can pull the rear skid out
3 undo the 4 bolts holding the skid in and pull it out.
4 pull the can so you can get to the bolts for the cover, btw one of them hides under the foot rest.
5 pop the cover and spend the next 20 min wiping up gear oil
6 under the tunnel side undo the 3 bolts on the speedo side bearing. (I like to pull the secondary clutch and belt for easy access later)(replace the bearing, you have it out anyways, its a weak point)
7 lock the brake and undo the 3/4 nut on the top of the chain and the nut on the bottom of the chain. this is a good time to inspect the chain as they are known to be JUNK. Note how the bottom gear was facing. undo brake and slide chain and gears off.(replace the chain, if it has more than 700 miles on it, your playing russian roulette, cheap at 80 bucks)
8 undo the 3 bolt in the chain case around the lower gear.
9 pull the bearing behind the gear out be careful not to loose the O ring around it.
10 work the drive shaft from side to side until you clear the tunnel.
11. Check the shaft bearing to see if they are good the speedo side known to be a POS. due to under lube.

12. Grease the bearing well when replacing
13. Use ATF instead of chaincase oil, cheaper so you replace it more.

As for track tension I like to start with about 2" of sag and tighten if need. when done put it up in the air and adjust the rear wheels until the track doesn't look like it is leaning closer to one hyfax or the other and yes you need to spin it with the motor.
Please chime in if i missed anything.

If you have extros, run as loose as you can, if not, 1" slack with a 2lb weight hanging in the middle(just give it a pull, it will show you how much slack. If it jumps when riding, just tighten it a bit. Most important is to have the track centered. You will have to make a couple of small adjustments to get it right when you ride.

76FOMOCO · Oct 2, 2009

Idcatman3 said:
We never use the plug either, seems to make just as big a mess anyway. With the guard on the chaincase, you can drill a small hole at the lowest point and just put a catch pan underneath, that way it doesn't make as big a mess.

This is what I do. ^

as for oil the endless debate will go on for ever, I just us 80-90 w.

Perk · Oct 3, 2009

I swear last time I had my drive shaft out I didn't drain the oil. Just rolled it up on the left side and pulled the cover and shaft, put the new track in and reinstalled the driveshaft. No oil lost. But I am usually 3 beers into it at that point so I might be mistaken....

diggerdown · Oct 3, 2009

Use the drain plug, then put a sheet of aluminum foil under the chaincase when you open it. Saves a lot of paper towels! When you put the track back in be sure to bolt the front of the skid first, then put a block of wood under the track at the front mount and lower the sled down until the rear holes match up. Real easy! Setting your track tension will vary with drivers, what track, and how much preload you have on the front skid shock. The 2" is a good place to start and if you need it tighter, take it a little at a time until you stop ratcheting.

joshua335 · Oct 3, 2009

Idcatman3 said:
We never use the plug either, seems to make just as big a mess anyway. With the guard on the chaincase, you can drill a small hole at the lowest point and just put a catch pan underneath, that way it doesn't make as big a mess.

I use the drain plug all the time, alot less mess than opening up the chaincase.

Meatman · Oct 3, 2009

easiest way to bolt the skid back up is to first put the skid in the track, bolt the front ones up then lay it on its side and bolt the rear back in, switch sides and get the other one bolted in. can be done in a matter of 15 mins.

whole swap usually doesnt take much more than an hour pending on how many beers you drink before you start

huntingtag48 · Oct 5, 2009

I agree that pulling the skid out and back in is a piece of cake. I lost my speedo side drive shaft bearing about 7 miles from moose camp last year, and had it replaced in under two hours including starting a fire. Rolling it side to side is the only way to go without a jack or help.

If you guys were replacing a drive shaft, would you replace the sprockets too, or will they slide off the old one and stay put on the new one?

diggerdown · Oct 5, 2009

I would put new drivers on. They go on very tight and I think if you press them off and then back on again, they could shift of slip on the shaft. I tried it once on a 1" hex shaft and spun the shaft on the drivers, these new shafts are larger and may take it, but I would hate to chance it and drivers do wear out anyway.

huntingtag48 · Oct 5, 2009

diggerdown,

Thanks for the response, and hate to be a hijacker, but the reason I can change a shaft bearing in the bush is because I've done it too many times on this machine.
I need a new shaft, and I would like to save the $85 between the bare shaft and fully fitted, but $85 is less that two cases of Canadian in the bush, so I don't think I'll miss it.
I would like to find a used one if anyone has one though!
I like this machine, and I'm going to keep it as long as I can. It will lug good at the low RPM's I run in the bush, and still pull like five mules on the way out.
This year I'm welding tunnel cracks, rebuilding my drive clutch and changing drive shaft and bearings. This site is a goldmine of knowledge, and I really appreciate it.

76FOMOCO · Oct 5, 2009

huntingtag48 said:
diggerdown,

Thanks for the response, and hate to be a hijacker, but the reason I can change a shaft bearing in the bush is because I've done it too many times on this machine.
I need a new shaft, and I would like to save the $85 between the bare shaft and fully fitted, but $85 is less that two cases of Canadian in the bush, so I don't think I'll miss it.
I would like to find a used one if anyone has one though!
I like this machine, and I'm going to keep it as long as I can. It will lug good at the low RPM's I run in the bush, and still pull like five mules on the way out.
This year I'm welding tunnel cracks, rebuilding my drive clutch and changing drive shaft and bearings. This site is a goldmine of knowledge, and I really appreciate it.

Pull the shaft and put in a vice or lathe with the bearing so you can spin it and check it for true. seen a few bent but not too bad they don't run right but eat bearings......Just a thought.

huntingtag48 · Oct 5, 2009

76FOMOCO,
Thanks for the response. It isn't bent, the end is getting pointed from going out and eating the tunnel too many times! I thought about building it back up and turning it down, but I don't know any good shops around, and I don't have a lathe. Wish I did on either, though.

Thanks again.

boone · Oct 5, 2009

Perk said:
I swear last time I had my drive shaft out I didn't drain the oil. Just rolled it up on the left side and pulled the cover and shaft, put the new track in and reinstalled the driveshaft. No oil lost. But I am usually 3 beers into it at that point so I might be mistaken....

That is how we do it also.

Boone

Question on swapping driveshaft and track out on KC

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